Text message marketing consistently performs higher than emails, phone calls, and other communication methods. Undoubtedly, it has some significant advantages and benefits, but clicking that send button can be scary, whether you’re sending your first SMS marketing message or your tenth. You may wonder if the message is worth sending or how subscribers will react.
Although SMS marketing can sometimes feel foreign or overwhelming, rest assured, you don’t have to learn how to implement and optimize an SMS messaging strategy on your own. When you approach the process with an experienced SMS platform, like Tatango, you can create a winning strategy and start sending effective messages immediately. While the system may seem complicated and risky, nothing could be further from the truth. In this blog post, we share why SMS marketing works so well and how to overcome common barriers to start sending compelling messages that will engage your target audience.
How SMS Marketing Works
SMS marketing (or text message marketing) empowers brands, political campaigns, nonprofits, and other organizations to build direct lines of communication with supporters. Instead of relying on third-party advertisers or media platforms, text messages land right in people’s pockets. The speed and efficiency of SMS marketing can make all the difference, especially when competition is tight.
Text message marketing begins with the subscriber list. You can’t send unsolicited texts or initiate contact with potential customers. Start by promoting your SMS marketing campaign everywhere—on signs, ads, merchandise, social media, and anywhere else your audience will see it. To opt in to receive messages from you, people can send a text to your campaign’s phone number. Tatango can also help you set up integrations with your website to automatically ask people to opt in after adding their contact details to your submission form. Just a few simple lines of code smooth out the process and boost your subscriber growth.
With a growing subscriber list, you can start sending messages. Use incentives, coupons, and exclusive rewards to keep people engaged. When subscribers opt in, they’re confirming their interest in your products, services, or cause. SMS marketing is a powerful way to maintain momentum, announce deals, and send reminders. Your SMS campaign can become the core of your outreach and marketing through recurring messages and promotion.
Why SMS Marketing Has Become More Popular
More companies and organizations are using SMS marketing than ever before. Marketing text messages have a 99% open rate, far higher than the 20% open rate for emails. About 90% of text messages are read within three minutes, making SMS marketing a fast and direct way of getting your message across. That kind of speed is critical when you’re promoting time-sensitive promotions or rallying support for a deadline.
It’s easy to see why SMS marketing continues to grow in use and popularity. Experts project that SMS marketing spending in the United States will surpass $12.6 billion by 2025. 
With its flexible and customizable options, SMS marketing can help you reach your goals in any industry.
How to Send Your First Messages
Following best practices in SMS marketing will help you overcome potential fear and hesitation. Keep these key points in mind while crafting your first message.
Set a Specific Goal
Clearly define the purpose of your SMS marketing campaign before you get started. To meet a short-term goal and unify your audience for the future, pick a specific goal focused on fundraising, boosting traffic, or increasing engagement, for example.
Setting a target will help you accurately compare initial hopes and your SMS campaign’s actual results. The experts at Tatango with nearly 15 years of experience can help you zero in on the right goals.
Use Tatango’s Design Studio
By fine-tuning your texts to align with your style and values, your messages will connect on a deeper level with your target audience. And with Tatago, you won’t be on your own when it’s time to plan and design your SMS text messages. All Tatango clients have access to our dedicated in-house design studio to help them create compelling images and eye-catching messages.
Create in a Familiar Workspace
As an SMS platform, Tatango also provides intuitive, easy-to-use tools. Advanced design options and a WYSIWYG editor (“what you see is what you get”) make it easy to create and customize your SMS or MMS (longer, media-rich messages) texts without learning a whole new system or program.
Include a Call-to-Action
The right language and tone can strengthen the impact of your messages. Use clear grammar and active words that encourage people to respond and stay engaged.
Remember to include a call to action (CTA) in your messages to ensure subscribers know their next steps, such as tapping a donation link, using a coupon code, or registering to vote. Instead of simply thanking a subscriber for opting in, add a CTA at the end of the message:
“Thanks for becoming a subscriber! Check out our merchandise and use BOOST20 for 20% off your first purchase! [Link]”
Confidently Sending Fundraising Text Messages
As we’ve seen in recent years, SMS marketing is becoming more integrated into our lives as consumers, activists, voters, and more. Even if you’ve had little or no experience with SMS marketing so far, now is the perfect time to jump in and start sending texts.
You don’t have to design everything yourself or hope subscribers will seek more information on their own. You can create engaging texts with help from our Design Studio. Compelling CTAs can direct people to their next steps, offering incentives along the way. Working with an industry leader like Tatango will ensure you always feel confident about your SMS marketing messages.
To find out more and overcome the fear of sending your first messages, contact our team here at Tatango today!
