It s hard to believe there was a time when people didn t have their heads turned downward at a 45-degree angle, furiously thumb-punching away at a small object roughly the size of a deck of cards.
Today, we see living proof of the alleged need to send and receive texts 24/7. We see at the bookstore, the baseball stadium, the boardroom and the beach quick-hit messages about where we are, who we re with and what we re doing.
So where do you come in? Certainly you re not going to bore your customers with scintillating texts like What s up? and R u there? Is there even a way to engage your customers through text messages that won t turn them off?
Of course there is. When misused, business-sent texts can be annoying and intrusive, but when used correctly, they can be an incredibly formidable mechanism in your marketing toolbox. Let s look at some do s and don ts of business-based texting:
DO: Get the cellphone numbers of your customers so you can text them in the future. You can do this through your website, through sign-up lists at your place of business or through face-to-face interactions when customers are paying for their meal or product.
DON T: Beat around the bush. Texts are meant to be quick-hit pieces of information. Avoid the cutesy mentions of babies and kittens, the quoted lines of poetry and the annoying emoticons and get right to the point. If you re having a buy-one-get-one-free sale through the end of the month, say so right away.
DO: Be nice. There s nothing wrong with sending customers a quick text the day after they ve spent $100 on a Sunday dinner at your Italian restaurant. Maybe you can send a quick note of appreciation with a Mention this text prompt for a free glass of wine or appetizer during their next visit.
DON T: Be annoying. Do not send texts every 24 hours with the daily lunch special or an update every time you put a new item on sale. That s a quick way to move your business s phone number to your customers delete or ignore lists.
DO: Be mindful of the time. Don t send texts after 9 p.m. or before 9 a.m. If you use an automated program to blast out text messages, be sure you set it to send at a reasonable hour.
DON T: Try to be all things to all customers. If possible, keep a master list and then separate names based on products they purchase or the services they use. A pet shop or grooming facility can break its customers down into specific categories, like small-dog owner, large-dog owner, frequent groomer, bulk-food buyer and more. If you have a specific sale or promotion, you can tailor that text to that select group of customers.
Keep these simple tips in mind and you ll quickly position your messages as welcome guests in your customers mobile devices. Customers will look forward to hearing from you and will reward you with increased business.
Follow and talk to me on Twitter @red_barrett.