Text Message Marketing

The Problem

Your carefully crafted emails sit unopened in your customers' inboxes. Your social media posts get buried under algorithms. Your phone calls go to voicemail. You're trying to reach customers, but you're using channels they're actively ignoring.

Meanwhile, you know from experience that you check your text messages within minutes. Your customers do the same. Text messages get read almost immediately, but you're not using this channel because... it seems complicated? Expensive? Too personal?

You're missing opportunities to remind customers about appointments, notify them about time-sensitive offers, and stay connected in a way they actually prefer.

The Challenge

The challenge with text message marketing is walking the fine line between valuable communication and annoying spam.

Unlike email, where expectations are looser, text messages feel personal. People guard their phone numbers more carefully. A single unwanted text can damage your relationship with a customer. The intimacy of texting demands higher standards for relevance and frequency.

Seth Godin built his career on "permission marketing"—the idea that you should only market to people who've explicitly asked to hear from you. Text message marketing requires the highest level of permission. Customers must opt in explicitly, and they must be able to opt out instantly.

Another challenge: Compliance. The TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) and Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation have strict rules about commercial texts. Violations can result in serious fines. You can't just start texting your customer list.

The real challenge: Building a text marketing strategy that customers actually appreciate instead of resent.

The Solution

Done right, text message marketing has the highest engagement rates of any marketing channel:

• 98% open rate (vs 20% for email)

• 90% read within 3 minutes

• 45% response rate to questions

• 6-8x higher conversion rates than email

The solution is treating texts as premium, urgent communication reserved for:

Appointment Reminders: "Hi Sarah, this is Calgary Dental. Reminder: cleaning tomorrow at 2 PM. Reply CONFIRM or RESCHEDULE."

Order Updates: "Your online order has shipped! Track it here: [link]"

Time-Sensitive Offers: "Flash sale for our VIP customers: 20% off today only. Show this text at checkout."

Urgent Notifications: "Due to weather, we're closing early at 3 PM today. We'll call to reschedule your appointment."

Two-Way Conversations: "Thanks for visiting! How was everything? Reply and let us know!"

The key principles:

• Get explicit opt-in: Make the value clear when asking for numbers

• Respect frequency: 1-4 texts per month for most businesses

• Provide value: Every text should benefit the recipient

• Make opt-out easy: "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" on every message

• Be conversational: Write like a person, not a robot

How MTN Tech Can Help

We build text message marketing systems that customers welcome instead of block.

Compliance-First Setup:

• Proper opt-in processes that meet legal requirements

• Documentation of consent

• Automated opt-out handling

• Canadian and US compliance

Platform Selection and Configuration:

• Choose the right SMS platform for your needs

• Integrate with your existing systems (CRM, booking software, website)

• Set up keyword-based campaigns

• Configure automated messages

Campaign Strategy:

• Identify the right use cases for your business

• Develop message templates that convert

• Create automated sequences for different scenarios

• A/B test different approaches

Audience Building:

• Website opt-in forms

• In-store signup processes

• Point-of-sale integration

• Incentive structures that build your list

Analytics and Optimization:

• Track open rates, click-through rates, conversions

• Monitor opt-outs and adjust accordingly

• Test timing, frequency, and messaging

• ROI reporting

We follow Godin's principle of creating remarkable content worth talking about. Your texts should be so valuable that customers tell friends to sign up.

Investment: Platform setup and integration $800-$1,500. Monthly platform costs typically $20-$200 depending on message volume. Strategy and template development $500-$1,200. Ongoing campaign management $200-$500/month.