No one likes getting spam of any sort. And now that there are moves afoot in American to tighten up the rules on unsolicited SMS advertising, as well as it being out of bounds in Australia and Europe it may be worth reminding ourselves that if a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.  

Legal requirements aside, it makes sound marketing sense to ensure that your SMS advertising campaign is well targeted and working for you. This means getting user’s consent and giving them a chance to opt out, as well as ensuring that the message is branded and relevant to the receiver.

SMS advertising is about creating an immediate connection and interaction between consumers and your brand and business. It lets you deliver concise, targeted messages that customers are willing to receive. So use SMS advertising to drive consumers towards your marketing initiative.  

As with any direct marketing medium you will want to measure the success of your SMS advertising. Monitor your response rates, be they visits to your website, footfall, vouchers used or phone calls received. You can also use SMS marketing to gather valuable information about your consumers - helping you understand what makes them tick. 

While it’s easy to see why you should let consumers opt in to your SMS advertising campaign, it is equally important for them to know how they can opt out from further messages. True you may loose a few, but they will leave with a sweet taste in their month, rather than a sour one.  

SMS advertising can be a powerful and highly effective activation channel for your customers. Getting your SMS advertising campaign wrong can damage your brand and your relationship with customers. Getting it right can pay great dividends in terms of sales and brand awareness.