Definitions

   SMS – Short Message Service. Texting in bulk like an email blast. Typically 160 characters per message.

   MMS – Multi Media Service. Texting with a graphic, video or audio included.

   Explicit permission – Documented permission to send SMS. This is being strictly applied by the text messaging services and by the phone carriers.

   Implied permission – Permission implied by requesting a quote, doing business or even a serious business conversation.  Implied permission is acceptable for adding someone to your email list. It is NOT acceptable for SMS.

The #2 topic of marketing articles and focus now is SMS. Right after AI.  Before you jump on the band wagon though you need to analyze carefully the benefits to your business.

B2C businesses

SMS is great for B2C businesses. It gives you quick contact with the consumer. SMS fits retail operations very well: flash sales, special offers, add-on sales.  Your messages show up in a frequently checked feed beside texts from family and friends. Start today!

B2B businesses

Maybe.

If you are a roofing company, you don’t have a lot of quick messages to send.  SMS could be handy after a monsoon storm, however. You could text “Have a leak? Call ABC Company now to schedule your repair!”  That could move you to the top of the list!  During the summer when business is slow, you could SMS “We’re offering 50% discount on roof inspections during the month of June. Call today to schedule.”  

If you are a manufacturers’ representative, you won’t have a lot of quick messages to send. You could send a reminder before a trade show. “We’re going to be in Booth 10 at the World of Concrete. Come see us & register to win a 56” TV.”  You could promote box lunches to a specific group such as the architects on your list. “Call today to schedule a DEF Manufacturer presentation with John Doe, Sr VP, in September.  CEUs and lunch!”

Look over your Marketing Calendar. Where could a SMS boost your other efforts?

I feel certain you will see opportunities.  The key is to plan for those opportunities. You can’t set up a SMS campaign in a couple of days.

 

OPT IN Is Required

You probably have an opt in form on your website now for email.  Update the form and start asking for permission to do SMS too.  There is specific wording required by law so do it right!

Look at your entire sales process.

Where do you have opportunities to ask for email and/or SMS permissions?

• At trade shows?
• At networking events?
• At sales presentations?
• On your website?
• On your order forms?

Start asking now so that you will have the cell phone numbers when you are ready to do your first SMS.

Service Providers

There are multiple service providers, of course.  I recommend MailChimp or Constant Contact. They are competitive price-wise and relatively easy to use.  There are specialty firms like CHIIRP for service companies.  Let’s do some research and get the right service for you.  Most work by credits instead of a monthly fee like email service providers. They know you may not need to send a message monthly.

Verified Sender

The carriers are requiring verification of each sender. There is a short form to fill out and submit via your service provider. When you are approved, you are given a specific number for sending texts.

Prepare Today for a Younger Audience

Regardless of your type of business, you have to prepare to sell to a younger demographic. You’re going to want to reach those Millennials and Gen Z buyers at some point. Start planning now so you’ll be ready!

SMS is one more tool in your toolbox!

 

 

Trust in businesses has seriously eroded over the past few years. In fact, American consumers are in a crisis of trust. So how can you start rebuilding trust with skeptical consumers—especially in a crowded, noisy marketplace?

How to Prove Your Integrity and Honesty With Content

Whenever you make any kind of claim about your business, you should be prepared to back it up with proof.

This changes how you create content from the ground up. Instead of posting what people want to hear, you’re only posting content that’s definitively, demonstrably correct. 

Before you overhaul your content strategy, there are two things you need to do:

1. Decide which claims are the right ones to reach your target audience and objectives. There’s no point in creating proof for something that your customers don’t care about. 

2. Audit your existing content for accuracy and proof. As part of building trust with consumers, you need to make sure that your content is consistently reliable, even if that means deleting or reworking previously successful posts.

When that process is complete, you can start creating the three types of content you can use as proof.

Corroboration: 3rd Party Evidence

Corroboration means finding people who agree with your marketing claims and who have the trust of your audience. There are two types of corroborators you can use in your content:

Find industry experts or academic authorities who’ll support your claims. You could ask them to share a quote, make an official endorsement of your product, or use their influence through their social media channels. Expert corroboration is the best strategy if you’re trying to promote information such as details about product features.

Find people who’ve seen the truth of your claims firsthand. They could be clients, customers, or even employees! Ask them to share their experiences through testimonials, reviews, or a “day in the life.” Witness corroboration is the best strategy if you’re trying to sell an experience.

Once you have these quotes, stories, and testimonials, you can share them in any format that works for your audience. Think website copy, social media posts, white papers, eBooks, printed books, videos… however your target audience prefers to consume information.

Documentation: Your Own Evidence

This content offers primary sources of evidence so your prospects can see the proof and assess its value for themselves. There are two broad categories of documentation:

Tell a story that illustrates your marketing claims. Instead of just asserting facts and figures, create a story with its own emotional arc. For example, if you sell fair trade products, you could have a farmer tell the story of how fair prices have helped their business and community. You can tell stories from customers, vendors, employees, suppliers, or anyone else with a connection to your business! Note that stories are different from simple witness corroboration because they show a process: how life was changed or improved by your brand.

Show the process or story of your impact through more factual kinds of documentation. Think side-by-side comparisons, diagrams, explainer videos, audit results, statistics, certifications, awards, case studies, or even checkbox matrices. With this kind of documentation, you effectively do the audience’s homework for them, presenting key evidence in the most convenient format possible.

One very powerful way to collect stories is through user-generated content (UGC) on social media. You can run active campaigns to collect UGC by offering rewards and perks but you may also find that people post stories about your brand spontaneously. When they do, get in touch and get permission to use that content as proof in your content marketing strategy. 

If you set up or film more structured interviews, remember that in the process of telling a story, people may have to revisit negative or difficult moments. Ask open questions without putting pressure on them to react a certain way. Try using phrases like:

• “Talk to me about what it was like when…”

• “Can you share more about…”

• “Tell me a story about a time…”

Education: Content Consumers Can Experience

The goal of educational proof is to let people experience your claims for themselves. There are two ways you can do this: by providing valuable information for your customers and coaching them through challenging tasks or situations.

Support the decision-making process with information and advice. If you work in a specialized industry or one where most customers are first-time buyers, your audience may just not know how to make purchase decisions. This is also a valuable strategy whenever the buyer isn’t your end user. For example, if you sell cybersecurity systems to companies, the person making the purchase is probably not the same person who’ll have to run the security system. You need to empower the buyer by giving them information that they can share with others. 

Coach your audience through a new task or experience while showing off your expertise. Coaching is a more hands-on approach and includes providing things like step-by-step guides, tutorials, templates, free audits, or taster experiences. For example, many wedding websites offer free planning templates and checklists to support their audience.

Pro Tip: Your sales and customer service teams are a valuable source of information to learn what kinds of educational content you need. Ask your team the following questions and use their answers to guide content educational content:

• What makes people hesitate before a purchase?

• What are the most common questions people ask you?

• What do people often misunderstand about our business?

• What do people object to about our business? 

 

Published in Social Media Examiner on 11/01/23.  Article based on insights from Melanie Deziel, a featured speaker at Social Media Marketing World.