• by David Wachs , July 10, 2013

One of the best, most direct ways for marketers to connect with an engaged audience today is via SMS-based marketing, as it allows the marketer to create a truly one-to-one, interactive, and even “conversational” relationship with the customer. Although SMS-based marketing is known to produce strong results, many brands continue to steer clear. Simply put, brands may avoid SMS marketing because they feel it might be viewed as spam, or they feel it is antiquated. However, it is a myth that SMS-based marketing is spam, or that SMS isn't as sexy as other mobile tactics.

Fortunately, misunderstandings around SMS spam can be easily debunked by understanding industry best practices for SMS marketing, as well as learning about some laws that keep everybody in line. Yes, in the past there have been instances where SMS marketing has been abused and has annoyed consumers, but legislation today heavily safeguards the public from being spammed via text.

The key to SMS marketing is choice. In fact, we call 2013 the year of personalization and choice for consumers -- with opt-in requirements, SMS marketing offers the public just that.

Here’s a quick SMS marketing refresher, with tips on what to do and what to avoid and some key takeaways to help you leverage this impactful form of mobile marketing -- and clearly draw the line between spam and SMS-based marketing.

1) Offer an opt-in: At various touchpoints (whether in-store, in traditional media, or via an online ad), invite your customer to expressly opt in to the program. Never take phone numbers of your customers and add them to your lists without their consent. And above all, never use automated dialers, known for sending mass messages to numbers at random. Although automated dialers are now illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, brands can still fall victim to them since they appear to be so easy.

2) Get to know your customer immediately: During the opt-in process, determine the consumer’s preference on programs. Do they want daily deal text messages? Tips? A monthly coupon to redeem in-store? Figure it out right off the bat so you can send relevant and targeted offers and promotions. This leads us to...

3) Master cadence on “The Rule of Ones”: The number of texts you send is different for each campaign. But a general rule of thumb is to text at least once a month, but no more than once a week. An exception to this rule is a daily deal promotion when you’ve confirmed specific consumers who are interested in getting a text each day. Either way, whether you’re sending messages once a day or once a month, stick to the cadence you advertise.

4) Use targeted content: Keep campaigns separate. From holiday programs to daily deals, don’t mix messaging. Also, be sure to distinguish keywords associated with each campaign -- i.e., if the consumer wants coupons, you should clearly state “Text COUPONS if you want coupons.” It is a fundamental but often overlooked rule.

SMS-based promotions offer a simple yet targeted marketing solution that delivers major ROI for brands. When used correctly, SMS marketing holds massive potential for a variety of reasons -- including more targeted marketing efforts, as well as the ability for the consumer to engage in a conversation with their favorite brands.

It’s time we put to bed the misconception that SMS-based marketing is spam. Instead, understand that these best practices, as well as following the TCPA guidelines, will empower marketers to create relevant programs to engage with the most targeted of key audiences, leading to response rates that can be 8 to 10 times greater than email.