The Future of Mobile Text Messaging

Mobile marketing has grown at a huge rate in the last ten years, and with this growth we have seen mobile technologies from SMS to now encompass mobile apps, the mobile web, geo-location services and mobile display advertising. With so many technologies at the mobile marketer’s disposal and growing rates of Smartphone ownership worldwide, what is the future for SMS marketing?

While arguably the most simplistic and least ‘rich’ of the mobile technologies, SMS has a variety of important strengths which will ensure its continued relevance amongst increasingly sophisticated mobile channels.

To begin with, SMS is a very effective way to deliver a marketing message to a wide, yet targeted, group of people. Pretty much every mobile phone is text message capable. This means a huge potential reach, compared with other mobile technologies like mobile applications or the mobile web which rely on Smartphones (i.e. handsets which use a named operating system like iPhone, Nokia Series 60 & Symbian 4, Android, BlackBerry etc) where ownership stands at just 18% in the US. Further, research from Frost and Sullivan and others shows that typically, 90 per cent of text messages are read within three minutes of receipt, with 99% read in time.

SMS is also a very versatile medium. Despite its lack of rich media features, SMS marketing can be used to run a variety of interactive mobile campaigns. Information and communication based services are perfect for SMS via text alerts or mobile clubs. Interactive campaigns like text to win, text to screen and SMS trivia are also possible. In addition, many retailers benefit from the instant nature of SMS for pushing timely sales offers via text based mobile coupons.

In addition to its wide reach and versatility, SMS is a great low cost option for marketers just starting out with mobile. It provides an opportunity to connect with customers on a mobile device for a low monthly cost. Unlike creating an app or mobile optimised site there are no large upfront costs (unless you’re considering a large-scale CRM-style system), or long lead times to contend with. An SMS marketing campaign can be set up in minutes and implemented immediately. SMS marketing can be a great way to start out with mobile marketing, with the potential to add other mobile mediums like apps and geo-location later down the track.

SMS marketing is a great way for small businesses to connect with their customers. With smaller budgets and often less stability upon which to make longer term decisions, the cost effective, instant and versatile nature of SMS marketing is ideal. SMS can be used effectively by small businesses to run a variety of promotions including text to win, event based text to screen and special offers via mobile coupons. SMS marketing is also an ideal way for small businesses to keep in contact with their customers via text message alerts and mobile clubs. Once initial opt in consent is gained from a customer, a small business can send regular marketing messages to that customer informing them of new products, events and sales. Over time, a business can grow their database, increasing the reach of their SMS marketing efforts.

With so many consumers interacting via mobile, multi channel campaigns are increasingly effective. The importance of a multi-channel approach to mobile marketing has been realised by many big name brand advertisers including Best Buy, Marks & Spencer and KFC who effectively use SMS alongside other mobile and non-mobile channels.

Multi-channel mobile strategies work well because they are whole – in the sense that each mobile technology on its own has fundamental shortcomings, which are rectified when these mediums are used in an integrated approach. A ‘whole’ mobile approach is possible because each medium contributes in the way it can give best.

SMS marketing, with its instant effect, wide reach and versatility, can be used for pushing timely alerts and information to customers. It’s also great for holding competitions, games and mobile coupons that the majority of mobile users can participate in.

Other richer mobile mediums, including apps and the mobile web, are best used when a richer media experience is required or expected. While many mobile users will not be able to access this content, some situations require this richer experience. Retail in particular is one area where apps and mobile sites are particularly beneficial – where consumers want to see and experience a product in as rich detail as possible, for example an online look book or catalogue. In situations like these, SMS may be too limited to provide the ideal experience.

Newer technologies such as geo-location are ideal for physical retail locations. Geo-location tools can be a great way to drive store traffic and encourage interaction, however once again, reach is limited.

A multi channel approach therefore draws all of these mediums together to create campaigns that reach consumers at every mobile touch point. SMS is essential to the multi channel approach because it does what it does well – provide marketers with the opportunity to push short, sharp messages to consumers that will be received and consumed instantly, with little cost or lead time involved. Without SMS the multi channel mobile approach falls apart, with brands using expensive technologies like apps to achieve the simplest of mobile tasks, suffering from longer lead times, and not reaching a large proportion of their target market.

So, what is the future for SMS? While SMS today competes with a range of different mobile technologies, SMS marketing brings its own set of strengths to a mobile campaign to complement it. The pace of mobile technology is moving quickly, and just as apps, the mobile web, mobile applications and geo-location have taken a piece of the mobile marketing pie, other technologies will continue to do so, such as NFC (near field communication), augmented reality and more. SMS, however, has its own distinct advantages, so the future for SMS marketing remains bright – for small business, for new mobile marketers, for multi-channel approaches, and simply, for anyone wanting to engage their customers with short, sharp, timely, relevant and cost effective messages to the widest group of consumers possible using a mobile device.

