Small business owners looking for an effective and inexpensive marketing tool may want to consider adding Text Message Marketing to their campaign.

Known formally as SMS (Short Message Service) marketing, text message marketing has several characteristics that make it appealing to businesses with budgetary or time constraints. Also, as smartphones continue to land in the hands of a steadily increasing number of consumers, the reasons for using text message marketing become more sensible.

First, and most importantly, this is an opt-in service for recipients. This means that messages are sent only to those who have agreed to receive them. Not only does this increase the likelihood of their being read, it improves their impact and, subsequently, their ROI since they are welcome messages from the company transmitting them.

Additionally, text messages are read within a few minutes of being received, unlike emails which may receive only cursory attention before deletion, get bumped into a spam folder, or simply ignored. This instant engagement aspect of SMS, sent to a willing recipient, increases the response to the message, and translates into increased business.

SMS marketing, because of its brevity, naturally interactive format, and low pricing options, offers a tremendous marketing platform for the small business owner, and a simple text message can be linked to even greater promotional options. While it may not have as great a reach as other forms of mobile or emarketing approaches, it engages an audience that will read it immediately, respond to it, and not dismiss it out of hand.

Reference:

Nuckels, Brett. “5 Reasons to Try Text Message Marketing for Your Small Business,” Business News Daily. Jan. 02, 2014.