Are you engaged with your clients via text messaging? If you aren’t, consider the following more than 26 BILLION text messages are sent daily![1] And text isn’t only for friends to keep in touch. Consumers want businesses to text them more often, according to a survey conducted by Zipwhip, a texting company. Zipwhip conducted a survey of 538 US citizens to find out how they wanted to be contacted by brands. Among respondents, 73 percent said they wished businesses would text them more. The survey also found that 83 percent of consumers respond to text messages within 30 mins or less.[2]
If you aren’t already using text as part of your outreach to spa and massage practice clients, you’ll want to consider it. Text messages can focus on:
- Appointment reminders
- A discount for a special massage or skin treatment
- Early notification on new retail products
- Invitation to a special event
What Makes Texting Effective
Rule number one of text marketing is to only text to people who opt-in to receive your message and make it easy for people to opt out. Even among those who want to hear from you via SMS, avoid the hard sell. As convenient as SMS marketing may be, sending texts each day to customers only will sabotage your efforts. Recipients will ignore the message or opt-out of your list. Also consider:
Keep the message simple: A text message has a limit of 160 characters so don’t try to convey too much information in one. It’s also best to focus on one point per SMS and when the message is for marketing, make it compelling.
Inspire action in your text: Using an action word at the beginning of your message keeps the copy lively and encourages the recipient to act. For example, when your message is marketing oriented; use words like buy or save. Also keep your sentences short so recipients don’t get lost in a lot of descriptive copy.
Timing is everything: Don’t text late at night; it’s inconsiderate. Some say it’s best to text mid to late afternoon toward the end of the workday when people are more inclined to focus on a message.
Consider frequency: No one wants to receive texts all the time. Let clients know how often you will be messaging them. Two to four times a month should be the limit. More than that and there’s a good chance clients will start to feel annoyed.
Link to your site: Use your space to direct customers back to a landing site that offers more information about your promotion or to content on your website. You also want to direct customers to your social media pages.
Integrate with other marketing campaigns: Promote your SMS service on your social media sites and prominently on your website to alert visitors to sign up.
You also will want to see how your text message will look. Send it to your mobile phone first to make sure how it comes across on the small screen. If you don’t like what you see, revise and retest until you are satisfied.