The power of the humble SMS
SMS is becoming a revelation for direct marketers, generating up to ten times the response we get from direct phone calls. Why? Because people love the anonymity and the control of sending a text message. It’s also a great, low-commitment method of response from the viewer. People understand that if they phone a number provided in an offer, they are going to speak to a consultant straight away. With an SMS, they can make a more discreet enquiry, and they don’t have to wait in a queue for a call centre.
This convenience factor is why SMS works particularly well for any offer where more detail might be required – such as a quote for insurance – and for anyone who feels time-poor. You can use this to your advantage through your offer: “Why don’t you have us call you back at a time convenient to you? Just SMS your name and a time to call.”
Keeping the response as simple as possible is key to maximising the number of leads you get from SMS, so people who are not comfortable with texting, as well as those who are, can respond.
If you can get a viewer to send an SMS in response to an offer, then you’ve got the three most powerful things on the planet right now: you’ve got the person’s name, you’ve got their number and you’ve also got permission to call it.
Because SMS is so low-commitment, you will inevitably get some time-wasters – people who are interested in the technology and won’t seriously consider the offer you are making. But if you use a double opt-in method of lead qualification, these leads can prove to be quite sticky.
For instance, if you are offering a quote on insurance, you might respond to SMSs with an automated email, providing a generalised quote and asking permission to call to ask more questions to generate a customised quote. If the enquirer says yes, you have a double opt-in, and those leads are very good. Using this method for our clients, in some cases we have generated up to ten times the response we generate using the phone.
Ultimately SMS can provide a low-commitment method of response from the viewer, but still delivers you all the power of a phone call.
