How to Do SMS Marketing in India
Short Message Service marketing (SMS Marketing), is an extremely effective and straight method that brands use to reach customers and prospects. As the name suggests, this is done through text messages on their mobile devices. In today’s world, people are constantly glued to their phones. Owing to this fact, SMS marketing creates a unique opportunity for businesses to connect with their target audience. It allows businesses to send promotional offers, updates, reminders, and important information directly to their customers’ phones. This strategy makes it a powerful tool for driving engagement, increasing sales, and building brand loyalty.
The Significance of SMS Marketing in India
SMS marketing brings various important advantages like high open rates, as text messages are typically read within minutes of being received. It is also a cost-effective solution for businesses irrespective of all sizes. All businesses can engage with their customers easily as it doesn’t require a significant investment in design or development. Additionally, businesses can send personalized messages based on the preferences and behaviours of their target audience through SMS marketing. SMS marketing can be an extremely valuable addition to a company’s overall marketing strategy as it can help foster stronger customer relationships and drive business growth.
In India, SMS marketing is of great significance. A nation of over a billion people using mobile phones, SMS marketing has become a highly used strategy. The advent of mobile devices in both urban and rural areas has made SMS marketing an extremely powerful tool for businesses who are looking to reach a diverse and widespread audience. Owing to India’s mobile revolution, an unprecedented level of accessibility has been granted to companies who need to engage with customers from various demographic backgrounds and regions.
Needless to say, SMS marketing is one of the most cost-effective strategies for any business in India. It is true that many businesses face budget constraints but with SMS marketing it has been noted that it offers an economical means of communication. When compared with traditional advertising methods or digital advertising on social media and search engines, sending text messages is always relatively affordable. This quality allows small and large enterprises to use SMS marketing to promote their products and services, thus making it a popularly accessible marketing channel.
Moreover, in India, SMS marketing has shown extraordinary open and response rates. Like mentioned before, most text messages are read within minutes after they are received, which ensures that marketing messages not only are promptly delivered but also engaged with. This immediate action characteristic is especially crucial for promotions that are time-sensitive, flash sales, or urgent updates. Through these, businesses are allowed to capitalize on opportunities and keep customers informed. Nowadays, it is given fact that the attention span of people is short-lived. But the ability of the to capture immediate attention is vital for driving sales and brand engagement.
When speaking of India, as an example one can always look at the bustling metropolitan areas of Gurgaon and Delhi. With a high mobile phone penetration rate and a tech-savvy population, these regions are the hotspots for SMS marketing campaigns. Businesses and media agencies in Gurgaon and Delhi can use this channel to send timely promotions, alerts, and personalized offers directly to their target audience’s mobile devices. SMS marketing’s immediacy and high open rates make it an effective tool for engaging with local consumers and driving foot traffic to physical stores or generating online sales. However, it’s crucial for businesses to make sure that their SMS marketing campaigns are in compliance with regulations set by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). This includes obtaining clear consent from recipients, adhering to time restrictions which is 9 AM to 9 PM, and respecting the National Do Not Call (DND) Registry. By following these guidelines and employing best practices, businesses can leverage the immense potential of SMS marketing in Gurgaon and Delhi to boost their brand visibility and revenue in these thriving urban centres.
Type of SMS Marketing
SMS marketing has versatile quality to meet specific business objectives and customer engagement needs. Here are some common types of SMS marketing:
Promotional SMS
These messages are designed to promote products, services, or special offers. Companies send these messages to inform customers about discounts, sales, new arrivals, and promotional events and often include a call to action, like a link to a website or a coupon code. This encourages recipients to make a purchase or engage with the promotion.
Transactional SMS
These are not promotional in nature and are typically activated by specific customer actions or interactions. The aim of these messages is to provide essential information related to a transaction or event. They can include order confirmations, shipping notifications, appointment reminders, and one-time passwords (OTPs) for account verification. Transactional SMS typically ensures that customers receive important updates and thus improves their overall experience with a business.
Alerts and Notifications
Alerts and notification SMS messages are used to keep customers informed about important updates, events, or emergencies. Real-time information such as flight delays, weather alerts, account balance notifications, and security alerts are sent by companies. These messages are crucial for enhancing customer safety, convenience, and awareness.
Drip Campaigns
A series of SMS messages over a specified period to nurture leads or engage with customers is sent, and is called Drip campaign. These automated campaigns that are usually used for welcoming new customers onboard, providing educational content, or guiding prospects through the sales funnel. These campaigns can be personalized based on customer behaviour and preferences.
