In this post, we’ll examine how you can boost your revenue with public holiday SMS marketing.

Characteristically, public holidays are responsible for decreased revenue across the majority of industries within our economy. The Australian Retail Association, for example, claims that, ‘the retail sector has experienced various economic difficulties from the manufacturing downturn, over regulation, an inflexible wages system which clearly shows its impact during public holidays’.  

These discrepancies appear to be felt by the entire market during such times, resulting in a desire for businesses to try and counteract the public holiday effect. One promising medium that can help businesses during these periods is SMS marketing. Through the proper implementation of public holiday SMS marketing it is possible to maximise reach and create opportunities for growth, even on public holidays.

Why use SMS?

The total reach of SMS text messaging is far superior to any other current medium:

Source

SMS is a cost-effective and efficient way of distributing information in what is often a crucial period for businesses. Its value is comparatively greater than other mass marketing channel counterparts with favourable data illustrating its dominance. With reference to the work of Tomi Ahonen:

• 98% of SMS messages being read (vs. one fourth of emails).
• Most SMS text messages are read within 5 seconds of receipt (vs. emails often read only 24 hours or 48 hours from receipt).
• SMS campaigns gets response rates on the 20% and 30% range (vs. internet click-through rates in the 0.2% to 0.3% range, i.e. SMS is one hundred TIMES better at engagement than the internet).

It is through the use of SMS that businesses can optimise the number of people informed about its products or services before, during, and after public holidays. However, it is the content that will convert this reach into consumer action. Content is key, particularly in mass marketing where the audience can be dismissive. Such views were investigated in a study conducted by Professor Ruth Rettie which showed that in relation to the marketing role of mobile commerce, most respondents were concerned about junk messages and wanted to control incoming messages. It also suggested that initial attitudes to advertising via SMS messages were negative, but many were prepared to accept advertising in exchange for discounts or promotional offers. This insight assists greatly in developing appropriate content to engage target markets and evoke a positive response.

What to offer?

Opening times

If the business is closed on public holidays, an SMS notifying your market can be perceived as courteous by the responsive audience which, in turn, can contribute to customer tenure. On the other hand, if the business is trading on the public holidays, an SMS can make sure the customers are aware of its opening hours. An incentive can be provided for the market to engage in public holiday trade by offering sales, promotions, and offers to complement the special trading hours.

Sales promotions and coupons

To achieve a desired market response from public holiday SMS marketing, many businesses follow the celebratory trends of the holidays which see the advertised product presented in the form of offers, specials, or alerts. In business, limited time offers create a sense of urgency in the market and can bring in new customers who are pivotal factors in creating revenue. Through the combination of public holiday SMS messaging with exclusive offers, the customer database can be notified of deals that drive returns on what would otherwise be a slow day of trade.

Staff management

Communication within a business is necessary for synergy within its operations. SMS messaging can be an effective means to deliberate shift work as it opens up a communication channel to discuss relevant matters. In the case of a public holiday, SMS may be used to communicate with staff to remind them of public holiday promotions or to arrange appropriate staffing ahead of time thus optimising employee management.

The value Of SMS marketing in the broader picture

Although these points explicitly address the benefits of public holiday SMS marketing, this communication technique can be applied on a much broader scale. Ultimately it provides an efficient avenue of brand promotion without flooding the market with generalised advertisements. The specific interaction with a client from a business via text message can demonstrate the importance of the customer to the company, promoting stakeholder engagement and relations. Overall, SMS marketing can successfully engage stakeholders. It is time- and cost-effective as an advertising avenue, and clearly demonstrated its value in ta business’s marketing strategy.