The Value of Direct SMS Messages and Email Marketing

When it comes to customers, effective marketing is invaluable. Any business that can't connect with their customers using modern technology will be left in the dust. That's why it's important to consider email marketing and direct SMS messaging as a method to connect with your clients and target demographics.

Thanks to spam, SMS messaging and email marketing get a bad reputation. Done right, email and text can actually enhance your connection with your clients and increase return business. Opt-in marketing lists offer the advantage of value-packed newsletters leading to customer desired up-selling and cross-selling. Direct SMS messaging has the distinct advantage of reaching customers when it comes to time-sensitive events and sales.

Both methods of customer contact are low cost but can produce high returns. They allow instantaneous and individual contact with consumers, while giving customers an immediate chance to consume, investigate or purchase. Online or offline, they put your brand immediately in your customer's mind.

SMS messages are short and simply crafted, saving marketing resources while reaching the consumer on the go. Have you set appointments with your clients, losing time and money when they don't show up? Do you have time-sensitive sales, such as lunch specials or super bowl deals, that could use immediate contact? What about important information that needs to reach employees or a younger, more connected target group?

Direct SMS messages can be sent to remind clients of the time and location of meetings, increasing attendance and punctuality. Other reminder messages can be invaluable in ensuring client interactions go smoothly. They can also be sent at lunch hour or in the middle of game time when consumers are unreachable by mail or television. Non-profits can send effective public service messages to critical demographics. In certain cases, this function can be used to garner immediate feedback from the customer through the use of surveys, RSVP's or mobile web inquiries by the recipient.

SMS direct-to-mobile increases conversion of prospects to customers, and customers to repeat clients. In addition, the convenience to consumers who have opted into such communication is highly valued.

Email marketing shares similarities with SMS messaging with some added bonuses. Have you ever exited a purchase when the phone rings or kids come home? Do you like the convenience of getting related, dependent products in one buy?

When consumers get distracted, sales can be lost. Well-crafted email campaigns allow you to maintain contact with potential customers until they can be converted at low cost and high ROI. Knowing your target groups can lead your customers to purchase more through cross-selling and be grateful for the opportunity to buy. A client may not have thought to add an SD card to a cart filled with digital equipment, but an informative campaign gives them an opportunity to meet their needs while increasing sales. Even offline businesses can benefit from email marketing campaigns since customers research bricks-and-mortar purchases prior to buying, and forward information on products they like to friends and family.

Both marketing tools allow you to update consumers on successes, press releases or other important news regarding your business. The value of direct SMS messaging and email marketing is unbeatable.