Thoughts on using short code SMS to generate customer leads

[Talay]

I'm looking at advertising a SMS short code (or free to reply number) offering the sender a free annual membership worth £10 which gives 10% off their purchases for a year.

This is for a regional dry cleaner, laundry, home maintenance company. Advertising will be print based and online.

Costs as far as I can ascertain them are around £5 to £25 per month for the number and around 5p per message.

Whilst this may drive some sales initially, the bigger benefit would be the mobile numbers through which to send monthly marketing.

Initial thoughts are TPS issues, though the customer has initiated contact and become a member, maximum amounts of acceptable marketing SMSs and just what to put in the return SMS aside from links to a landing page and that month's special offers.

 

[Textlocal]

Great idea - once they text in you can automatically respond with a link to anything you like + a contact number. You can also say "to opt out of future alerts reply STOP" which covers the opt out. Also include this opt out path in all future messages. As long as your offer is of interest and compelling enough then people will not opt out.

How does a free keyword with the UKs leading text message company..
and texts at flat rate of 3p sound?

Thanks

 

[wevet]

Make surte you also explore the use of QR codes. These are becoming more and more used by tech savvy people.

 

[Textlocal]

.. but you sadly don't automatically capture data with a QR code.

An SMS shortcode works on every handset, and even when in a low signal area the message waits in your outbox for later delivery. The autoresponder that is returned back to the handset contains the weblink that would usually be embedded in the QR code + other info such as "thank you" message, click to call telephone number and optout path. Most importantly, the business captures the phone number for callback or future marketing activity (if the original call to action made it clear "text XXX to xxx to join our club and get the latest news and offers direct to your handset").

You can have both. An SMS QR code (which is scanned and automatically fires the SMS text, triggering the autoresponder) - with the SMS text call to action below it. Best of both

 

[Talay]

I looked at QR codes but I just don't see them ever getting enough traction to make the mainstream and therefore the volume market.

The apparent low cost, PAYG type of arrangement seems ideal for this business.

Does anyone else use this ?