Wednesday 10 April 2013

Self Employed Individuals Discover Benefits of SMS Text Marketing

There are a great number of possibilities for an individual business owner to take advantage of SMS text marketing. As we are climbing out of a tough economy, many people are finding their way by going into business for themselves. Small businesses are popping all over the place, and text message marketing is a great fit for those self-starters. Now that SMS text marketing is more affordable than ever before, individuals are enjoying applying the technology and getting creative with their approach.

Take the example of a fitness professional. A personal trainer is a highly rewarding career, as long as the individual manages their business properly using the most effective techniques possible. Even though personal trainers see their best results with one-on-one interactions, text marketing can be strategically separated to work well. Create a list for the clients you see on Mondays and Wednesdays, and create a different list for the clients you see on weekends. Although training is a personal progression, chances are creating lists based on time blocks may place your clients together who are at a similar pace.

Give your clients assignments, or homework. If you are a personal trainer, provide your clients with that incentive they need on their off day to still hit the gym. Staying in shape is a daily commitment, so keep your clients in the best shape possible by using SMS text marketing to reach out regularly for reminders and motivation. This also works effectively with diet advice, and can be a great tool for nutritionists or dieticians also. Provide recipe advice, ingredient swaps, and dining out pointers.

If you teach a class, this can work very well. Back to the fitness trainer sample, for fitness training classes – take a vote on which body parts should be the class focus, or should more weight options be available. This works for other occupations as well, like a dance instructor can take a vote about the type of music – or a music teacher can conduct a poll over which song to work on. Creating a more democratic and connected group, allows for a more motivating class environment.

If you can’t think of anything, simply send a quote or a message of inspiration. Your students or clients will know you are thinking of them, and they will be excited about the next time they meet with you. These techniques work well for so many different industries: Dog trainer, art teacher, cooking class instructor or even a group leader – such as a runner’s club. Individuals who work for themselves are able to see fantastic results using SMS text marketing for whatever it is they do – the marketing method is certainly not reserved for big businesses any longer.

Monday 1 April 2013

Provide Advice with Text Marketing

There are a great deal of different ways to implement a new text marketing plan into your business, however taking a subtle approach really seems to pay off. Many companies take on a mobile marketing plan with the intention to get aggressive with their advertising, and sure, this is one direction to go in – for some businesses it may work well – but more often companies are discovering that it’s the little things that count. Not everything is about a sale, but certain clever tactics will eventually lead in that direction. Let’s take a look at some examples of straying from the beaten path in your text marketing campaign.

Offer do-it-yourself advice. People love to be in control, and most people take a lot of satisfaction from accomplishing projects on their own. This works particularly well in the retail industry, in addition to the service industry. If you own or manage hardware store, provide your customers with “how-to” tips, such as how to choose the right paint primer, or how to calculate square footage for a new carpet.

If you provide a pest control service, you can send messages regarding identification of specific pests, what attracts them, and how to prevent them. People will find information like this valuable, and although you aren’t selling them something directly, the next time they find pests in their home, there is no doubt they will remember your service.

This approach allows a business owner to get creative with their text marketing campaigns, and the most effective way to go about it is to integrate helpful tip messages with promotional messages. A retail store can provide style advice, so can a hair salon. A flower shop can provide pruning techniques via text message, or seasonal flower identification and advice. A landscaping company can also take the same approach, this way – when a customer finds themselves in need of tree trimmer, they will know exactly who to call.

Offering tips or advice in your text marketing campaign is a friendly way to make your customers and clients know that you are on their level, and you are looking out for their best interests above all else. Self-help and education is often the entire reason a new customer will opt-in to your text message marketing campaign in the first place. As much as your company aims to connect with consumers, consumers seek that connection – and this is what makes text marketing so incredibly effective.

With spring upon us, and summer soon to follow – the timing is perfect for so many industries to take advantage of this technique. Think about it, spring cleaning is here, and it is time to update the garden for family gatherings, BBQ’s and outdoor fun.