There’s no doubt in my mind (or the statistics available) that email marketing is effective. Email isn’t dead, and it’s not going anywhere. For every dollar you invest into email marketing, your average ROI is $42. Believe me when I say that email should be a key component of your marketing.

Buuuut....times they are a-changin’. 

There’s another way to reach your audience even more directly. SMS - AKA text messaging - lets you connect with them by sending texts with short messages, links, and images. Email may be fast, but texting is even faster. 

I have designed SOOOOO many SMS campaigns in a variety of platforms but there are two platforms I love. If you are already using Klaviyo, they have SMS built in, so it's super easy to start sending. If you're using Mailchimp, I recommend EZ Texting because it's super easy to set up and plugs into Mailchimp. I am a partner on both platforms and can walk you through if you need help!

People love texts. It’s the truth. Don't you love when you can confirm your doctor’s appointment (or, if you're me, the 3rd facial of the month 🙈) with a text. I love getting discount codes from my favorite restaurant in a text. There’s plenty of reasons why you should jump on the SMS marketing train and start sending fun, creative texts that your customers will love. 

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It’s fast

It’s sooooo easy to push out sales and alerts. You know your message will pop up on subscriber’s screens immediately. That also means they’ll open it more quickly, encouraging them to take action.

It’s effective

Nine out of ten people will open a text you send, and the click-through rate of SMS is 19%- over four times more than the CTR of emails. 74% of people say they have no unread texts on their phones. Your message is going to get opened! That’s probably 90% of the battle won right there. 
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It doesn’t depend on the internet

Even people without smartphones or internet access can still receive texts. You’re definitely expanding your reach. No one has to connect to Wifi or check their computer to get an SMS message. 85% of Americans own a smartphone, but 97% own some kind of cell phone. That’s theoretically millions of more people in your advertising audience.

It creates an open channel

Platforms like EZ Texting even offer 2-way messaging so you can have text conversations with customers. (Seriously, that’s the bomb. Is there anyone on the planet who likes calling a company’s customer service?) That gives you immediate marketing feedback and helps troubleshoot customer issues without delay. 

You can be so creative!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, that’s a loooot of copywriting you just saved yourself! Using MMS (multimedia messaging service) lets you include images, GIFs, videos, and graphic coupons (I just happen to know someone who can create some designs you’d love.) 

Apple cobbler is delicious. So is ice cream. But when you pair warm apple cobbler with some vanilla bean ice cream, now that’s *chef’s kiss.* 

Email and SMS marketing are the same. They’re both great marketing tools on their own, but use them together, and it’s perfection.

PS: If you use SMS marketing, be wise about how often you send messages. Consumers have shared that their preference is a message once every other week. Don’t send so many that they unsubscribe!