Changes to Text Message Marketing and SMS Marketing Rules

October 13, 2013
Mike Dolpies

Over the weekend I noticed on two occasions… the very same day… what seem to be… some changes to text marketing

SMS: Text Messaging Gets Redesigned

SMS: Text Messaging Gets Redesigned (Photo credit: pouwerkerk)

laws.

Let’s review…

Text Message Marketing or SMS Marketing is the practice of sending 140 character (or less) marketing messages directly to a cell phone number.

2009, 2010, 2011 text message marketing was really, really buzzing!

But not so much lately.

I have seen numerous text message marketing service providers come and go.

I wouldn’t go as far as saying… “It never caught on.”

But there are a few reasons it has not become as popular as many of us thought it would.

1- With anything worthwhile – it takes effort.

Text message marketing is all about having permission and building an “opt-in” list. Much like an email list is built one person at a time. The same is true with text message marketing. You’ll have to work to build an opt-in list.

2- Text Message Marketing is cost prohibitive to many.

With email marketing – all you need is a good delivery software/program. With text message marketing each one of those text cost a few cents – plus the cost of whatever service you want to use.

3- You can get the same results – PLUS more with a mobile app instead.

What is text message marketing anyway? It’s a direct line of communication with a prospect/customer/client.

Well… the right Mobile App can give you a direct line of communication via “Push Notifications” without the “per message” cost. Plus a Mobile App will do so much more for you.

More info on Mobile Apps here

4- Confusion: Short codes, long codes, keywords, shared short codes?

That’s text message marketing lingo. The short code is that 5 or 6 digit code. The keyword is the what the opt-in user will “text” to be added to your list. A shared short code is used because having your own short code is out of reach for many. Hence, the sharing.

Most Text Message Marketing companies will have one short code that all of their users will share. The shared short code has its pros and cons.

So what happened this past weekend?

It seems like Text Marketing rules may have been updated. Here’s why…

I receive regular text messages from Redbox and another retail store my wife frequents.

With both of these companies I was asked to “reconfirm” my text message subscription -granting them permission to send me messages. In the past I thought I had granted both of these companies permission already… I am pretty sure I did.

Either way, no big deal – just further proof of how all forms of marketing are in a constant state of flux.

 

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About the author

Mike Dolpies Mike Dolpies (aka Mike D.) owns “Ocean View Publishing, LLC” - a diverse media/Internet Marketing and Consulting Company. He started his first business when he was just 18 years old. By the time he was 23 that business had generated well over a Million Dollars in sales and was consistently in the top 20% of its industry. He's the Author of 6 different books. His first book, “Motion Before Motivation, The Success Secret That Never Fails,” became a bestseller on Amazon.com He's been a guest on the Fox Morning News several times and has been written about in many newspapers. His work has also appeared on Entrepreneur.com and Fox Businsss.com