Ready to transform your marketing game? Enter the world of SMS marketing—your direct line to customers, right in the palm of their hands.

In this guide, we’ll dive into the essentials of SMS marketing, from its unmatched effectiveness to getting started with Mailchimp (plus all those crucial steps in between)

So, let’s begin crafting those messages that will skyrocket your engagement and drive your sales like never before!

• What is SMS marketing?
• Why use SMS marketing?
• SMS – What you need to know
• Getting started with SMS in Mailchimp
• Before you send your SMS
• Importing SMS contacts
• Sending an Automated SMS welcome message
• How to make the most of SMS marketing
• SMS Best Practices

1. What is SMS?

SMS Marketing, also known as text marketing or message marketing, involves using text messages to promote products, services, and brands to mobile users who have opted in.

SMS marketing works because it’s familiar and accessible.

It enables you to engage with customers quickly and directly.

No need for fancy graphics or intricate layouts; we’re talking about instant messaging straight to the customer’s mobile, which boosts interaction and drives sales.

As these messages are opened straightaway (who isn’t right by their mobile phone these days?) they also boast higher engagement rates.

…ok, not just a little higher but 5x the average email open rate (21.33%) with 90% of texts read within three minutes

Win-win.

2. Why Use SMS Marketing?

If you want to connect with customers quickly and efficiently here’s some good reasons to use SMS.

High Open Rates
Research from Gartner states that SMS messages have an open rate of approximately 98%, a lot higher than email, which averages around 20-30% . This means that your message is almost certain to be seen by recipients.

Immediate Engagement
EZ Texting reports that on average, 90% of SMS messages are read within three minutes of delivery . So if you’re planning on sending time-sensitive information, such as limited-time offers or urgent updates, this makes SMS perfect.

High Conversion Rates
SMS marketing often results in higher conversion rates compared to other marketing channels. According to research from Textmagic, & The Tech Report . businesses using SMS marketing have seen a conversion rate of up to 45%.

Cost-Effective
SMS marketing is pretty inexpensive, offering a high return on investment (ROI). The cost per message is low, and the high engagement rates contribute to a strong ROI .

Opt-In Marketing
Like email marketing, SMS marketing requires customers to opt-in, meaning that the customer wants to hear from you. This consent-based approach helps build trust and reduces the risk of messages being marked as spam.

Email Marketing
But the best thing?You can create combined SMS and email marketing campaigns in Mailchimp.

First, create personalised messages by segmenting customers based on behaviour, location, and other criteria. This means you can be more relevant and provide a tailored experience. (Yes, you can do this with SMS too.)

For example, you could send an email with detailed content and follow up with an SMS reminder or exclusive offer.

Or use Mailchimp’s automation features to create workflows that include both email and SMS steps. For instance, you could send a welcome email immediately after signup and an SMS thank you message with a voucher code a day later.

It’s up to you! Just make sure you analyse and measure the performance and adjust as you see fit! Perhaps some parts of your campaign see higher engagement via SMS…it’s all about trial and error.

Integrating SMS marketing with your email campaigns in Mailchimp isn’t just a smart move; When combined, these two channels complement one another to increase engagement, conversions, and sales.

3. SMS – What you need to know

• SMS Marketing is now available for those in the UK who are on the Essentials plan or higher.
• You can integrate SMS into your email, automations, and social campaigns.
• You must be an account Owner, Admin, or Manager to work with SMS Marketing.
• Before you can send marketing text messages, you need to submit an application and be approved.
• You can only send text messages to subscribed SMS contacts from the country associated with your SMS Marketing program. For example, if your SMS Marketing program’s sending country is the UK, you can send text messages to subscribed UK SMS contacts.
• The hours outside of Mailchimp’s specified sending hours are called quiet hours. Mailchimp’s designated quiet hours ensure that you send text messages in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in the US or the UK.
• You can send 2 types of SMS with Mailchimp’s SMS Marketing: standard message (GSM) and Unicode (non-GSM).
• Each billing cycle, your monthly SMS credit subscription renews at the same time as your pricing plan. Any unused SMS credits will be forfeited when the new billing cycle begins.
• If you pause your pricing plan, you won’t be able to access your SMS Marketing program until you unpause.

 Once your application is approved, you can:

• Import existing contacts who have already opted in to your SMS marketing.
• Create an email to promote your SMS Marketing program and gather SMS consent from current email subscribers.
• Use a signup form to acquire new SMS contacts.
• Use your SMS credits to send text messages to your subscribed SMS contacts. Send immediately outside of quiet hours, or schedule your text message to send at a later time.

4. Getting started with SMS in Mailchimp

Mailchimp makes it easy to get started with SMS by providing a personalised onboarding checklist to help you set up and maximise your success.

5. Before you send your SMS…

Before sending text messages, you need to obtain explicit consent from customers to ensure they understand the nature of the messages they’ll receive.

Boost your SMS subscriber count by creating a signup landing page within Mailchimp or sending an email this helps in acquiring consent and complying with legal requirements.

Double opt-in is recommended to protect against spam complaints and will be active when acquiring contacts through forms and landing pages, text-to-join keywords and the Shopify API.

