I’ve just gotten back from speaking at several jewelry industry conventions, where I was lucky enough to talk to plenty of retailers and brands. And while I was there, I noticed something really funny. When we were talking about marketing a business through their website or on social media, pretty much everyone was comfortable and on-board. But once the topic of SMS marketing – otherwise known as text messaging marketing – people aren’t quite as enthusiastic.

[Tweet “98% of text messages are opened, compared to roughly 20% of email messages.”]

That’s not necessarily surprising. SMS marketing is still in its infancy. 80% of consumers report having never received a commercial message via text message; that being said, almost 60% of shoppers say they’d like to participate in a text-based loyalty program. Who wants to carry a card when we already always have our phones with us?

There are two reasons text message marketing is especially powerful. The open rate is phenomenal: 98% of text messages are opened, compared to roughly 20% of email messages. People open text messages quickly. On average, it takes 90 seconds for someone to open a text message. When it comes to email, the whole process is much, much slower – it can take 90 minutes (or even longer!) before your email message gets any attention.

Important things to know about text message marketing include the fact that campaigns have to be opt-in and that less is definitely more. We’re still working on determining what the ideal frequency of text messages might be, but currently it looks like the sweet spot is right around two messages per month. More than that, you’re a pest; less than that, you’ve been forgotten.

Consider how you could use text messages as a customer service tool. Today’s customers are increasingly phone-phobic. Ask them if they would prefer to receive a text when a special order arrives, or when their favorite brands go on sale. Done properly, text message marketing is perceived as service, rather than sales. It’s still seen as a demonstration of how much you care about your customers on a personal, one-to-one level.

Do you know you’d like to add text messaging to your marketing mix, but you’re not sure where to start? Give us a call: we’re here to help!