by Daniel Timothy Wood
Connecting with someone under 30 these days can often require a text message–that odd, 160 character, acronym laden, Japanese schoolgirl phenomenon that you thought bypassed North America in the 90s. It actually only bypassed your generation…if you’re over 35.
Today text messaging is more than kids passing digital notes in class. The medium has evolved into a sophisticated conduit to send and receive targeted messages and with the introduction of Twitter, one can now send one-to-many messages to a global network of online friends. The imposed character limit tends to promote succinct communication with a focused purpose. And that focus is gold in a world where attention is at a deficit.
With 83% of U.S. teens owning mobile phones the SMS channel is not only ubiquitous, it is the preferred contact method for one of the most sought after demographics. A recent report by the Nielson Co., found that the average teen sends 2,272 text messages a month (compared to 203 calls). When I learned that a recent study had found a majority of current college students opened email accounts primarily just to join social networks…the challenging reality of email marketing sunk in. Many young people view an email as formal communication–the equivalent of a hand-written letter for older generations. This trend has some colleges looking at even abandoning student email accounts entirely as they become redundant to the dominant network/s. Teens have enthusiastically adopted SMS technology as their social life-line on-the-go and increasingly value it over other technologies and channels.
Pairing SMS text services with online applications is the answer for many businesses today that wish for a deeper connection with clients and prospects. Like email marketing, text marketing is an opt-in permission-based channel that is priced by the number of outgoing messages a program sends out. Campaigns can be targeted and as measurable as banner buys. A recent BMW campaign received over a 30% conversion rate after culling their customer lists for phone numbers and sending a simple SMS message with a photo of what their car would look like with snow tires. Customers could directly call their dealer, ask to be called back, or download an app to peruse other options…and they did.
Adding value to the engagement is sure to go much further then an obtrusive ring-tone advertisement. I see the utility of SMS as an on-demand, micro-information service with endless potential for simultaneously building brand experiences and delighting consumers. Imagine being in the midst of refinancing your home and having your bank text you when the rate is where you want it. Or pinging your favorite lunch spot to get today’s specials and placing your to-go order via SMS. Personally, I would like to work with the Humane Society on a pro-bono rescue program to broadcast the photo of a dog in-need, each day to families that are entertaining adopting a new member.
Text messaging trends continue to grow world-wide despite email saturation (or in-spite of it some might argue). I believe that all channels of communication are worth considering when approaching an advertising challenge and have a few ideas on how SMS efforts can supplement existing campaigns. If you would like to hear more – just text ‘PMSI’ to 95495.
Daniel Timothy Wood is Digital Strategy Director at PMSI in Portland. Wood has a background as an art director–not something a lot of strategists bring to the table. He’s also the man who pointed me to Ciao Vito, so his taste is impeccable. Follow @dtwood for his latest ruminations.