Surveys, Feedback Requests, Polls
Sending SMS surveys and feedback requests are sent to gather customer opinions, reviews, and feedback is a common practice among companies. The aim of this is to get an understanding into customer satisfaction, improve products or services, and boost the overall customer experience. Also, a point to be noted is that short and targeted surveys are more likely to receive responses from customers. Also, SMS polls and contests are extremely popular and is received well. This is to boost customer engagement and interaction by inviting customers to participate in polls, surveys, or contests with the chance to win prizes. This type of SMS marketing can boost brand engagement and create a sense of community.
Appointment Reminders
SMS appointment reminders are usually used by service-based businesses, healthcare providers, and salons to reduce no-shows. These messages are usually sent before scheduled appointments to remind customers of their upcoming commitments, improving appointment attendance rates and operational efficiency.
Location-Based Offers
Location-based SMS marketing uses the recipient’s location to send targeted offers and promotions. When customers are near a physical store or business location, they may receive SMS messages with exclusive deals or incentives to visit the store.
Personalized Recommendations
Businesses can use data and customer preferences to send personalized product recommendations via SMS. These recommendations can be based on previous purchases, browsing history, or customer profiles, increasing the likelihood of conversions.
The effectiveness of SMS marketing depends on the type of messages sent, the timing, and how well they align with the business’s overall marketing strategy and customer preferences. Businesses often use a combination of these SMS marketing types to achieve their specific goals and build strong customer relationships.
Customer Engagement
Customer engagement is crucial in SMS marketing, as it directly impacts the effectiveness of campaigns and the relationships you build with your audience. Crafting SMS messages that are concise, clear, and compelling is a must. Doing so will grab the recipient’s attention and keep a strong opening and a clear value proposition. Also keeping a language that resonates with the target audience, and ensuring the relevancy of the message to their interests and needs is a must. What about the timing? Needless to say, one of the most important factors in SMS marketing is the timing. Businesses should send messages at times when the audience is most likely to be receptive. This can be done by going through their recent interactions with the brand, such as purchase history or website browsing behaviour. Also, we all know that consumers these days appreciate personalization.
This can be achieved by addressing recipients by their first names and using segmentation to send tailored messages as per their preferences and behaviours. Personalized offers and recommendations can greatly increase customer engagement and conversion rates. Moreover, every SMS message should include a clear and concise call to action. Also, not to forget, brands should make it easy for customers to take the desired action by using action-oriented language that prompts immediate responses. In any marketing, communication with the consumer is the key. Thus, brands need to engage in two-way communication with the customers by inviting their feedback and responses. By asking for their opinions through surveys or polls, and responding promptly to any inquiries or feedback they provide brands can improve their engagement and loyalty.
Global and Indian SMS Marketing Statistics
In India, as mentioned earlier, SMS marketing has a unique importance owing to the country’s vast population and mobile phone adoption. Over a billion of people in India is reported to use mobile phone users thus making it one of the largest mobile markets globally. This creates a humungous opportunity to connect with a wide range of audiences through SMS marketing. Statistics of Indian SMS marketing show high open rates, with messages that are typically read within minutes. Owing to the diverse dialectal landscape in India, businesses have started using SMS marketing to send messages in regional languages, which further enhances customer engagement. Also, as businesses in India are increasingly embracing digital platforms, SMS marketing is going to play a crucial role in promoting e-commerce, with mobile shoppers receiving product updates, discounts, and transaction notifications via SMS. India’s ongoing digital transformation and the convenience of mobile devices has largely given way to SMS marketing. It is expected to continue as a vital marketing channel in the country’s dynamic market landscape.
Advantages of SMS Marketing
SMS marketing brings various advantages to businesses. Here are a few key advantages of SMS marketing that should be explored:
High Open Rates
It has been noted that SMS messages have high open rates. This means that the majority of text messages sent are read within minutes of receipt. Businesses sending marketing message is more likely to reach their audience and be seen compared to other marketing channels.
Immediate communication
SMS marketing has the capability to make real-time communication with the audience. Companies can send urgent updates, time-sensitive offers, and important notifications instantly and is beneficial for promoting flash sales, limited-time discounts, or last-minute event reminders.
Wide accessibility
SMS marketing has the potential to reach a wide array of audiences. In countries like India, where mobile phone usage is widespread, SMS allows brands to connect with a huge number of people. This even includes reaching those in remote areas. It is safe to say that SMS marketing is a versatile channel that reaches both smartphone and feature phone users.
Cost-Effective
Every business looks for strategies that are economical. SMS marketing has proved to be a cost-effective powerful marketing tool as compared to traditional advertising methods or other digital marketing channels. The relatively low cost per message makes it available to businesses irrespective of their sizes, including those businesses that has limited budgets.
Engagement and Conversion Rates
SMS messages are known to ensure high engagement rates and conversion rates. Since customers knowingly agree to receive messages, they don’t get irate and is generally more receptive to offers and promotional messages. SMS marketing is useful for driving traffic to websites, increasing foot traffic to physical stores, and boosting sales.