The Right Way to Use Mobile Phone Marketing

There is not a right or wrong way to market by phone; it is just doing what is right for your customer base. Depending on what type of business you are in, depends on the type of advertising that should be done. An organization, that is primarily dealing with household goods, should focus on woman in a demographic age, which would look for these types of products. A store that sells wheelchairs, hospital equipment etc., would not want to target a healthy 35 year old. Using targeting demographics, companies can cherry pick their clients, according to their need.


A lady is sitting in her office, her cell phone rings, and it is her favorite bakery. The message she receives said that everyone who comes in the next 2 hours and mentions the text gets a free dozen donuts. Most people, if possible, would stop by the bakery to claim their prize. What the bakery is counting on is that this woman would not only get her donuts, but also buy bread and other products. The bakery was willing to take the loss on the donuts, because they knew that it was a small price to pay for a customer in the store. Once in the store, this customer might be addicted to a new product and will be a repeat customer.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars on coupons or full page ads that do not work, businesses are opting for mobile messaging. By monitoring what previous customers have purchased, they will know how to focus their future purchases. If a woman usually buys a dozen donuts on Fridays, but has not been in for a month, the bakery can easily send her and others a message with a deal. The whole point is to get her back into the store and purchasing.

Word of mouth is another strong factor, that mobile marketing depends on. The woman who got the free donuts is going to tell her friend, who will then tell her friend. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising there is.

• Involve the customer

• Listen to the customer’s comments, both good and bad
• Be willing to give away something to acquire a customer

• Always move people from the mobile list when requested

• Take every opportunity to be social with the customer

• Build long and lasting relationships with each customer

• Here, are some things to avoid when mobile marketing:

• Don’t think the first strategy will push the company over the top
• Do not get frustrated, run a sale several times to attract interest

• Do not bother the clients; send texts periodically not every day

• Do not be pushy or rude with texts


Mobile marketing can generate sales, but is meant to be fun. Connecting with the customer on a different platform is a terrific way to get interaction. Mobile marketing is to be different from newspapers, which were not impersonal. The moment that mobile marketing becomes a monotonous advertising campaign similar to that of years past, it is time to change it up or get rid of it.

Mobile Advertising will be Bigger than Television Advertising

Access to Audience -- Anytime, Anywhere 

 Imagine an audience that encompasses the vast majority of the world's spending power and can be accessed by marketers whenever and wherever they want with relevancy and precision. Mobile marketing gives the user far more advantages, such as lower cost, customization, easy tracking and so on, thereby reducing manpower and yet giving the entrepreneur better business benefits and profits.

The Most Memorable Messaging

In a recent study, 75 percent of people reported that if they forgot their mobile phone and their wallet, and could only go back for one, they would choose their mobile phone.

Instant results

People always carry their mobile phones with them. Most of the time, the user has his mobile phone on as well, which means, he or she receives the message at the very moment it is sent. Even if it is in standby mode, the message is received as soon as the user turns on his mobile device. Mobile marketing techniques are always almost instant.

Easy to work with

Drawing out content for mobile devices, whether text, images or video, is simpler and less expensive as compared with the same for desktops or laptops.
The mobile medium also makes easier to issue promotions and marketing incentive services to the user. Further, the user can keep the virtual information with him and carry it around till the time he needs to use it.

Convenient to use

Since the screen size of a mobile phone is small, it limits the scope of content that can be displayed. This makes it convenient for the creators of the content, who can keep it basic and simple. Also, simpler content will adapt itself better to various mobile platforms.

Direct marketing

The mobile platform interacts directly with users on their mobile phones. This allows for personalized interaction to a large extent. Using this benefit, marketers can even start a direct dialogue with the user, getting instant feedback via SMS.

Tracking user response
User response can be tracked almost instantaneously. This helps the mobile marketer better understand and analyze user behaviour, thus improving their own standards of service.

Huge viral potential

Since mobile content can be easily shared among users, mobile marketing can have huge viral benefits. Users invariably share good information and offers with their friends and family, so companies get a lot more exposure with no extra effort.

Mass communication made easy

Since a lot more people own mobile phones than desktops or laptops, mobile marketing helps the marketer reach a far wider and diverse audience, especially in the more remote regions of the world. Mobile marketing also gives the entrepreneur the advantage of geo-location and sending location-specific messages to users, using GPS and Bluetooth technology.
Niche not highly concentrated
Mobile marketing is still only being explored, so the niche is still comfortable for any new marketer. This means that he stands a better chance of success with his mobile marketing efforts.

Microblogging benefits

Mobile users are increasingly using microblogging platforms like Twitter from their mobile phones. This microblogging feature can be very highly beneficial to the marketer.

Mobile payment

The latest mobile payment facility is very convenient for the users today. Users are offered a secure online payment environment, that works via advanced mobile Web systems. This means that the user does not need to cough up physical currency each time he wants to make a mobile purchase or pay a bill online.