As more restaurant and retailers look to target customers on the move, SMS is becoming an increasingly important part of an effective multi-channel marketing mix.

However, with few restaurants and retailers featuring SMS as a core part of their digital Marketing strategy their potentially missing out on engagement with customers and increased ROI.

Many restaurant and retail marketers I speak with mistakenly believe that mobile marketing requires heavy investment in apps and does not allow for personalized, targeted communication and lacks strong analysis to support a return on investment. The reality is access to mobile communications is far easier than perceived today and gaining access to mobile consumers can be as simple as sending a personalized, targeted text message. But don’t just take my word for it. Here are 10 reasons why you should seriously consider SMS/Text Message Marketing as part of your mobile marketing communications mix.

1. 78% of consumers believe SMS/Text Messaging is fastest way to reach them¹.
2. 90% of all SMS/Text Messages are read within 3 minutes².
3. SMS campaigns have over 7 times greater performance than email campaigns³.
4. 90% of mobile device users who were enrolled in SMS loyalty clubs felt they had benefited from being involved in the program⁴.
5. Coupons delivered via SMS have redemption rates 10 times higher than those of printed coupons⁵.
6. 75% of mobile phones worldwide are enabled to receive SMS/Text Messages⁶.
7. SMS/Text Messaging will surpass apps in importance⁷.
8. 50% of consumers in the U.S. make direct purchases after receiving an SMS branded text/QR code/discount coupon⁸.
9. SMS/Text Message marketing is predicted to contribute a 40% growth rate of revenues by 2017⁹.
10. 98% of people will open an SMS/Text Message sent to their phone versus 27% of people who will open an email sent to a mobile device¹⁰.

To learn more about how you can reap the benefits from SMS Marketing to increase customer frequency, spend, and engagement for your restaurant or retail chain email us at [email protected]. Have you already started on your SMS marketing journey? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks in the comment section below!

1 – Transactional Messaging Consumer Report 2016 • 2 – MobileSQUARED and SinglePoint • 3,8 – Moto Message • 4 – Hipcricket • 5 – Go Mobile • 6 – Oxygen8 • 7 – Forrester Research • 8 – Moto Message • 9 – BIA/Kelsey • 10 Business 2 Community