Australian businesses have just gone through the process of ensuring that when they send an SMS to their customers, the sender is connected to their business. This process to register branded SMS ID’s is aimed at reducing spam and scams targeting Australian consumers and brands that have not completed the process risk their messages being marked as ‘unverified’.
Whilst it may have been a bit of a challenge, the benefits of this change are substantial for both brands and their customers.
SMS is a marketing channel with impact. Consumers look at their phone constantly and are much more likely to see your message within minutes of it being sent compared to email, which they may view much less frequently. It’s a great channel to use when you have a strong call to action and a clear timeframe for action.
My SMS Sender is verified, what next?
Let your customers know what your brand will appear as in SMS messages so they know when someone is trying to impersonate your business. Give them an idea of the sort of messages you may send them. (We have a couple of great ideas below).
Send an email with an image of how your sender ID will appear in SMS messages and let them know how to subscribe to SMS messages if they aren’t currently receiving them. And of course, send an SMS to customers so they can store your contact.
Now that SMS is a much safer communication channel, here are some ways that you can start to incorporate it into your marketing mix.
- Welcome Message – creating that first impression is important, and you want your message read and want to honour the channel that your customer has selected. Adding SMS as a channel to your welcome message ensures you will reach 100% of your audience with that message that is going to set the scene for your digital engagement.
- Birthday Message – getting an offer to your customer on their birthday is a great way to create a visit or sale. Sending customers a text message wishing them a Happy Birthday with a link to the email with their voucher and a button to make a booking, is a great way to make your customer feel special.
- Voucher Reminders – one of the most effective SMS campaigns we observe is when you create urgency to redeem an offer with an SMS reminder.
- Member Draws – whether it’s the members’ cash draw or the meat raffle, members will appreciate a timely reminder of an upcoming draw
- Fill your house on quiet days – when you look ahead at the bookings for the next few days and realise that they are well below your capacity, sending a text message reminding customers about your fantastic steak, parma or even family dining options is a simple way to get bookings and fill your house.
- Automated Messages – adding an SMS channel to your automated messages ensures that you reach 100% of your available audience and customers don’t miss out on promotions and offers.
Need help with your SMS Sender ID or setting up some of these campaigns? Contact us at support@impactdata.com.au.
