I’ve been using SMS links for a while now and they’re seriously a must for getting people to respond quickly.
It’s all about making things super easy for them and these links do just that.
You click your messaging app pops up with the number and a message ready to go – it’s almost like magic!
The Magic Behind SMS Links
Think of it like this – imagine you’re browsing a website and see an offer for a free consultation.
Instead of filling out a form with all your details all you have to do is click a button.
Bam! Your messaging app opens the number is already filled in and a message like “I’m interested in a free consultation” is ready to send.
It’s super smooth right? That’s the power of SMS links!
Creating Your Own SMS Links
Now let’s get technical for a second.
To create these links we use a special format that looks something like this: sms:<phone number>?body=<message>
Let’s break it down:
- sms: This tells the phone that we’re trying to open the messaging app.
- :: This is the phone number you want to send the message to.
- ?body=: This is the message you want to include in the text.
For example let’s say you want to send a message to the number 123-456-7890 saying “Hi I’m interested in your service.” The link would be:
<a href="sms:1234567890?body=Hi%2C+I'm+interested+in+your+service.">Send a message</a>That’s it! Pretty simple right?
Why Use Pre-Written Messages?
You might be thinking “Why not just let people type their own message?” Good question! But here’s the thing: pre-written messages are all about streamlining the process and making things easier for people.
Think about it:
- Increased conversions: People are busy. They don’t have time to waste writing out long messages. By pre-writing the message you remove the hassle and encourage them to take action right away.
- Consistency: Pre-written messages ensure that everyone gets the same message even if they’re not sure what to say. This helps maintain consistency in your marketing efforts.
- Automation opportunities: With pre-written messages you can easily automate responses based on specific keywords. For example if someone clicks a link that says “Book a Consultation” you can automatically send them a message confirming their appointment or asking for more information.
Example: A Lead Generation Campaign
Let’s imagine you’re running a lead generation campaign for a local dentist.
You could create an SMS link that says “Get a Free Teeth Whitening Offer” and automatically sends a message like: “Hi I’m interested in learning more about your free teeth whitening offer.
Please tell me more.”
The dentist can then respond with more information about the offer or even set up a free consultation.
You’re getting people engaged and moving them through the sales funnel with just a simple click!
Boosting Your Marketing with Automation
Remember those automation opportunities I mentioned? That’s where things get really interesting.
You can use tools like HighLevel or Zapier to create automated workflows that respond to specific messages or keywords.
Setting Up Automated Workflows
Imagine someone clicks a link that says “Get a Free Quote.” They send a message and your workflow automatically triggers a series of actions.
- Action 1: Send a welcome message. This could be something like “Thanks for reaching out! We’ll get you a quote as soon as possible.”
- Action 2: Collect more information. You could ask the person some basic questions like their name phone number or what they’re looking for.
- Action 3: Send a quote or schedule a consultation. Once you have all the necessary information you can send a personalized quote or schedule a consultation with a sales representative.
Example: A Free Quote Workflow
Let’s say you’re a landscaping company.
You can create a workflow like this:
- Trigger: Someone clicks a link that says “Get a Free Quote.”
- Action 1: Send an SMS message: “Hi thanks for requesting a quote! Can you please tell me a bit about your project?”
- Action 2: Wait for a response.
- Action 3: If the person responds with details about their project automatically send a message saying: “Thanks for the information. I’ll get you a quote by .”
- Action 4: If the person doesn’t respond after a certain time send a follow-up message: “Just checking in – did you have any questions about your free quote?”
By using these workflows you can automate your communication and free up time to focus on other aspects of your business.
Key Considerations for Using SMS Links
Here are a few things to keep in mind when using SMS links:
- Respect your audience. Make sure you’re not spamming people with unwanted messages. Always provide a way for people to opt out of your communication.
- Be mindful of timing. Sending messages at odd hours can be annoying. Try to send messages during times when people are likely to be available.
- Track your results. Use analytics to track the performance of your SMS campaigns. This will help you understand what’s working and what’s not so you can adjust your strategies as needed.
The Future of SMS Marketing
Don’t underestimate the power of SMS.
Despite the rise of social media and other digital channels SMS marketing is still highly effective.
Studies show that SMS messages have an open rate of 98% which is significantly higher than email marketing!
You can use SMS links to create highly engaging and interactive experiences for your audience.
They’re a powerful tool for lead generation customer communication and driving sales.
I hope this blog post has given you a better understanding of how to use SMS links and automate your marketing efforts.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out.
Happy texting!