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Text Messaging in Western Mass
How can SMS Marketing Help Your Business?
SMS Marketing is everywhere… you’ve seen it in ad campaigns for large brand name companies for a while now and small businesses are starting to turn toward this new and exciting advertising medium.
What is so appealing about SMS marketing?
Instant Marketing
Open rates are an astounding 97% for one thing. That’s right, almost all text messages sent are read, and usually within 15 minutes. Likewise, the redemption values of offers sent via text marketing are huge do to the customer relationship value developed by the text marketer. Consumers and businesses alike value the permission based platform of text marketing. You’ve seen the ads, you know… text the word “widget to 12345” and receive your free gift, to enter to win something, or to get a coupon. Large companies use this to reach thousands of consumers instantly. Well the good news is, this form of advertising isn’t just for large companies anymore. Short codes have become extremely affordable and small businesses can now implement the same strategies into their marketing campaigns.
Why has it become affordable to small business?
Text message application providers are now able to lease keywords on shared short codes. This makes SMS marketing accessible for small business clients like restaurants, service providers, retail stores, or any business that benefits from repeat customers. The many benefits of SMS marketing include but are certainly not limited to:
- Extremely high open rates
- Development of consumer relations
- Easy tracking of your ROI
- Instant Marketing to targeted consumers.
Imagine The Possibilities!
Say you own a restaurant and you‘re having a slow night. You have 7 tables that you need to fill and no one is expected, maybe there’s a snowstorm or something in your area that’s affecting your business. With one text you could send out a code to your customer base to redeem at your place for a two for one special or a coupon to redeem for that night only. How much would it mean to your bottom line to fill those 7 tables?
This is Instant marketing. In fact this is a marketing strategy that is not only highly effective, but has never been accessible before the introduction of SMS. According to a study by the Mobile Marketing Association
” marketing decision makers of businesses will increase mobile initiatives in their marketing campaigns and there is an indication the mobile budgets will increase by more than 124 percent. Out of all the marketing strategies polled, mobile marketing appears to be in the running for the greatest percentage growth.“
Digital marketing is in second while television spending and events/trade shows expanded to about 1.5 percent more. The largest drop seemed to come from print advertising – outdoor signage, newspapers, and direct mail.
Small Business Success in Western Mass
Why Your Business Needs To Be Part Of The Stonebrook Group
So you’ve decided to take the leap and get your small business online. The first thing you need to ask yourself when planning your Stonebrook Page is why you have decided to create a web presence in the first place.
6 Most Common Reasons For Building a Small Business Web Presence:
We’re going to examine six of the most common reasons why a business needs a web presence. Many of these reasons are valid but require a more refined approach if you’re going to achieve the greatest return on your investment in your new Stonebrook Page.
Reason #1: I simply need my address and phone number online so people can find my business.
Reality
You can register that information and more in our free directory and we encourage you to do so. However, if you were looking up a business online, do you think that simply a name and a phone number would compel you to contact them about their product and services? Possibly, but when you consider that you have as much space as you want to use for your business online, why wouldn’t you use it?.In the world of virtual real estate, you’re not constrained by square feet. Take your time and connect with your customer. The reality is that for an increasing number of your customers, your website will be the first impression you make.
Solution
- Introduce Yourself – You need to create some content that will introduce your business to your potential customers.
- Be Creative – Use your imagination to capture your company’s personality and present yourself in a way that will stand out from the competition.
- Establish Yourself as an expert – Dedicating part of your webpage to tips or news from your industry will inspire consumer confidence. It will also provide a significant boost for your site’s SEO and keep your visitor on your site longer.
- Sell – Your web-page needs to provide a clear call to action, whether that is through a free estimate, coupon, sample or consultation that will get you hooked up to the customer.
Reason 2: Everybody says I need a web presence.
Reality
You may not be very savvy with technical trends, but the result of that is that you are missing out on visibility to a huge percentage of your market, including each new generation of consumer.
Solution
Recognize that times are changing and your business can change with them. Maybe you know that you need a website but you’re clueless about how that process will work. That’s what the Stonebrook Group is all about.
Reason 3: I want my business to be more professional looking.
Reality
You definitely need a web presence in order to be a truly professional business. However, most business owners who simply want a cheap website to make them appear professional can miss the mark entirely by failing to present a well-formed business identity. You can’t simply toss the site off to a company to create for you without defining a solid set of goals for your online presence. When you first formed your business, you decided what your business was about: your business objectives and philosophy. Developing your web presence should be no different. If you’re not truly showing the face of your business to online customers, then you will never achieve the results you’re hoping for.
Solution
Take time to plan your business objectives concerning your website. Make sure that you have quality photos if you’re using your own. Make sure the website copy has been proofed and is descriptive and engaging. Be prepared to respond to customer inquiries in a timely fashion, just as if they stepped into your work place. Consider new ways of communicating with potential customers, including online chat, skype, email, social networking, etc.
Reason 4: I want to be number one on Google and Yahoo.
Reality
Absolutely! Good search engine rankings will be one of the best ways to get noticed online. Keep in mind, everyone wants to be in the top of their search category.
Solution
When you become a premium member of The Stonebrook Group, you are already ahead of the competition. We integrate into our platform highly optimized site maps that are structured to get visitors to your page. We already rank on the first page of Google, Yahoo, and Bing for hundreds of keywords… Simply put, that means traffic for all our members!
Reason 5: My competitor has one.
Reality
They may have gotten the jump on you with an online presence but this can be a golden opportunity to analyze their sites and see how you can improve upon their strategies.
Solution
Distinguish yourself. Consider what your competitor is doing before you create your web-page. Look for parts of the market that your competitor has neglected. Whatever you do, don’t try to make a web-page like all the others.
Reason 6: I want to sell online.
Reality
Well that’s what it’s all about isn’t it? There isn’t a business website that shouldn’t be selling, whether it’s a product, an idea, or simply your brand. Never underestimate the value of a strong, recognizable brand.
Solution
Start creating your Web presence today. Within a few minutes you could be on your way to creating your own Stonebrook Page. When you do, include a clear call to action to your consumers. Provide them with a compelling reason to consider giving you their business along with a phone number, a link to your website or Facebook Page, or simply an email address, and soon you will see customers flooding in as a result of your efforts.
Stonebrook provides a platform encompassed with all the tools and resources you will ever need to keep your message fresh so to modify the focus of your business as our economy and your priorities dictate.
It is really easy to sign up for a premium membership and extremely affordable. For a limited time we are offering full membership benefits for only $19.95 per month. We’re not sure how much longer we can keep the price this low, but it will be going up very soon!
Just Click The PayPal Button Below and you will be up and running in no time!
By the way, if for any reason you believe you are not getting true value out of your membership, We will refund all your money, no questions asked, for a full 30 days!
