Top 10 tips for a successful bulk SMS campaign
1. Keep it clear, honest, and concise
Craft a short, clear message that recipients can understand quickly. Being transparent and honest builds trust with your customers and increases the likelihood they take action.
2. Personalise where possible and introduce yourself at the start
Use merge tags to include the customer's name. In Scrypt, use <<FirstName>> to create a personalised experience. Remember that this SMS arrives from a +61 number, so if the customer has not saved the number, they may not know who is messaging. Let them know at the start so they trust the message before disregarding it.
Example: "Hi <<FirstName>>, this is <<PharmacyName>>"...
3. Include a clear call to action
Clearly specify what you want the customer to do, such as "Reply to this text", "Call now", or "Visit our store". Make sure your team knows what to do when the customer responds, so the experience is smooth.
4. Use urgency and scarcity
Create a sense of urgency or limited availability to encourage immediate action, such as time-limited offers or limited stock notifications.
5. Avoid using capital letters
Typing in all capital letters reads as shouting and can put recipients off. Excessive use of exclamation marks is also generally not recommended.
6. Optimise your timing
Send the SMS at the most appropriate time for your target audience so they are available to respond. Make sure you have enough staff to handle the responses promptly.
7. Proofread carefully
Send the message to your own number first and check for spelling and grammatical errors. Ask a colleague to read it and confirm it is easy to read and understand.
8. Provide an opt-out option
Under the Spam Act, every commercial message must contain a clear unsubscribe option. Learn more on the ACMA website. Scrypt provides an <<OptOutLink>> merge tag for you to use.
Important. Place the <<OptOutLink>> in the last sentence, followed by additional text, for example "<<OptOutLink>> - to opt out". This prevents iOS devices from displaying the opt-out link as an expanded preview that could be mistaken for your main call to action.
9. Analyse and refine
Track how the campaign performs and listen to all feedback. Test different elements of your message, such as the wording, call to action, and timing, and optimise based on your results. Next time you will have a better understanding of what creates an even more successful campaign.
By following these guidelines, you can improve the effectiveness of your bulk SMS campaigns and increase the likelihood that recipients follow through with the desired call to action.
Example message
Hi <<FirstName>>, this is <<PharmacyName>>. As a valued customer, we're letting you know that [value proposition]. This is only available until stock runs out or the end of this week. To accept [value proposition], simply reply YES to this text, or call us on <<PharmacyPhone>>. Thanks. <<OptOutLink>> - to opt out
Need more help?
Contact the Scrypt support team at support@scrypt.com.au or 1800 SCRYPT (727 978).