In this guide, we’ll explore creative ways to refresh your SMS text message marketing strategy in 2023 and tips to consider when conducting a refresh.

What Is an SMS Marketing Refresh?

An SMS marketing refresh is a process that involves reviewing and updating an SMS marketing strategy. Here are some reasons why you might want to conduct an SMS marketing refresh:

• Decline in leads: If you notice a significant drop in the number of leads you receive, an SMS marketing refresh might help you to generate more leads.
• Reduced conversions: If your target audience isn’t taking desired actions, such as opting to receive your emails or contacting you, a refresh might help boost conversions.
• Target audience changes: If your target audience changes, you must refresh your SMS marketing strategy to accommodate the new audience. 

Top 4 Ways to Refresh Your SMS Marketing Strategy

Here are four creative ways to refresh your SMS marketing strategy to improve the effectiveness of your marketing campaign.

Clean Your SMS Contact List

Text messages have an open rate of 82%. That means you can expect roughly 8 out of 10 people to open the marketing texts you send.

However, while texts have an excellent open rate, some recipients won’t ever open your texts. That’s why you need to clean your SMS list every so often.  

Here are some tips on how to refresh your SMS contact list:

• Identify inactive numbers: Inactive numbers cost money. If you pay for each contact in your SMS list, inactive numbers can increase your marketing costs. Check for the inactive numbers in your SMS list and purge them. To identify inactive numbers, consider removing numbers that haven’t opened your messages within a certain period, such as six months or a year. You can use a phone number validation tool to check whether a phone number is still active.
• Remove contacts who bounce messages: Bounced messages aren’t delivered to intended recipients because their numbers aren’t in service or their inboxes are full. You can use a tool that detects contacts who bounce texts to purge them from your SMS list.
• Segment your SMS list: Once you’ve purged inactive numbers and numbers that bounce messages, you can divide your contact list into smaller groups based on factors such as location, property type, or home-buying stage. Segmenting your list allows you to send targeted texts relevant to your recipients’ needs.

Personalize Messages

Customers want personalized messages. According to a 2021 McKinsey & Company report, nearly 8 out of 10 consumers are more inclined to purchase from brands that personalize their messages. Recipients are more likely to open your messages and take action.

Here are some simple ways to personalize your text messages:

• Use the recipient’s name: Instead of using a generic salutation like ”Dear esteemed customer,” use your recipient’s name. Referring to your clients by name shows you value them.
• Segment your contact list: Segmenting your contacts can also help you to send personalized messages. For instance, if you’re sending messages about properties in a particular area, segmenting your contacts by location ensures you only send messages to people searching for properties in the area.
• Examine past behavior: If you have information about a recipient’s past actions, such as the properties they have viewed or inquiries made, use this information to personalize your messages. Doing so can show prospects you prioritize customer service.
• Leverage event-based triggers: An event-based trigger is activated when a customer takes an action, like viewing a property or reading an article on the site. Use event-based triggers to personalize your messages. For instance, you could text a prospect who viewed a property on your real estate website with more information about the property. And best of all? You could set up an automated process to deliver texts based on events. 

Provide Incentives

Giving customers incentives is a great way to refresh your SMS text marketing strategy and encourage your clients to take desired actions. According to a study by ebbo, 9 out of 10 consumers are more likely to engage with a brand if it offers incentives. 

Here are some incentives you can offer to keep customers engaged in your SMS marketing campaigns: 

• Discounts: You can offer clients discounts on services to entice them to take action. For instance, as a real estate investment professional, you could offer clients discounts on home inspections.
• Giveaways: Most people love freebies. You can offer prizes like gift vouchers or a free home valuation.
• Exclusive content: Rewarding loyal customers with exclusive content helps to improve customer loyalty. Offer clients things like exclusive access to new listings or insider tips on the housing market.

Refresh Your Marketing Copy

Using consistent messaging allows prospects to identify your brand easily. However, you may want to shake things up when refreshing your SMS marketing strategy.  

Here are some ways you can refresh your SMS marketing copy: 

• Use humor or emojis: Text messages are a more informal communication channel than email, so consider using emojis and humor to make your texts engaging and memorable.
• Test different copy: Sending variations of your texts helps to determine what works and what doesn’t when it comes to your SMS marketing copy. For instance, if you usually send texts with a professional tone, try sending out texts with a casual tone. 

Finally, when refreshing your copy, pay close attention to your call to action (CTA), as it’s what encourages recipients to take action. Ideally, your CTA should tell recipients the next steps to take.

Tips to Remember When Conducting an SMS Marketing Refresh

Before you perform a refresh, keep these things in mind: 

• TCPA compliance: The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is a federal law that protects consumers from receiving unsolicited text messages. To avoid infringing on people’s privacy or potential legal issues, use a TCPA-compliant SMS marketing platform.
• Delivery times: Text recipients during work hours. You don’t want recipients to opt out of your SMS list because your alerts woke them up at night.
• Opt-out options: While you don’t want to lose customers, provide them with an easy way to opt out of receiving texts.

Deliver Compelling Texts With Launch Control

An SMS marketing refresh can help generate more leads, boost conversions, and increase revenue. And with Launch Control’s powerful features, you can grow your REI business without much hassle.