Remember you need to, provide subscribers with a straightforward way to opt out of receiving SMS messages. Customers should be able to opt out easily by responding with a specific keyword via text.

6. Importing SMS marketing contacts to Mailchimp

Ensure that you have SMS consent from your SMS contacts before you import them as subscribed SMS contacts.
You can only import SMS contacts from your sending country.
Key things to remember:

1. The SMS phone number field within a Mailchimp audience is specifically for Mailchimp’s SMS Marketing and is separate from the regular phone number field.
2. If a contact does not have a value in the SMS phone number field, you cannot send them marketing text messages.
3. You can check the subscription status of your SMS contacts in the SMS Marketing column on the contact table for your audience. An SMS contact’s subscription status is also stored in their contact profile.
4. When importing contacts, you must create a new column in your spreadsheet for the SMS phone number. This field is required for importing SMS contacts.
To import or paste SMS contacts to Mailchimp:
Click CAMPAIGNS – SMS – ADD CONTACTS.

Don’t forget to manage your SMS subscriber lists

Regularly updating your subscriber list is essential for maintaining its effectiveness. People frequently change their phone numbers, so removing inactive subscribers can improve your engagement rates and ensure your messages reach an interested audience.

Compose your SMS

The reason SMS works is because messages are short and easy to read. One text message equals 160 characters. You can go over this (it’ll cost you extra credits if you do)
However, we wouldn’t recommend this even if you could, because the whole point is to make your content as engaging as possible.

Make sure your message is concise and personalise wherever possible. Always end with a clear call to action (CTA).

Time and analyse

Timing is crucial for SMS campaigns. Sending messages at the right time increases engagement and reduces opt-outs.

Consider your audience’s location and time zones to avoid disturbing them with messages during inconvenient hours.

Analyse past data to find the best times for your messages, such as higher engagement at 10 a.m. than 6 p.m.

Think about the context of your message too. For example, send a pizza discount text on Friday afternoon when people are planning their weekend, or a flash sale notification on a weekend morning when people are likely using their phones.

Additionally, test and optimise your campaigns. Experiment with different messages, CTAs, and formats to find what resonates best with your audience.

Keep it simple and consider your own preferences for receiving texts, as others will likely feel the same way.

7. Sending an Automated SMS welcome message

Mailchimp makes it easy to send an automated SMS welcome message, simply go to SMS.

There is already a list of tasks to help you get started with SMS.

You will need to click on the task….

Create a great first impression with an automated welcome message.

The journey is already pre built so you’ll just need to create your welcome automation by clicking the green ‘Use this journey’ button on the top right.

 You’ll have to add a starting point (such as the customer signing up for SMS) and then you’ll need to create your SMS.

Once updated and saved you can turn on and you’re ready to go!

Mailchimp offers several pre-built journeys for SMS marketing including:

• Welcome Series
• Abandoned Cart Reminders
• Order Notifications
• Birthday Messages
• Re-engagement Campaigns
• Promotional Campaigns
• Event Reminders
• Feedback and Reviews

8.How to make the most of SMS marketing

Text messaging has become a go-to, effective marketing solution for businesses across various industries.

Many companies are tapping into SMS to connect with customers and prospects.
Why?

Not only does it draw customers to your brand, but it also boosts customer service, enhances loyalty, and drives revenue.

No matter what your industry, SMS marketing can be the perfect fit.

Whether you’re targeting B2B clients with lead nurturing or promoting to a B2C audience with offers, discounts, and flash sale alerts, SMS has you covered.

Top sectors like retail, hospitality, and finance are already making the most of SMS marketing.
Check out below how they’re using SMS in their strategies.

Retail and E-commerce:

Promotions and Discounts: time-sensitive deals and special offers
Order Updates: Order confirmations, shipping notifications, and delivery updates.

Healthcare:

Appointment Reminders: Reminders for upcoming appointments
Health Tips: Sharing health tips and wellness advice
Medication reminders: reminders when it’s time to renew or pick up a prescription.

Hospitality and Travel:

Booking Confirmations: Confirm reservations and provide check-in reminders.
Last-minute travel changes/delays
Special Offers: Promoting last-minute deals, special packages, and loyalty programs.
Improving Customer relationships: Collecting feedback or conducting surveys through SMS for customer satisfaction.

Financial Services:
Transaction Alerts: Sending alerts for transactions, fraud detection, and account activity.
Promotional Offers: Sharing information about new products, services, or special rates.

SMS Best Practices

• Always get explicit permission from recipients before sending SMS messages. This is not only ethical but also legally required.
• Use the recipient’s name and personalise the message based on their preferences, past interactions or more.
• SMS has a character limit of 160 characters, so make every word count and keep it short and sweet.
• Always include a clear and concise Call to Action (CTA).
• Do not overwhelm recipients with too many messages at once – it’s a good idea to combine SMS and email marketing to avoid doing this.
• Conduct A/B testing to work out which message formats and content perform best.
• Always be relevant.

SMS offers a versatile, immediate way to connect with your audience.With the right approach, you can enhance customer service, boost loyalty, and drive revenue.

Start incorporating SMS into your marketing today, and watch your engagement soar.