The Text Message Marketing Toolbox: Twenty Techniques

Entry By Jason Brick

Text message marketing is as much an art as it is a science. While nobody may know every trick to a successful campaign, there are some things we know that will set you up for the results you want. If you're looking for new ideas, consider some of these techniques to take your texting to a terrific tier.

1. Get the most out of one idea by cross-posting your message on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
2. Include a value option (like a coupon or contest entry) with every message.
3. Advertise your mobile subscription on everything you print. 
4. Develop a "take-away concept" for every message before you write and send it.
5. Use events within your business to inspire messages that give an "insider" feel. 
6. Tap your employees and most enthusiastic customers for SMS message ideas. 
7. Keep a whiteboard for scrawling text promotion ideas as they come to you. 
8. Create a content calendar with message ideas to draw from—planning ahead can help you hold your schedule.. 
9. Read bumper stickers, t-shirts and greeting cards for examples of great short-form messaging. 
10. Note the most successful SMS messages in terms of response. Recycle the ideas for powerful content. 
11. Write messages to serve a compelling "call to action" that spurs response business. 
12. Use text messages as appointment reminders to keep customers coming in. 
13. Ask customers what they read and watch, to better understand what grabs and holds their attention. 
14. Offer exclusive discounts or insider access as a benefit of subscribing to your SMS list. 
15. Enlist guest posters -- owners of other local businesses, industry experts, and celebrities for example -- to spice up some of your posts. 
16. Reference your company blog in some SMS messages, and SMS broadcasts in some blog posts. 
17. Hold quizzes, Q&A sessions and contests via mobile for intense response rates. 
18. Use holidays and local events for inspiration -- and to create special events in your shop to draw subscribers in. 
19. Ask for advice. For example, send a 10AM broadcast asking customers what they'd like to see on special for lunch. 
20. Scan each message to confirm every sentence includes at least one action word.

Whether you use all of these tricks or just one -- or you just use these as inspiration for even better techniques -- you'll be ahead of your competition with a dynamic, powerful and profitable SMS marketing campaign.