Why Combining Marketing Automation and SMS in your Small Business Marketing Strategies is the best idea ever

Every small business owner knows the power of SMS. But did you ever stop to think about how much more powerful your small business marketing strategies could be when they’re integrated with the technological prowess of marketing automation?

Over the years, the marketing automation industry has grown dramatically, from 150 companies in 2011 to over 5000 today. These companies offer diverse solutions to small businesses including mobile marketing, social media marketing, web analytics, and even CRM options.

Marketing automation allows small business marketing strategies to reach new heights, and combining this with SMS could help you become the success you’ve always dreamed of.

It’s simple and immediate

Emails can sit in someone’s inbox for days (even weeks if the person is lazy) but with SMS, the messages will be seen and read within a few minutes. This is obviously ideal for marketing strategies for flash-sales or upcoming specials you might be planning.

Marketing automation allows you to send out SMS messages at just the right moment, such as when a client clicks on a product but does not finish the purchase. This is known as behavior triggered marketing. You could send an SMS reminding them of their shopping cart or, if it’s been several days since their visit to your site, you could send one with a promotional offer on a similar item they might prefer. Being simple and immediate means consumers will read the message right away and (hopefully) make a purchase just as quickly.

You can segment your SMS audiences

One benefit of using marketing automation in your small business marketing strategies is that you can use it to segment your SMS audiences. This way, you’ll be able to send relevant SMS messages to the relevant consumers. You can even tie this in with your email marketing strategy to provide a rounded customer experience.

For example, you could have lists like these: “non-buyers”, “recent buyers”, “inactive customers” and “loyal customers”. For the non-buyers and recent buyers, you could craft messages that entice them back to your store (10 percent off their next purchase will make anyone smile) and for inactive customers, you could send them a reminder about your next promotion to grab their interest. Sending personalized messages to customers will ensure that they have the best possible customer experience… and keep returning for more!

SMS marketing is permission based

It is best practice to have your customers opt-in to receive your SMS marketing messages. Regulations in most countries also stipulate that they should be able to easily opt-out should they want to. This is done to ensure that the recipient actually wants to receive messages from your business and is not being spammed.

This is a major benefit for your small business marketing strategies since you can use the opt-ins with your marketing automation in order to send the right messages to the right people. By opting in, consumers are saying “Yes!” to your messages and this allows you to build the perfect customer list for your automation software.

Prep email subscribers via text

Email marketing is not dead, it just needs to be revived and refreshed. One way you can do this is by prepping your email subscribers with an SMS message. This is because shorter messages are more enticing to customers, so sending a short, punchy SMS to consumers will encourage them to subscribe to your email newsletters.

This is where marketing automation really comes into play since you can use your segmented customer list to send out these SMS messages. A non-buyer can be sent an SMS asking them if they would like to subscribe to your email newsletter filled with new and exciting offers and a loyal customer can be sent an SMS confirming their subscription renewal along with a discount on a product relevant to them. Keep your SMS messages to 160 characters and you should be A-OK.

How can I use automation and SMS?

So, now you know why you should integrate marketing automation and SMS. But you probably want to learn how you can do this. It might sound difficult, but it is in fact pretty easy when you have a plan in place.

Behavior-triggered marketing

Marketing relevancy boils down to sending the right message at the right time, which is what you can achieve with SMS and marketing automation. For example, let’s say you sell cat toys and beds online and someone comes to browse your site. They might sign up and add a few items to their cart but ultimately leave without buying anything. If, after two or three days, this person has not hit the check out button to purchase their items, you could send a reminder SMS that they still have items in their cart. This well-timed SMS will encourage a purchase and create a loyal customer.

Reach subscribers on their smartphones

Consumers have gone digital, with more and more people owning smartphones and using them to browse the internet and shop online. SMS messages can contain more than just 160 characters — they can contain links to website pages or promotional offers.

By using marketing automation, you can send the right links to the right people. And, if you send a message asking if they’re using a smartphone as part of your opt-in message, you can send messages that are tailored to your customers who have smartphones.

Personalization is the key to successful small business marketing strategies so be sure to have segmented lists in your automation software for smartphone users and non-smartphone users.

Location-based advertisements

Let’s say you’re a boutique coffee shop located in a not-so-busy area of town. You want to bring in more foot traffic and you know that people use their smartphone’s map app to find stores close to them when walking around an area they’re unfamiliar with.

You can use marketing automation software and SMS to send a notification to customers who have signed up to your subscription list letting them know that you are open and that you have a discount waiting for them when they need their next caffeine fix. Location-based advertisements are highly effective at bringing in more traffic to your brick-and-mortar store, so be sure to carefully craft these messages to be geo-location relevant.

Big ideas for a small business

With the world moving at such a fast pace, it’s imperative that small businesses pay attention and stay ahead of the curve. The most effective way to do so is to combine marketing automation with your SMS marketing strategy.

SMS is simple and effective, and automation software allows you to segment your audiences effectively.

SMS marketing is a permission-based subscription service, which will allow you to reach customers who are genuinely interested in your products and services and you’re also able to prep email subscribers via SMS. All of this is highly effective at helping your business to grow. Still need convincing? Read more about why investing in AI is a smart idea for small businesses.

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