Ideal frequency for sending an SMS campaign

A company can set up several marketing campaigns to communicate new promotions, new products, and much more. Despite the rise of email campaigns, SMS campaigns remain highly relevant, given the ubiquitous use of smartphones. If you're a business looking to run an effective SMS campaign, here are a few tips on how to determine the ideal frequency for sending SMS messages to your customers.

The benefits of SMS campaigns

If many companies choose to launch SMS campaigns on a regular basis, it's because of the many advantages offered by this marketing strategy.

Cost

SMS messages sent as part of a marketing campaign are relatively inexpensive for the company. On average, the cost per customer per SMS is around 0.060 euros, although this may vary depending on the operator and the number of customers targeted.

By comparison, display advertising campaigns involve much higher costs. In addition to the costs of creation and printing, there are also the costs of renting advertising space, which can be considerable. SMS campaigns therefore offer a more economical and accessible solution, enabling companies to reach a wide audience without straining their marketing budget.

The engagement rate is interesting.

The engagement rate is particularly high with SMS campaigns. People check their messages daily and several times a day, which means they access their SMS messages much more quickly than their mailbox. As a result, messages sent by SMS enjoy a much higher open and engagement rate than emails, with recipients more inclined to read and react immediately to communications received on their phones.

An easy-to-implement solution

SMS campaigns are also easy to implement, especially when compared with other marketing strategies such as emailing. When sending SMS, the company doesn't need to worry about design, subject lines or other graphic elements. The message must be short, concise and to the point. This simplicity not only reduces preparation time, but also the costs associated with content design and creation. What's more, SMS marketing platforms often offer intuitive tools for managing mailings and tracking performance, making this method accessible even to small businesses with limited resources.

Know your target and your objectives

To succeed with this communication strategy, and in particular to know the ideal mailing frequency, you need to know your customers and your objectives perfectly.

The importance of knowing your target to determine the right sending frequency

Knowing your target audience is essential for determining the optimal frequency and timing for sending your SMS marketing messages. First of all, put yourself in your customer's shoes to choose the best time to send. For example, nobody likes to receive a message late at night or over the weekend, especially on Sundays. Sending SMS at these times can annoy your customers and compromise the effectiveness of your communication strategy.

To maximize the impact of your messages, it's crucial to consider the lifestyle habits of your target audience. Analyze factors such as the average age of your customers, their professional occupations, and their daily routines. For example, if your audience is predominantly made up of professionals, sending SMS messages at the start of the day, during lunch breaks, or in the late afternoon might be more effective. On the other hand, if you're targeting students, late afternoon or early evening might be more appropriate.

By taking these variables into account, you'll be able to identify the times when your customers are most receptive to receiving and reading your messages. This personalized approach not only improves your SMS read and engagement rates, but also enhances customer satisfaction by respecting their time and preferences.

Frequency according to objectives

The sending of each SMS should be guided by a precise objective, such as :

• Share a special offer
• Inform about a current promotion
• Communicate on private sales
• Organize a competition
• Inform about the opening of a new point of sale, etc.

It's crucial not to send messages without a clear objective. Mailings without a clear purpose risk appearing pointless, and can quickly lead to customer fatigue.

To maximize the impact of your SMS campaigns, send messages at opportune times and in connection with special occasions. For example, to announce new offers or the arrival of private sales, it's effective to send the message a few days before the offer begins. This helps to generate interest and ensure that your customers are informed in time to take advantage of the offer.

By clearly defining the objective of each message and choosing strategic times to send it, you can keep your customers engaged and optimize the effectiveness of your SMS campaigns.

The perfect time to send an SMS campaign

To personalize your strategy as much as possible, you need to determine the optimal sending frequency and time slot for your customers. While this requires a thorough understanding of your audience, some feedback suggests that certain times are better for marketing than others.

Top marketing slots

As mentioned above, it's a good idea to send your SMS messages a few days or hours before the event, as this means of communication is read quickly and some customers may forget a message received several days in advance.

Marketing experts recommend sending messages on Tuesdays and Thursdays, days often perceived as ideal for this type of communication. As far as times are concerned, send messages between 10am and 12pm or between 2pm and 4pm. These times avoid the rush hour at the beginning and end of the day, giving recipients more time to read your SMS in peace.

Preferred frequency

Obviously, it's essential not to send too many messages in a row. There's a risk that your customer will feel "attacked " and get tired of these mailings, which won't have the desired impact on our target.

It's important to strike a balance in your messages, so that your customers don't forget you. As a general rule, it's recommended to send a maximum of 2 SMS per month if you have objectives to communicate.

And, it's recommended to send a minimum of 4 SMS per year to your customers. If you don't plan many events during the year, take advantage of the few opportunities you have to run an SMS campaign, so that your customers don't forget about you.

What about regulations?

When sending SMS messages to your contact list, it's essential to comply with certain regulations to ensure consumer respect. In France, it is forbidden to send commercial SMS messages between 8pm and 8am, on Sundays and public holidays. These prohibitions provide a framework for sending SMS messages and ensure a better experience for customers, avoiding disturbing them at times that are less than respectful.

Even if you choose to send your messages less frequently, your customer should always have the option of refusing to receive them. Informing the customer of the existence of the commercial Stop SMS is essential. The Stop SMS must be included at the end of your message, explaining the steps to follow to stop receiving messages from your company. This practice, similar to e-mail, is fully regulated to enable customers to refuse commercial offers.

It's also crucial to obtain telephone numbers with the customer's prior consent in order to build up a contact list legally. Failure to comply with these rules can result in customer complaints, which can have a negative impact on your campaign and potentially on your company's reputation.

Now you know how to determine the ideal sending frequency and define the best time to send SMS messages. These practices are essential to the success of your marketing and communications strategy.

And tomorrow? A real innovation: SMS 2.0, also known as RCS

RCS, or Rich Communication Services, represents a significant advance in the field of SMS campaigns. This new format transforms the classic SMS into a much more interactive, feature-rich communication tool. With RCS, you can send messages containing images, videos, carousels, interactive buttons, and even directly integrated product sheets. This evolution makes your campaigns far more engaging, and enables greater interaction with your customers.

RCS key features:

- Enriched messages: Integrate rich media such as images and videos to capture the attention of your recipients.

- Interactive buttons: Improve the effectiveness of calls to action with integrated buttons, making it easy to navigate to your offers or website.

- Detailed reporting: Track real-time read rates, link clicks and other interactions to optimize your campaigns.

- Enhanced security: RCS messages benefit from enhanced security, protecting your customers' sensitive information.

By integrating RCS into your marketing strategy, you can not only improve the user experience but also significantly increase conversion rates. Companies that adopt this technology now will have a competitive advantage by creating more dynamic and interactive campaigns.

So it's essential to keep up to date with developments in the field of RCS and start planning its integration into your communication strategies to stay at the forefront of SMS marketing innovation.

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