Recovering from a pandemic whilst there is a war, a global cost of living crisis coupled with supply chain problems and countries around the world going into recession is hard. This means that 2023 is going to be a challenging year for many businesses. Budgets need to be written carefully and reviewed continuously to ensure staff are employed, costs are minimal, and business can continue.

Global unemployment rates are rising with some countries experiencing more than a quarter of their population out of work.  IT developers in the big tech companies are losing their jobs faster than they were hired during the growth years. Marketing and customer service jobs are the most at risk with more automation available and higher levels of outsourcing to countries that pay lower salaries.

With businesses tightening budgets, and staff expected to do more for less, customer service levels are suffering. Customers expect better support, more product information, and better trained staff. How can businesses give more to their customers for less money, and using fewer staff?

Marketing Budgets for SMS Marketing

One of the costs that businesses closely review is their marketing budget. This also means analysing communication channels and ways of getting more customers as well as staying in touch with existing customers. Customers expect more personalization in their communications with businesses, and one route that offers this is SMS Marketing.

As inflation grows, expectations increase, and budgets dwindle, this could be a great time to invest in SMS Marketing.  Coming out of the pandemic businesses have realized that they must adapt or die, and moving from emails and phone calls into SMS Marketing is one way to reduce spend on communication, and improve the personalization that customers require.

Customer Service skills for retaining and upselling to existing customers is a key focus for SMS Marketing. Sales and Communication will help businesses to fight back the recession whilst retaining customers and getting more sales completed. Whilst budget and personalization are key elements of a successful 2023 marketing campaign, the place for SMS Marketing is clear.

Benefits of SMS Marketing

When budgets are tight, businesses need cheaper communication tools. SMS Marketing is cheaper than phone calls and just as personal, especially to the younger generation.

When communication needs to be accurate, SMS Marketing goes straight to the phone of the customer, and today, phones are always within reach and eyesight.

When communication must be personalized, SMS Marketing can be programmed with individual names, targeted messages, and personalized offers to attract the attention of your customers.

With an open rate above 95% SMS Marketing smashes the figures provided by cold email outreach which averages just 22% and cold calling which is around 4%. With open rates for SMS Marketing so high, the cheaper, more targeted, and more read option for getting your message across should be high on your limited marketing budget spend.

Using SMS Marketing to target customers, introduce them to new offers, give discounts, or to simply stay in touch with repeat buyers is vital to the success of businesses with limited budgets.

Using VoIP phones often means that your phone line gets badly affected by poor internet connection. SMS Marketing is not connected to the internet, and therefore more reliable, even in regions with bad connections, or blackspots.

Successfully using SMS Marketing means that your message will deliver and will be received when the customer has the time to open their phone. SMS Marketing is not inconvenient, it is not disruptive of the daily routine and can be read, answered, and engaged with at the right time for the customer. SMS Marketing messages stay in the phone until the customer has read it and then chosen to delete, or to action. Either way, the SMS Marketing message has been received and acknowledged by the customer.

Annoying voice calls can disrupt a person’s day and leave people feeling frustrated with their privacy intruded upon. SMS Marketing messages are personal, private, and can be opened at a convenient time.

Emails are ignored and often considered Spam or diverted into the Junk folders of busy working people. SMS Marketing messages are direct and delivered directly into the palm of the reader through their mobile device.

Emails are unsubscribed, phone numbers are blocked, or saved to the user’s mobile phone with a message to not answer, so the time for SMS Marketing is 2023, with a growing number of businesses turning to SMS Marketing to boost sales, retain customers, and generate interest in products.

SMS Marketing for Sales and Marketing Teams

SMS Marketing is used to promote products and services for businesses by contacting the customers directly, often with time-limited offers and discounts. Offering a discount to the direct name of a customer, on their personal mobile phone, directly into their hand, is as personal as it can get.

“Hi John, reply to this SMS for 50% discount on [insert last product purchased] using your personal discount code of ABCJOHN”.

Such a personal SMS Marketing message, dedicated directly to the customer, about a product that they already know, means that they are likely to engage with that message.

Having API connection from your business CRM Solution to your business SMS Marketing tools means that you can automate messages. Your business could remember birthdays, anniversaries, and other important events in the life of your valued customers.

If you know patterns of your customers and you send the best SMS Marketing messages to them, at the right time, it is more likely to get attention and generate a sale. This convenient and personable way of doing business generates loyalty. Knowing when someone is working, and when they are travelling means that you are personalizing your SMS Marketing to the best time, place, and directly to their mobile phone.

With open rates and detailed segmentation, coupled with detailed analytics, your SMS Marketing campaigns could mean the difference between success and struggles.

SMS Marketing for other teams

With the increase in Hybrid working, more people are working remotely and need to stay in touch. SMS Marketing messages can be used for training, support, guidance, helpful motivational messages, and much more. Engaging staff and promoting teamwork comes from excellent communication, which is where SMS Marketing excels.

Writing long emails or taking time on phone calls is less efficient than SMS Marketing.

If your business has a dedicated CRM Solution that requires password protection, and 2-factor authentication, there are expensive tools and security keys that can be used, or SMS Marketing messages can be used to send OTPs to agents.

When using overseas workers data security is critical, and SMS Marketing can be used to offer OTP Security and monitor received and read messages.

SMS Marketing with conXhub

Whilst we are primarily known for our excellent call quality, international numbers and supporting businesses with our non-VoIP mobile technology, we also offer bulk SMS, SMS2Email, SMS2Portal, and other bulk SMS Marketing features within our bespoke technology.

Our customers never miss a call or a message as we only work with mobile phone technology sending messages or making calls directly into the palm of the receiver. Everyone carries their mobile phone with them, everywhere they go, so targeting calls and SMS Marketing messages through the conXhub platform, means that you are in direct contact with those most important to you and your business.