Taking into account the various advantages of SMS marketing, marketers can get great success if they use this channel strategically and responsibly.
How to Start SMS Marketing in India
Irrespective of what the advantages are, marketers need to use the given channel strategically to get maximum profit. Like other companies in the world, India too requires careful planning and adherence to legal and regulatory requirements to successfully use SMS marketing. To do this, marketers and brands must have a plan in place that will get the desired results. Here are a few steps to get started:
Clarity in Regulatory Compliance: Before starting any SMS marketing campaign in India, it’s mandatory for companies to get acquainted with the regulatory framework. For better governance of SMS marketing in India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has established guidelines and regulations. These include rules for consent, message content, and opt-out options. Companies must ensure that their SMS marketing practices are in compliance with these regulations to avoid legal issues and penalties.
Building a contact list: After clarity on the regulations, another important step is to prepare a list of opt-in subscribers to send SMS messages legally and effectively. This can be done by encouraging people to subscribe to the SMS updates through various channels, such as the website, social media, or physical stores. However, company representatives must make it clear to opt-in consumers regarding the type of messages they can expect to receive and how often.
Reliable SMS service provider: Selecting a trustworthy SMS service provider that can deliver the needed messages reliably and provide the necessary features for managing the campaigns is non-negotiable. Providers who offer features like list management, message scheduling, and analytics to track campaign performance can be useful.
Compelling content: Creating messages that are engaging, brief and will therefore resonate with the target audience is a must. Ensuring that the messages provide clear value and include a compelling call to action should be the aim. Tailoring the content to suit the preferences and interests of the subscribers can be of great help.
Test and Measure: Before launching an SMS marketing campaign at large it is always wise to conduct testing with a small segment of the target audience. This is to measure the effectiveness of the messages that ae being sent by the company. Monitoring the open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates and using the insights gained from testing to optimize the campaigns for better results is always effective.
While planning for SMS marketing, brands should remember that building trust with the subscribers is crucial. Hence, being transparent about the SMS marketing practices, offering valuable content, and respect subscribers’ preferences will always be appreciated by consumers. Over time, as a positive reputation is established and meaningful interactions through SMS marketing have been provided, stronger customer relationships can be built thus driving the business growth in India.
SMS Marketing Services in India
India’s thriving market in SMS marketing services includes several providers who offer a range of solutions to meet the diverse needs of businesses. Here are a few notable SMS marketing service providers in India:
Textlocal
A well-established SMS marketing service provider in India, Textlocal offers a user-friendly platform for sending bulk SMS, transactional SMS, and promotional SMS. It also provides features like SMS automation, personalization, and detailed analytics and is known to cater to businesses of all sizes.
MSG91
MSG91 is a trusted SMS marketing service provider known for its reliability and extensive features. They offer services such as transactional SMS, promotional SMS, OTP (One-Time Password) services, and SMS APIs for integration with websites and applications. MSG91 focuses on high delivery rates and provides advanced analytics to track campaign performance.
Kaleyra
Formerly known as Solutions Infini, Kaleyra is a global communication platform which holds a strong presence in India. They offer a wide range of services, including SMS marketing, voice services, WhatsApp Business API, and are designed to help businesses engage with their customers through multiple communication channels.
Clickatell
It is a global communication platform that provides SMS marketing services in India and offers bulk SMS, two-way messaging, and integration with popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. The main focus of Clickatell is to help businesses create meaningful customer interactions.
Exotel
This service provider specializes in cloud-based communication solutions, including SMS marketing services and offers features like transactional SMS, promotional SMS, and voice communication services. Known for its reliability and scalability, Exotel makes it suitable for businesses with varying communication needs.
It is absolutely necessary that factors such as deliverability rates, pricing, compliance with local regulations (including TRAI guidelines), ease of use, customer support, and the specific features that align with the marketing goals are seriously considered. It’s essential to select a provider that can accomplish the business’s unique requirements and help reach the target audience effectively.
SMS marketing remains an effective and versatile tool for businesses to engage with their audience effectively. Its advantages make it a valuable addition to any marketing strategy. However, it’s crucial to approach SMS marketing with utter responsibility, ensuring compliance with regulations and respecting the preferences of subscribers.
The success of SMS marketing largely depends on the quality of content, personalization, timing, and the ability to provide genuine value to recipients. When executed thoughtfully, SMS marketing can foster customer engagement, drive conversions, and contribute to building strong, lasting customer relationships.
As technology continues to evolve and consumer preferences shift, SMS marketing will likely adapt and integrate with emerging communication channels. It will remain a relevant and effective tool for businesses looking to connect with their target audience in a fast-paced digital landscape.
Also read: Future of Affiliate Marketing in India
