Text message marketing has become quite popular in business-to-consumer sales, but the business-to-business market has been somewhat slower to adopt it. That’s unfortunate, since text message marketing is even better suited to B2B than it is to B2C.
Business owners and decision makers spend their lives with smart phones clutched in their hands. Their busy, hectic lifestyles give them little time to absorb information, so they prefer quick bursts of information (say, up to 160 characters or so) over wading through long, involved documents. And many appreciate up-to-the-minute updates and timely reminders for which text messaging is the perfect channel.
Text marketing makes it easy to communicate with customers outside your own region. It’s an easy way to reach large B2B prospects whose decision makers may be scattered around the country or even around the globe. And it’s easy for those decision makers to communicate with you as well.
Reaching out to business clients via text messages is the best way to stay in touch with decision makers who do a lot of work outside their own offices. You can send out product updates or industry-related breaking news and know that your customers are receiving the information immediately regardless of whether they’re off-site.
Other advantages of B2B text message marketing are similar to the B2C advantages… namely, the ability to assemble an opted in lead list; sending messages with a 97% open rate, far higher than email or direct mail; and a real-time communications channel that can be used for a wide range of information.
Here are some specific uses for text messaging to your B2B customers:
- Share information – Provide your B2B customers with industry-specific news updates, white papers, and technical information.
- Product updates – B2B decision makers are often powerful people who love the feeling of being “in the know.” You can use text messages to make them the first to hear about product launches, updates, events, etc.
- Trade shows – Keep customers informed about your trade show appearances both before and during the event – it’s a great way to notify them of booth changes, presentations, contests and giveaways.
- Appointments – Schedule appointments with prospects and customers alike, and send reminders, parking information, directions, and other details via text.
- Customer service – Create a keyword for customers to use when they have a question or issue with your product and need help. You can even set up an automated system where customers can receive order status or repair status updates by sending a text.
- Polls and surveys – Give customers a chance to let you know what they think by holding brief surveys via text message. This is particularly useful after you’ve just given a presentation… you can offer them the chance to comment right then and there with a quick text message.
- Promote your other offerings – Just published a new website tool? Send a text message. Now accepting credit card payments? Send a text message. About to open a new branch?
- Emergency notifications – If you suffer an outage or identify a serious problem with a product, text messaging is a quick and comprehensive way to get in touch with your customers. It’s also useful for reaching your employees quickly.
