Now that you're convinced text-message marketing is the greatest thing since sliced cheese, let me address what I perceive to be the drawbacks of the plan. Having a balanced view of this, or any form of marketing can help you make informed decisions. Since everyone on Twitter and Facebook is promoting only the positive aspects of their programs, it gives a skewed paradigm, if you know what I mean.
Let's look at the negatives for a moment: First of all, text messaging only allows a certain number of characters (ala Twitter), so, you must be brief (creative?) in your marketing. Having said that, using links to take the prospect to other pages or videos can somewhat circumvent this restriction. The maximum allowed characters for most text services is 160, but don't quote me on that. Each marketing service may be different. It's a small amount of characters, especially if you're doing something like weekly specials, menus, etc.
Which segues into drawback number two: Just as in email marketing, the FTC (and now FCC) require you to give the customer a way to "opt-out." Perhaps they didn't realize what they were getting into when they opted in, or maybe they just changed their mind. It is their right; they are, after all, the customer. The methods of opting out are different, however. Whereas most email services (your Constant Contacts of the world) have an opt-out link ("click here if you no longer wish to receive emails from us," or something to that effect), text message services generally use the following "text STOP to stop receiving messages from us." The word stop is a universally recognized word to opt-out. Perhaps you have seen or done the same (when donating to charitable organizations from your phone, for example). I am not an FCC attorney, so I honestly can't tell you if the requirement is true for every single text message, but it must be done on a regular basis.
The above drawback gives a distinction between text marketing and, let's say radio: with radio, TV, and even print ads, the customer simply has to look away, turn the channel, turn off the device, etc. But because our messages are being delivered directly to the individual's device (their cell phones, in our case) we must give them a way out. Plain and simple, that's the law.
The third, and possibly most dangerous disadvantage involves frequency. Unless you're a restaurant catering to hard-core customers, who are in your place every single day, chances are you only want to text people once, possibly twice a week. Anything more, and you've become a nuisance, which will lead to the aforementioned opt-out. None of us want that. I must say that it also depends upon the type of business; I believe customers will tolerate messages from restaurants offering daily specials and coupons, than they would for, say, a dentist or a landscaping business.
Whether or not you validate text and mobile marketing as a viable method, it is coming. In a big way. Be prepared.
More soon,
Steve
http://bit.ly/dZTAjJ
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
It's Not Just for Kids Any More!
Let's face it, the image of teenagers texting back and forth is as common these days as YouTube or Iphones. However, I'd like to point out that more and more of us do it. That's right, we Tweet, Facebook, AND text as much as the kids do. Why? Because we LOVE IT!! More and more of this activity is being done via the cell phone - it's the one thing we carry with us at all times. In fact, 91% of cell users claim they are within three feet of their phone 24/7.
As a truck driver, I know what it's like being away from home. My phone has been my lifeline, a way to stay in touch with virtually the world. I Tweet, Facebook, and text from miles away from my "home base," allowing me to stay in contact with those I care about.
Why do I mention this? Because texting, the act of typing on our phones, has literally become a way of life for many of us. How could a small business take advantage of this "proximity" quality of our relationships with our phones? Well, a restaurant (pizza or otherwise, and the perfect client for this kind of service, btw) could just broadcast a text such as "Bring in this text today for a 10% discount," and voila! Instant business!
The mobile marketplace has been virtually untapped by marketers, even though there are three times as many people with cell phones as use the internet. Such potential here! I know, getting grandma & grandpa to text is a pain, but let me tell you, my daughter, who is in college, and who probably texts 10 times as much as I do, prefers this method of contact. It is less intrusive, you don't have to be "there" on a continuous basis. You can send a text, go to the fridge and grab a drink, come back to your phone, and see your reply. This is very convenient for those with a short attention span, or for us multi-taskers.
Having said that, I DO NOT, under ANY circumstances, condone texting while driving. I know of those who do it, and do not judge them. However, it is illegal in most states, and very dangerous.
On my 4-hour drive from Wisconsin to Chicago, I always Tweet: "I will only be available via telephone."
Getting back to "typing on our phones," I have always preferred the qwerty keyboard offered by Blackberry over touchscreens, but that is just me. Everyone has their own personal favorites. A lady I know said she prefers touchscreens because of her long fingernails. C'est la vie! What matters here is not the method, but the overlooked potential of text messaging, and how it can help small, local businesses. I am convinced that the immediacy of a text, which rivals that of radio and television, in itself is a boon to small companies.
Everything else being equal, the cost of text message marketing is competitive with that of print ads, and lest I forget, links can be embedded into these texts, directing the receiver to a website, YouTube video, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Keep on texting!
More soon,
Steve
http://bit.ly/dZTAjJ
As a truck driver, I know what it's like being away from home. My phone has been my lifeline, a way to stay in touch with virtually the world. I Tweet, Facebook, and text from miles away from my "home base," allowing me to stay in contact with those I care about.
Why do I mention this? Because texting, the act of typing on our phones, has literally become a way of life for many of us. How could a small business take advantage of this "proximity" quality of our relationships with our phones? Well, a restaurant (pizza or otherwise, and the perfect client for this kind of service, btw) could just broadcast a text such as "Bring in this text today for a 10% discount," and voila! Instant business!
