SMS marketing (aka short message service marketing) uses text messaging to communicate promotional material and messages to either prospective or existing customers. It is a digital marketing channel, similar to email marketing, that gives organisations the ability to directly message customers to their mobile device.
As nearly 90% of Australians have a mobile phone, you can essentially reach more people at any time of the day and the majority (94%) will read the message.
Is SMS Marketing Effective?
Like all marketing, it depends! It's important to be clear on your marketing objectives as if done incorrectly, you can run the risk of turning customers off your brand. SMS Marketing tends to work best if the message is time-sensitive, e.g. exclusive offers with expiration dates, last-minute information about appointment or event changes etc.
Most SMS Marketing campaigns are conducted using a Bulk SMS Marketing Platform and you can either purchase/lease one yourself or the SMS marketing lists suppliers will typically also offer to conduct/manage the campaign for you.
Can I legally send SMS Marketing messages to people?
We would always suggest speaking to your legal team or referring to the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) website for the latest information. As a guide, however:
- The SPAM Act 2003 requires that all marketing and commercial messaging must contain clear identification of the sender of the communication.
- SMS Marketing in Australia must contain a sender ID or you must start the text message with your business name.
- Breaches of the SPAM Act are expensive (e.g. a company was recently fined $79,800 after sending 65,000 illegal spam text messages)
- The SPAM Act 2003 specifies that all electronic messages (including SMS) must follow these three rules:
- Consent from recipients
- Have an unsubscribe option
- Identify yourself as the sender
Purchasing an SMS Marketing List in Australia
Reach out to the suppliers below who can help with SMS marketing lists, the technology, compliance issues and more to ensure your SMS marketing campaign is a success.