Is your message going mobile? Text marketing can be an effective way to reach your customers on the go and keep their interest with time sensitive offers and relevant updates.
Text marketing puts your name and your message right at your customers’ fingertips which is good news when it comes to keeping your business fresh in their minds.
When it comes to text marketing however, it’s vital that you keep in mind your customers’ privacy and keep your messages useful. If your customers feel they are being spammed, they’ll unsubscribe faster than you can say “text me”.
What are some of the things to keep in mind when it comes to protecting your customers’ privacy?
Why Privacy Matters to Your Customers
When your customers agree to receive text messages from you, they are giving you their information in a spirit of trust.
As a business, the onus is on you to respect that and to offer only value in return. There are laws governing text marketing (more on those in a moment), but your customers aren’t thinking about what the law says – they are thinking about how you, as a company, handle their information.
Unwanted messages or an unwieldy opt out procedure can tarnish your reputation.
On the other hand, as the article “Text Marketing and the Protection of Privacy” points out, a trustworthy text marketing program with clear upfront information is an opportunity to build trust and loyalty with your customers and show your business to be honest and trustworthy.
Text Privacy and the Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which regulates radio, television, wire, satellite and cable communications across America, is very clear when it comes to guidelines for text marketing.
To stay within FCC guidelines you need to be sure that:
- Your customers have opted in to receive messages from you. This is often done by asking customers to text a code word to a short number;
- Your customers know what they are going to receive from you – what kind of messages will you be sending, and how frequently?
- Your customers know if they will be charged by their carrier for receiving your messages;
- Your customers know exactly how to opt out at any time.
How Meeting FCC Guidelines is Good for Your Business
Meeting the FCC guidelines really comes down to showing respect and consideration for your customers, which reflects well on your business and lets them know that they are valued:
- By asking customers to opt in, you know you are targeting your message to people who are open to receiving it and therefore more likely to buy from you;
- By being clear about what your customers will receive, you condense your message and why it matters, telling your customers what to expect and why it matters to them;
- By being upfront about charges, you are showing your customers that you can be trusted;
- By making it clear how to opt out, you are reminding your customers that you value their time and attention and are striving to send them messages that they will want to receive.
Text marketing can be a valuable business tool, especially for location and time specific offers.
You can keep your customers in the loop with the latest news, and offer deals that aren’t available anywhere else.
By paying attention to your customers’ privacy, you’re letting them know that you value them, at the same time as ensuring your message is reaching the right people.
About the Author: Tristan Anwyn writes on a wide variety of topics, including social media, SEO, text marketing and consumer privacy.
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