The mobile marketplace has been virtually untapped by marketers, even though there are three times as many people with cell phones as use the internet. Such potential here! I know, getting grandma & grandpa to text is a pain, but let me tell you, my daughter, who is in college, and who probably texts 10 times as much as I do, prefers this method of contact. It is less intrusive, you don't have to be "there" on a continuous basis. You can send a text, go to the fridge and grab a drink, come back to your phone, and see your reply. This is very convenient for those with a short attention span, or for us multi-taskers.
Having said that, I DO NOT, under ANY circumstances, condone texting while driving. I know of those who do it, and do not judge them. However, it is illegal in most states, and very dangerous.
On my 4-hour drive from Wisconsin to Chicago, I always Tweet: "I will only be available via telephone."
Getting back to "typing on our phones," I have always preferred the qwerty keyboard offered by Blackberry over touchscreens, but that is just me. Everyone has their own personal favorites. A lady I know said she prefers touchscreens because of her long fingernails. C'est la vie! What matters here is not the method, but the overlooked potential of text messaging, and how it can help small, local businesses. I am convinced that the immediacy of a text, which rivals that of radio and television, in itself is a boon to small companies.
Everything else being equal, the cost of text message marketing is competitive with that of print ads, and lest I forget, links can be embedded into these texts, directing the receiver to a website, YouTube video, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Keep on texting!
More soon,
Steve
http://bit.ly/dZTAjJ
Friday, April 15, 2011
Revolutionary!
Let me say a few words about text "technology." I'm not a scientist or a techie, but this technology, while actually quite simple, is revolutionizing the advertising medium. Texting runs through low frequency (all I know is, even when I cannot get a call to go through, a text will ALWAYS get through), so the delivery rate will always be very high. The immediacy, open rate, and ROI (20%) make text message marketing more attractive than email marketing.
So, how does one obtain a list of prospects to text to? With email, you had to get them to fill in a lead capture, or "squeeze" page, then an autoresponder grabs their info. With texting, there is an element of "real life" marketing. That is, you actually have to place signs, banners, flyers around, so customers will know which "short code" to text to, thereby receiving their prize (coupons, etc.) In turn, their cell numbers are captured into a database, where they can be texted to, as the client wishes.
Radio stations (at least the "hip" ones) have been using this technology for a few years now. They run contests for tickets, prizes, or just comments. "Hey, text 12345 to let us know what you think," for example. This is very powerful and immediate, as radio and TV is. I've noticed TV commercials (Ford, for example) using short codes in their ads (as well as social media), so we know these are legitimate and cutting-edge methods to reach out to prospective buyers. That's what we're here for in the first place, right?
More soon,
Steve
P.S. to try this out for yourself, go to: http://bit.ly/dZTAjJ
So, how does one obtain a list of prospects to text to? With email, you had to get them to fill in a lead capture, or "squeeze" page, then an autoresponder grabs their info. With texting, there is an element of "real life" marketing. That is, you actually have to place signs, banners, flyers around, so customers will know which "short code" to text to, thereby receiving their prize (coupons, etc.) In turn, their cell numbers are captured into a database, where they can be texted to, as the client wishes.
Radio stations (at least the "hip" ones) have been using this technology for a few years now. They run contests for tickets, prizes, or just comments. "Hey, text 12345 to let us know what you think," for example. This is very powerful and immediate, as radio and TV is. I've noticed TV commercials (Ford, for example) using short codes in their ads (as well as social media), so we know these are legitimate and cutting-edge methods to reach out to prospective buyers. That's what we're here for in the first place, right?
More soon,
Steve
P.S. to try this out for yourself, go to: http://bit.ly/dZTAjJ
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Beginnings
So, I've had some time off due to my back problems, etc. While allowing the back to heal, and dealing with the docs, insurance company and work, yeah I've been idle, watching entirely too much TV, but I have also been thinking about my future. Do I really want to stay in my present situation? That's a loaded question. Do I even stay in trucking? While looking at other opportunities (which I constantly do, btw) I've been really fascinated by text message marketing. This is a brand new arena, especially for small, local, brick-and-mortar type businesses.
Some of the statistics are mind boggling: 80% of America's population carries a cell phone, most of which now are "smartphones." Four out of five teenagers say their mobile phones are the "key" to their social lives. An astounding 97% of text messages are opened, and most are opened immediately, as opposed to emails, which may never be opened at all.
This creates a HUGE opportunity for small businesses, especially those who cater to younger "text-friendly" customers. That may be a misconception, however, since more and more folks are becoming text savvy. With YepText, businesses can reach out to, and stay in touch with these people, either by hiring a "Mobile Helper," (such as myself) or doing it themselves. It's really not difficult at all.
For more info., feel free to DM, Facebook me, or go to: http://bit.ly/dZTAjJ
More soon,
Steve
Some of the statistics are mind boggling: 80% of America's population carries a cell phone, most of which now are "smartphones." Four out of five teenagers say their mobile phones are the "key" to their social lives. An astounding 97% of text messages are opened, and most are opened immediately, as opposed to emails, which may never be opened at all.
This creates a HUGE opportunity for small businesses, especially those who cater to younger "text-friendly" customers. That may be a misconception, however, since more and more folks are becoming text savvy. With YepText, businesses can reach out to, and stay in touch with these people, either by hiring a "Mobile Helper," (such as myself) or doing it themselves. It's really not difficult at all.
For more info., feel free to DM, Facebook me, or go to: http://bit.ly/dZTAjJ
More soon,
Steve
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