5 Facts that Prove the Power of SMS for Business

• In SMS Marketing
• May 2, 2016

We use our mobile phones for everything from sharing pictures of our mailman’s cat to getting directions to that new pizza place downtown. Given the vast and growing power of mobile, more marketers are becoming aware of the near-limitless potential of text message marketing.

What’s more, research shows that text messages have an open rate of roughly 95%, much higher than the 20% open rate for emails.

For some, that makes SMS marketing intriguing enough. But if you need more persuasion, consider the following facts:

1. 44% of consumers prefer to receive product details and other marketing messages through text over any other channel.

This is obvious. Consumers hate receiving sales calls, no matter the greatness of your product or service. Email marketing often simply annoys customers as well, and spam filters mean that your communications may never see the light of day.

The best way to reach customers is by SMS, and the above statistic from the Direct Marketing Association shows that your messages won’t fall on deaf ears.

2. Over half of customers said they would be likely to text with a customer support agent. Similarly, 52% would rather text customer support (if available) than use their current preferred form of communication. (eweek.com)

This means that there is still unfilled demand for SMS-based customer support. A number of industry leaders have recognized the modern customer’s preference for texting over other forms of communication such as email and telephone.

Companies that make investments in this area will have happier customers and more return-on-investment.

3. 38% of contact centers currently offer SMS, and 23% more plan to add it in the next 12 months. 61% of contact centers will offer SMS support in 2016.

Digital contact with customers, through email, web chat, SMS, social media, and self-service channels, is growing in importance as an engagement strategy. That’s why companies have contact centers to manage their business-to-customer communication.

That communication takes many forms, but SMS contact is especially important. It’s one of the fastest-growing methods of business-to-consumer communication for companies, and 61% of those surveyed will make use of it in 2016.

4. 79% of companies believe that their customers want SMS/text support.

Again, we see evidence of the unfilled demand for SMS services among customers. A poll from the International Customer Management Institute found that nearly four out of five companies believe that their customers want SMS support.

Using text message technology to engage customers is also shown to boost conversion rates. One study found that following-up a sales call with a direct SMS message increased conversion rates by over 40%.

5. Nearly 25% of marketers currently use text messaging. Over 60% of them report SMS as being “effective.”

We were surprised to learn that less than one-half of marketers currently make use of text messaging as an engagement tool (according to statistics from ExactTarget).

The good news? This industry still has tons of growth potential. And lots of room for new companies to break in.

Among marketers who currently use it, nearly two-thirds consider it to be effective, and another 32% consider it to be “somewhat effective.” Joining the relatively small club of SMS believers can be a boon to your business.

Stuck with technology? At TTAG Systems we can help you to adopt technology easier and faster for you and your company. Let our experts bring your business to the next level. Contact your Toronto SMS Marketing experts today for your next project.

---

Google+