How important is personalised text messaging? No matter how busy or stressed we may be, receiving an individualized message can make our day. The thought that follows is; as fellow members of the business community, we know that advertising is the lifeblood of any successful enterprise.
But the last thing we want is to irritate the very people we are trying to attract.
Text messaging is the ultimate solution as the facts and statistics that follow will show. With the constant demands on the attention of our customer base, it’s only things that matter to them – personally – that will gain any traction.
Is Text Messaging Really A Business Communication Tool?
Statistics leave us in no doubt, so here are a few that relate directly to personalised text messaging:
- 2 million text messages per minute are sent worldwide
- 2 billion people send text messages worldwide.
- 90 seconds is the average response time for text messages.
- 95% of text messages are read within three minutes of being sent.
But we’ve saved the best for last. When it comes to personalised text messaging for business purposes;
- 75% of people prefer offers to be sent via text message.
That is nothing short of begging for personalised text messaging.
One of the most important (but often ignored) sales skill is; ‘wait to be invited in’. That principle actually works across the board in all scenarios involving other people. It indicates respect and when people feel respected, they are more inclined to hear what we have to say.
Now we have no excuse, we know exactly how our customers want to hear about our latest, greatest offer and it behoves us all to respect that if we really want a listening ear.
Why do people prefer personalised text messaging?
Well, spare a thought for today’s consumer population who suffer a veritable tsunami when it comes to adverts, offers, specials and sales enticements. It’s everywhere – over the radios that play in every store they enter, or while they’re driving and every building is decorated with colourful advertising. There are flags and banners flapping everywhere, posters tied to lamp posts, there are flashing lights, roadside signs, massive billboards on highways, all manner of vehicles are branded, so are rain shelters and refuse bins. Where will it all end?
Remember that those to whom we aim our brilliantly crafted personalised text messaging, are very busy people and very likely stressed too. They have learned to block all the regular ambient advertising noise out.
All that expense paid on banner ads, newspaper ads and the kids hired to hand out flyers would have been better spent letting guys like Cellfind, send the same news out as text messages.
The same applies to those of us with an online business. We may have spent a fortune having it set up for us and hours deciding on attractive features and interactive capability so that they’re mobile-friendly. Yet without inviting personalised text messaging, we will have overlooked a major income stream; the people have asked for personalised text messaging so, that’s what to give them.
Further reassurance on the marvel of interacting up-close-and-personally with our customer base lies in the new way mobile users respond to location-based technology. Savvy businesses set up push notification configurations, which are trigger relevant special offers to be sent via text messages when customers are in the vicinity.
Receiving a message at the right time is one thing and now we’re ensuring that it’s delivered at the right place too. That’s a win-win if ever there was one.
Personalised Texts Attract New Business
Especially with regard to online enterprises who are dangling their line in the current, waiting for customers to bite, is personalisation becoming paramount.
According to Econsultancy, a whopping “94% of marketers are not using personalised marketing. Those that do use personalised marketing claim big gains with 68% of these marketers reporting a boost to their marketing ROI and 74% reporting increased customer engagement.”
Sites devoid of human to human interaction are failing miserably and they probably don’t understand why. Personalised text messaging opportunities must be created, they don’t just land in our lap. Sites can be designed to encourage visitor interaction at the get-go with ‘first time’ special offers for example. This can provide names and preferences very quickly.
Whenever someone takes the trouble to respond to a marketing outreach, specially designed web bots and spiders can use that priceless information to thank a new person for their visit and invite them back.
Personalised Text Messages Keep Clients Coming Back
Enticing customers to opt-in to receive notifications regarding your enterprise was no small feat, we understand. However, it’s only halfway to securing a reliable return on that investment. The other half lies in retaining those on an ever-growing database and becoming a relevant voice in their lives that they can respect.
There is an art to this vital means of securing a healthy return on our CSI (Corporate Social Investment). Segmenting our customers into groups is one way to keep us offering the right things to the right people. As our system collects more and more information and preferences from customers, we can get more personal.
There is no question that it will be the companies with a razor-sharp eye on customer experience using personalised text messaging that will be the leaders of tomorrow.
Visit us anytime at https://www.cellfind.net.za.
