When discussing B2B marketing strategies today, it would be completely remiss to not incorporate best practices for mobile. With over 6 billion mobile subscriptions globally, SMS and future IP mobile messaging channels have the potential to fundamentally change how B2B communications, enabling decision makers and marketers to build a deeper, more personal brand engagement model to reach target business audiences.
Whether you’re the CEO of a global corporation or a small business on a shoestring budget, your mobile device is now a critical tool. The ubiquity and reliability of the SMS platform allows messages to be delivered to anybody, regardless of handset or network, making it an extremely efficient alternative to more traditional marketing methods.
Mobile marketing today is such a broad and sophisticated channel. However, while many pioneering brands are starting to leverage smartphones and internet enabled Over-The-Top (OTT) applications, they risk overlooking the potential of a multi-channel approach that includes the most universal and accessible channel –SMS. This is especially critical as SMS channels have a 95% open rate, with most text messages read within just 15 minutes.
Tips to make the most of an SMS marketing campaign:
1. Build an opt-in list
A mobile phone is a highly personal device – whether for business or home use. It is therefore essential that companies take a different, more cautious, and tactical approach to B2B SMS marketing when building their contact and data lists. A company cannot simply buy a list of mobile numbers and start sending bulk marketing text messages, especially if it is a potential business partner and at least not without most likely alienating the receiver. Any form of mobile marketing requires an opt-in database and consent, so it is important to find the right medium and incentive to persuade your target audience to opt-in. Tactics such as using short codes and automatic responses can be very effective, provided the customer has an opt-out option available at all times.
Once the opt-in list is verified, it is easy enough to create, personalise and manage an SMS list in the same way as an email list. SMS gateways or bulk SMS service tools usually offer an API to make it even easier to hook SMS data into a marketing database, to gain insight, analyse the data and track responses. This in turn allows the marketer to gather and manage their database of mobile numbers, create and tailor SMS campaigns, set up trigger messages, and manage unsubscribe requests.
2. Keep it simple
Many B2B marketers are used to using email communication as a monthly ‘round-up’ to get multiple messages to their customers or suppliers. However, with SMS marketing the golden rule is to keep it simple and singular. This also allows for your message to be easily identifiable. Just as you do today with email, your SMS messages can appear with your name or identity of your choosing.
Instead of just appearing with your response number, you can use a custom Sender ID to get instant recognition of your brand when you send a text message, perfect for messages that don’t require a reply. Dependent upon the SMS system you’re using, your company name may not show up on the customers’ mobile phone. By also keeping the brand message simple and effective, customers will recognise and understand your message immediately – meaning you don’t have to waste 160 characters identifying yourself.
3. Does your message have purpose?
The best B2B marketing messages usually include a ‘call to action’ or a direct request. This is often a directive for the customer to act upon and interact with the company and gives an indication of what the customer is expected to do, such as downloading a product trial or viewing a video. This will make your messaging more compelling and drive up B2B engagement with your brand or company.
4. Leverage SMS to provide unique value
SMS marketing is the best way to push out time-sensitive product information, delivery confirmations, and service-related messages to an eager audience. The next step is to map the needs of your audience to mobile opportunities and leverage the use of SMS to provide value that your competitor is not.
The most popular type of SMS marketing message is the service message. Sending out reminders or appointment times, directions, delivery schedules, order confirmations and stock level updates are just a few of the service-type SMS messages that B2B customers love to receive and are all great ways to engage. SMS alerts can also be used to create dialogue with audiences by keeping them informed of items deemed important to them, their jobs, business changes or reminders to join an event or call.
SMS alerts at events is particularly handy, and can be valuable to enhance trade show experiences by informing audiences of event highlights, conference schedules, announcements and networking occasions. To get the best results, messages must be relevant and targeted to avoid them opting out of future messages and so factors such as preferences, timing and content need to be taken into account. For example, a B2B SMS can be seen as spam or an annoyance if sent outside of working hours but is more likely to be valued if sent on a weekday between 9am and 5pm.
5. Make it measurable
Measurement is increasingly important to marketers, and a key advantage of SMS is the level of transparency it offers into results tracking. Enterprises now have the capability to see if a message has been delivered, read, redeemed, or deleted – and with a much faster response time than through alternative marketing channels. Unlike other forms of direct marketing, SMS offers businesses the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of their communications campaigns, allowing for a wider degree of mid-execution modification.
