Text messaging reigns supreme as the most accessible mobile marketing tactic. Wield this weapon and you can connect with diners instantly by targeting a device they always have on hand.
It drives conversions, boosts engagement, and generates a real return on investment.
But if you’ve tried SMS marketing and haven’t seen results, you may be missing a critical factor. Let’s talk about the common reasons that SMS campaigns fail, then try these 5 factors to deliver a better mobile commerce ROI.
Why SMS Campaigns Fail
Mobile marketing campaigns have grown by 800 percent (PDF link) in recent years. To make mobile marketing work for restaurants, it is hugely important to steer clear of mistakes and execute best practices.
Marketing campaigns that are not specific do not work. You have to connect with a specific segment of your target audience with each and every message. It’s more work for you, but it will pay off with sales.
Additionally, if your SMS restaurant deals aren’t enticing enough, or your messages lack a call to action, you will not see high numbers of conversions.
If your SMS campaign doesn’t direct users to a mobile-friendly restaurant website, it’s all but impossible for users to convert. You must invest in mobile if you’re targeting SMS.
Finally, too many restaurant owners do not take a step back and analyze campaign performance. It is vital to use trackable URLs with text message marketing, so that you can dig into analytics and repeat what works in the next campaign. Always use trackable URLs with text message marketing.
5 Factors Your Mobile Marketing Campaigns Need Now
1. Specificity
Have you ever sent the same SMS to your entire list? If so, then you’ve dramatically limited your return on investment. Just as with any other form of advertising, it is critical to tailor the message to audience segments. You might send a message about family night to some users and let others know you show playoff games in your bar areas. Targeted messages like these are more likely to lead to conversion.
2. Timeliness
There’s nothing like a LTO (limited time offer) to drive sales. If you’re launching a new menu or holding a sale on restaurant gift certificates, send an SMS offer a few days before with a special incentive that expires. Research shows that coupons sent via SMS are more than 10 times as likely to be redeemed than coupons sent via email.
3. Visual Aids
It’s called text message – but you don’t need to keep to text. Incorporate video or images of menu items into SMS campaigns to generate buzz and capture brand recognition. Combining visual ads with SMS campaigns can generate a big ROI because customers have a better response to visual stimuli.
4. Engagement
If customers interact with you via SMS, always engage. If at all possible, respond like a human; don’t leave it all up to automation and transactional messages. This can grow your return on investment exponentially by reinforcing the brand-consumer bond and generating valuable word of mouth buzz.
5. Promotion
Are you advertising your SMS campaigns to diners who are on premises? If not, then you’re making a critical mistake that inhibits — this is one of the very best ways to grow your list. Have multiple touch points — in the restaurant, on your website, across social media profiles — that urge consumers to opt in to your SMS campaigns to get the biggest restaurant discounts.
