It’s insane that 2022 is already upon us, and the way people are interacting with their phones and text messaging has only increased.
On average, people are still checking their phones between 140 and 160 times every single day (on average). Almost 50% of people admit that the first thing they do when they wake up is check their cell phones.
It’s no secret that mobile ad campaigns have a higher and quicker opening rate– and a better engagement rate– than any other form of marketing that exists currently.
More and more, the cellphone is the final frontier of marketing, and if you can stay ahead of the curve, you’ll be able to say that you were part of the golden age of SMS marketing. In this article, we’re going to discuss how you can step up your SMS marketing campaigns in three very specific ways so you can see results like never before.
Way #1 – IVR Blasts
IVR is an abbreviation for Interactive Voice Response, which is an automated menu system that allows people to navigate using their voice or keypad input. Not only is it becoming more and more popular, but it’s also one of the most profitable tools you can use as a marketer.
When you use IVR with your SMS marketing campaigns it’s a powerful combination often called an IVR Blast. An IVR blast is essentially a scheduled campaign in which automated calls go to your SMS list. When the customer picks up, they are greeted by an IVR menu that has a pre-recorded message with menu options they can select.
One of the major benefits of an IVR blast is that it can replace many hours of human dialing which is typically just wasted time. Instead, you can have agents standing by for when a customer uses their voice or keypad to input information. So rather than having a team of people constantly getting voicemails, you can have that same team of people who are only fielding calls for people who use the IVR to indicate they are interested.
IVR blasts are also powerful because you can use the customer’s information to customize that person’s experience with the IVR menu by playing them unique greetings or implementing other user-specific warm touches.
With an IVR blast, calls are also able to be tracked in real-time so you can see the results quickly and easily.
Use IVR blasts for things like direct sales, confirmations of appointments or events, lead qualifications, customer service, and surveys for starters.
TextCalibur has the full capability to do IVR blasting, so this is the first way that you can improve productivity, increase customer engagement, and step up your SMS marketing campaigns in 2022.
Way #2 – Short Codes
Short codes are short numbers (typically only five or six digits) that companies can use for reliable and seamless communication with their customers. These can only be used for texting, but they do have some strong benefits.
Short codes are typically used by businesses to send approved, opt-in mass texts to their audience. Short codes can only be achieved by following a rigorous application process by the mobile carriers who oversee them. The process is complicated, often long, and it isn’t an inexpensive one.
An important concept to remember about short codes is that the consumer’s permission is very, very important. You need to have express, provable consent that each and every customer is allowing you to send them marketing messages. Additionally, if someone wants to opt-out of your marketing messages you have to stop contacting them immediately.
The beauty of short codes is that because the mobile carriers are so stringent with them, and because they are so closely monitored that they have an incredibly high delivery and open rate. There’s also the TCPA and other regulations that have kept the SMS spam rate at an unbelievable 2.8% overall.
When you use short codes to step up your 2021 campaigns, you’re going to see a higher open rate and opt-in rate from your campaigns overall. Short code campaigns tend to have a higher opt-in rate (as high as 77%), and a very small opt-out rate (as low as 6%) comparatively. An SMS message’s open rate is also pushing beyond 90%– something that no other marketing channel can boast. Studies show that people are seven to eight times more likely to send back a response to a text message they receive versus an email.
To take that open rate a step further, think about how quickly an SMS can reach your entire customer base. And since the delivery rate is so high with a short code, it’s the perfect advertising platform to send anything that is time-sensitive. Whether it’s a product launch, an announcement, a flash sale, or any other news, a short code SMS message can get your message to your entire customer base quickly and accurately like no other medium.
Short code messages also give a more reliable open channel to two-way communication with your customers. Since you know the open rate and engagement rate is so high, you can use that momentum to have full conversations with customers. Not only can you send customized and personalized messages, you can also reply in real-time to any customers who have questions or need support.
Even though they are not inexpensive to get and it can be challenging to achieve approval, short codes are a major way that you can step up your SMS marketing in 2021 due to its flexibility, reliability, and ability to reach users like no other text-based marketing effort.
Way #3 – The TextCalibur Partner Program
You may also be a company that is consistently gathering customer information with full approval to contact them, but just don’t have the time, experience, or other resources to reach out to them for marketing purposes. We see situations like this fairly regularly.
For this reason, we created our very popular Text-Calibur Partner Program. Our partner program lets a business like you work side-by-side with our world-class team of SMS marketing experts. We’ll help guide you along the process of using the opt-in data that you already have to send SMS campaigns that convert.
If you have opt-in customer data that you’re simply not using (or that you don’t think you’re using effectively), it’s time to talk to us about becoming a partner. The process is very simple. When you become a Text-Calibur partner, we can take the reigns on your SMS marketing. We’ll handle all of the text message campaign sends for you through our trusted, proven software platform using offers that we have on our network. You keep 100% of the conversion profits that are generated from your database, and the nominal send costs are subtracted from your revenue.
The Text-Calibur Partner Program is a turnkey, seamless way for many of our partners to make money, and help their customers get offers that they’re genuinely interested in as well. This takes almost no effort on your part, but the return financially can be a substantial one.
Oh yeah, and Text-Caliber Partners get access to short codes. Remember earlier when we said how tricky and finicky it can be to get one (and how they aren’t cheap)? Well when you become a trusted Text-Calibur partner, you can get your very own short code through us. This is a huge benefit to many of our partners.
An important pillar of becoming a Text-Calibur Partner is that you’ll need to operate well within the guidelines of the TCPA and other regulations. This means fully opted-in customer data, or, ir you’re generating traffic, that the traffic is ethical and clean. As long as you’re compliant and above board, we have an opportunity to work together to make some amazing things happen.
To learn more about the Text-Calibur Partner Program contact [email protected] and we can begin a conversation about you becoming a partner.
One major way to step up your 2022 SMS campaigns is to become a Text-Calibur partner.
Start Upping Your 2022 SMS Campaigns Now
If you find yourself feeling like your SMS campaigns aren’t producing what you need, then let’s talk. Here at Text-Calibur, we know what it takes to send laser-focused text message campaigns that get incredible results.
Whether you’re looking to send some IVR blasts, gain access to a shortcode, become a Text-Calibur partner– or all three — we’re here to help your company truly step up your SMS marketing game in 2022 and beyond.
One amazing thing you might know about Text-Calibur is that, not only is it the most robust and advanced standalone SMS software on the market, but it’s also simple to use, and you can start an account 100% for free here.
Don’t wait for 2022 to overtake you– take action today and begin to increase your sales and revenues with SMS marketing like never before.