Texting breaks all the rules of typical business communications; after all, we have never before had such a direct and immediate line of contact straight to customers! However, that can also make it difficult to ascertain what is appropriate and what may shine an unflattering light on your business when it comes to your Text Message Marketing.
As such, it may seem unclear as to exactly how one can write great marketing texts. Should you keep it 100% professional at all times? Or can you mix it up a bit and get more current and creative?
The short answer is- it depends.
The long answer will be provided in the rest of this article!
Let’s keep in mind a few key elements of texting before we start:
- SMS messages are usually limited to about 160 characters, so you need to get in, make an impact, and get out in very little space!
- For text message marketing, you need to fit in a greeting, message content and an effective call to action!
- Texting was originally intended for personal communications, so many people have come to expect a slightly less formal tone from texts than from other mediums, like email.
There is just no getting around the fact that texting is different than other communication methods. Instead of letting that trip you up when forming text message marketing campaigns, use it to your advantage!
Before you embark on any text message marketing campaign, you need to consider your brand’s tone of voice. Unless you are a brand new business, you likely have already established a tone of voice on your website, social media, email newsletters or other materials. If this applies to your business, then step one is already finished! Use the same tone of voice that customers have come to expect from your brand in all of your text message marketing.
If you have started a new business, however, you likely have some exploring to do in terms of what the tone of voice for your brand will be. First, you will need to consider your target audience. What do they want from your business? How would they expect you to address them in your text message marketing?
Then, you can go about identifying your tone of voice. Is your brand funny or serious? Professional or informal? Eager or matter-of-fact? I won’t continue, but you get the picture.
In addition to considering your target audience, you also need to think about your product/service. For instance, if you run a law firm, your target audience may expect you to take a more serious tone of voice since you are likely dealing with rather serious topics. On the other hand, if you sell children’s toys, your target audience might expect you to take a more light-hearted tone in your marketing materials.
Once you have established a tone of voice, you will be ready to decide which of the following texting features to bring along in your text message marketing and which to leave behind!
Text Message Marketing: Are These 3 Features Right for Your Brand?
- Emojis
There is some conflicting advice out there about whether or not the use of emojis is appropriate for business texting. As far as we’re concerned, the only person that can make that call is you!
Emojis are commonly used in text messages and social media. They have become so prolific in our digital culture that you can even find them on websites, blog posts and emails!
The bottom line is that consumers are used to seeing emojis in their everyday life, and when it comes to a medium as personal as text message marketing, there is nothing wrong with using emojis! The only caveat is that emoji use must fit into your brand’s tone of voice.
Emojis can be extremely useful in your text message marketing to replace physical social signals, like body language and voice, that get lost in written messages. However, proceed with caution. Some emojis have NSFW double meanings. Before using any emojis, make sure that you and your team are well aware of any unintended implications your chosen emojis may have to avoid serious blunders in front of your audience!
- Abbreviations
Abbreviations are another extremely popular feature of mainstream text communications. You probably use them all the time in your personal life!
Given the fact that many abbreviations are well understood, it is okay to include them in your text message marketing every once in a while. After all, you only have 160 characters, so you will need every trick in the book to convey your meaning.
Here are a few common abbreviations to use:
- BRB- Be right back
- TTYL- Talk to you later
- ICYMI- In case you missed it
- TBA- To be announced
- TBD- To be decided
- ASAP- As soon as possible
- FYI- For your information
- TIA- Thanks in advance
- NVM- Never mind
- RN- Right now
- IDK- I don’t know
The list goes on and on! However, when it comes to text message marketing, you will want to use your abbreviations sparingly. Too many abbreviations may confuse the overall intent of your message.
Also, make sure that you are sticking to the most commonly understood abbreviations out there! The use of obscure or extremely niche abbreviations also put your message at risk for being misunderstood or misinterpreted.
While we certainly encourage the strategic use of abbreviations in your text message marketing, you will probably want to avoid them when conveying more serious matters- even if your brand’s tone of voice is typically light-hearted. If your text contains bad news, like appointment cancellations or late payment notifications, the use of abbreviations may make it seem as though your business is not treating the matter with the appropriate amount of concern.
The moral of the story is that as long as you are utilizing abbreviations strategically and in the proper context, it is more than okay to sprinkle them into your text message marketing.
- MMS
MMS stands for Multimedia Messaging Service. This feature allows your business to include photos, videos, GIFs, voice memos and more in your text message marketing. It also gives you the unique opportunity to add some product photos and branded images that will be sure to get results!
Although some business texting services charge more to send MMS, with Text My Main Number, all outbound SMS and MMS messages are included in your monthly message limit! That means that outbound MMS will not cost your business any extra cash!
No matter your brand’s tone of voice, you can certainly find an effective use for MMS in your text message marketing strategy!
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If you are still wondering whether or not the three features mentioned in this article are right for your business, try some A/B testing! Experimenting and running tests is your business’ best bet for discovering what works and what doesn’t with your target audience. For more free tips and tricks for getting the most out of your text message marketing strategy, check out the rest of our blog
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