If you use Instagram – either as a business owner or just a casual user – you know how noisy it is. Users are bombarded with hundreds of posts daily, usually scrolling past most of them in seconds. For business owners running an Instagram account, it can feel really disheartening to publish posts into a seemingly endless void and hope your content even reaches your customers, let alone causes them to stop and engage.
While there are many tactics you can use with your Instagram content itself to boost engagement, there are other channels you can lean on to get your message directly to your customers without having to fight through the noise. SMS marketing is one powerful solution.
SMS Marketing: How It Works
Most point-of-sale or loyalty program softwares have built-in tools so you can text your customers, but Hotplate is the only software built specifically to help you build a list of customer phone numbers that you can market to via SMS.
With Hotplate, customers can easily opt-in to receive text messages from your business. Not only does the platform automatically send them notifications about your scheduled sales, but you can also send one-off text blasts at any time through the simple web portal. Customers receive your message as an SMS with a clickable link directing them straight to your Hotplate online ordering storefront.
When to Send SMS Messages
Successful businesses using Hotplate typically send SMS campaigns around once per week to maximize impact. Some great opportunities include:
- Upcoming in-person events, grand openings, etc.
- New menu items or limited-time flavors
- Changes to business hours, locations or operations
- Teasing an exciting new product or company update
High Open and Engagement Rates
Text messages have much higher open and engagement rates compared to other marketing channels like email or social media posts. By getting your messages directly into your customers’ text inboxes, you can overcome the algorithmic obstacles and ensure your important announcements are actually seen.
Tips for SMS Marketing Success
To get the best results and avoid customer unsubscribes, keep your text messages concise and to-the-point while injecting your brand’s fun, friendly personality. Most importantly, use a strong call-to-action that drives the desired next action, whether it’s:
- Visiting your location for an event
- Placing an online order through your storefront
- Sharing the news/offer with friends and family
- Or whatever your current goal may be
With Hotplate, you can always view a preview of what your customer will see in their text message like this:
The Bottom Line
In today’s crowded digital marketing world, SMS messaging is one of the most effective ways to directly reach your customers and inspire action. With a tool like Hotplate, prioritize building your SMS subscriber list so you can consistently communicate important updates, events and promotions. Don’t let your Instagram posts get drowned out in the never-ending feed!
Leverage SMS to stay top-of-mind, drive conversions, and build valuable customer relationships that extend far beyond social media.