Text Message Marketing Basics
In a previous article on using multiple media, I pointed out the importance of using many different media to test your marketing message. One such new media is text message marketing.
Text messaging for advertising purposes can get very technical and sophisticated, but as a small business owner or online marketer, you need to keep it simple. This article will show you:
- How to get started with text message marketing in 7 simple steps.
- Text message advertising tips and tricks.
- How to use text messaging to enhance your current marketing efforts.
- How to use text messaging to enhance your management efforts.
Lets Begin:
The company I use for text message marketing is EZTexting. I was researching different text messaging companies several months ago and couldn’t find what I was looking for.
One day I was reading one of Yanik Silver’s special reports and he mentioned how he was using them to instant message a group of individuals in his Maverick Business Adventures Trip. So I checked them out and discovered how easy it was to work with them…
The cool thing about EzTexting is that you get instant access to a great text messaging platform, you can create a marketing system instantly, and they are inexpensive.
Here’s what you do:
1. This can be the first or last thing you do. You’ll need an image to help with your marketing. Go to iStockPhoto.com and search for a cell phone image. Or skip to step #2.
Edit the cell phone image and write “Text ‘Your Keyword’ to 313131″. This way you have an image that looks like the one on the right there. You can use it on your web page and print advertising.
‘Your Keyword’ is the keyword you will reserve (more on that in a moment).
You should support this image with descriptive text (ad copy):
“Save $xx.xx instantly. Text ‘Your Keyword’ to 313131 and check your text messages for a money saving (whatever)”
Or…
“Text ‘Your Keyword’ to 313131 and we will put you on our advanced notification list. You’ll know about (the event, offer etc.) before anyone else!”
Or, something like that. Just make a good offer (if needed). Or have two offers. It’s up to you. The idea here is to make it easy for people to do business with you, and using text message marketing is just another tool to attract new customers and improve your customers experience as well (more on this in a moment).
2. Sign up for an EZTexting Account.
3. Click on ‘Keywords’ once you are logged in. Yellow arrow below
4. Click on Add New Keyword. Red arrow below…
5. Type in a keyword you want to use in your marketing and check availability. See red arrow below. There’s lots available right now. For example: seminar, report, save, gold, bronze, curls, mega etc. etc.
6. This is a two ‘parter’: After you get your keyword, create a Group by clicking ‘Group’ (see yellow arrow below).
Then, click on ‘Create Group’. See red arrow below. Name your group.
Side Bar 1: This is important because this is where your prospects phone numbers are stored. In other words, this is going to be your list! You want to have all your contacts stored in one ‘group’ so that you can send them new updates and offers in the future. You can send a message to your list by clicking the little ‘compose’ button to the right of the red arrow adjacent to the list you want to send a message too. You can build multiple lists.
TIP: You can also create lists without having to purchase a keyword. You simply create a group, buy credits, store phone numbers (manually type them in), and now you have a private group. This is an excellent way to contact a group of friends or employees in one shot which can save you a lot of time.
For example, once you finish a meeting with your employees or contractors, send them a ‘Thank You! Good Job!’ message to enhance moral. There are all kinds of uses here.
Side Bar 2: Whether you use the keyword marketing strategy or just for personal or management uses, you must buy Credits and have them available in your account. They are only .05 each. The ‘Buy More Credits’ link is the second to last link on the Nav Bar.
7. Then click ‘Keyword’ on the navigation bar. See yellow arrow below
8. Click on Edit. See red arrow below.
9. Choose the group you just created in the ‘Select Groups’ menu (first red arrow below.
Write your ad copy (see second red arrow below).
Click ‘Save’ at the bottom (third red arrow).
What you write in the area above is what your prospect will instantly receive after they type ‘Your Keyword’ to 313131.
For more advanced text message marketing you should contact your webmaster and have them custom code something for you. You can have a text message marketing system custom coded that acts more like a robot and contacts your prospects for deadline dates and reminders, video, etc. Which is something you should test.
Here is a simple custom text message coding idea:
A standard online lead generation format is to offer a free mini course, teleseminar, webinar, report, audio, video etc. The only way to get one of these special free ‘widgits’ is to provide a name and email address. See this page for an example of my standard mini marketing course form.
But, if you are having a teleconference, webinar, or you want to follow up with a text message to enhance your response rates (a deadline date reminder on a special offer), then you can have your webmaster include another field which asks for their cell phone number, and then its’ automatically installed in your data base for follow up.
I hope you find this helpful. Please post comments and tips of your own, or ask a question below…
Brian Maroevich.
For more information on text message marketing read this free special online text message advertising guide.
3 Responses
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Posted on December 31st, 2008 by admin and filed under lead generation, marketing |
January 4th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Brian, as usually, you wrote a great article…by the way, I enjoyed your interview with Bill Glazer a couple of months back. Best regards, Artie Bernaducci
January 5th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Thanks for your kind words. I will be putting together more articles on lead generation and how to use other media like text messaging and video to build your business. The Bill Glazer interview was a lot of fun. I was really nervous, but once it started Bill and I had a good exchange. Thanks again.
Brian Maroevich
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
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