Annoyingly, there are no hard and fast rules about when to send sms marketing messages but here are a few tips to keep in mind when sending your messages.
- Try to time your message according to the action you want the customer to take. If you are a local sandwich shop and you've got a great special for just today, then it makes sense to tell your customers just before they stop for lunch. That way they can act immediately on the information - if you send the message too early then it's more likely to be forgotten.
- It's definitely a good idea to avoid sending messages early morning and late at night. We know your news is probably exciting but you don't want to actually wake up your customer to tell them about it!
- Don't overload your customer with too many messages - customers might start to ignore your messages or unsubscribe. While there aren't precise rules for the frequency of your messages, once every one to two weeks is usually just about right for offers from a Shop, Cafe, Restaurant or Salon.
- It's just as important not too send too few messages so that customers will forget about you. Try and create a somewhat regular schedule for your messages so your customers will start to expect and look forward to them. (Tip - you can use the handy Send Later function to schedule your messages!)
- If you are sending a more general update, perhaps including a link to your website, then try to send the message at a time when people are more likely to engage. Weekday afternoons tend to do well for this type of message.
- Don't send lots of repeat messages about the same offer as this will seem a nuisance - customers want to find something new and exciting when they read your message.
- Last but not least, make sure to keep special holidays and events when planning your messages. If you have a special offer for Mother's Day make sure you schedule your sms marketing messages to give your customers time to respond.
Tell us what you think - we'd love to hear what timing and schedule works best for your sms marketing messages?
