Short message service (SMS) marketing is one of the most direct ways to connect with potential customers. It’s also an effective way to drive loyalty and increase brand recognition. With a strong SMS marketing strategy in place, your business can send targeted messages to your customers that drive action. If you’re looking to get started with SMS in Canada, this short guide will walk you through everything you need to know about short code Canada and how it can help you meet your marketing goals.
What is an SMS short code?
A shortcode is a special code associated with a brand that you can use to connect with your customers via text whenever you want. It’s a quick and easy way to send out marketing messages directly to your customers’ phones. You don’t need to have the customers’ numbers or have them signed up for any kind of service in order to talk to them this way.
What’s more, unlike a traditional phone call, you can send an SMS from behind the scenes. This means you can send marketing messages without being intrusive. You can use an SMS short code to send customers one-off marketing messages or to run campaigns to drive engagement and meet your business’s goals. Short codes also offer other benefits, including the fact that they are easy to implement. You can use them alongside other marketing channels, and integrate them with your existing systems.
Why use an SMS short code?
Shortcodes are an easy way to stay in touch with your customers and meet your marketing goals. You can send them one-off marketing messages or use them to run campaigns that help you meet your business’s objectives, like driving brand awareness and increasing customer loyalty. Shortcodes are easy to set up, and with a strong SMS marketing strategy in place, you can communicate with your customers directly from behind the scenes. This can help you meet your business goals without being too invasive.
How to find a Canadian short code provider?
There are many Canadian short-code providers, and you can find a list of providers here. Make sure to select a provider that offers short codes that meet the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association’s (CWTA) guidelines so that you can use them in your SMS marketing campaigns.
Once you’ve found a short code provider, you can get started with your SMS marketing campaigns by setting up your account and choosing a short code. Note that you’ll need to use a short code that’s not already in use. If you’re looking to start your campaign with a short code that’s already in use, you can try contacting the current user and asking them to give it up for you.
Limitations of using a short code.
The biggest limitation of using a short code is that only people who have a Canadian phone number and are subscribed to a Canadian wireless carrier can receive the text messages that come from a short code. If you have customers who don’t fit this description, you may need to find another way to reach them.
However, even if you do have customers who can receive the messages, you’ll want to make sure to stay within Canadian law when using a short code. This means you’ll need to be careful with the wording in your message. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re not sending too many messages to your customers. Shortcode campaigns are often scheduled based on when customers are most likely to be receiving their messages, such as between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the work week. Make sure to keep this in mind when scheduling your campaigns.
Tips for maximizing the effectiveness of your short code campaign.
If you’re setting up a short code campaign, make sure to follow these tips to make it as effective as possible:
Send a targeted message to your audience – Before you send out your first campaign, make sure that you know who your message is going to be. Are you targeting existing customers? New customers? What do you want them to do next? How does your message align with your business goals?
Use a two-step campaign for maximum engagement – Campaigns that are composed of two messages are up to seven times more effective than single-message campaigns. You can use these two messages to build your brand, and drive action. A strong first message will help you engage your customers and set expectations for the second message. Your second message can be related to your first but should be more direct and ask customers to take a specific action.
Stay within the CWTA guidelines – Keep your messages short, and make sure to avoid any phrases that the CWTA has banned. You can see a full list of banned phrases here. You also want to make sure that you don’t send too many messages to your customers. The CWTA recommends a maximum of three separate campaigns per month and no more than 10 messages per week per campaign.
Summary
Short message service, or SMS, marketing is one of the most direct ways to connect with your customers and drive loyalty. You can send targeted messages to your customers that drive action. When using an SMS campaign, make sure to follow the CWTA guidelines, send a targeted message to your audience, use a two-step campaign for maximum engagement, and follow these tips for maximizing the effectiveness of your campaign.
When setting up an SMS campaign, you’ll want to make sure to choose a short code that’s not already in use. You can also use SMS as a way to stay in touch with your customers outside of business hours and outside of your storefronts. SMS can be a great way to build relationships with your customers and create brand awareness.
