Basics of B2B SMS marketing

B2B bulk SMS basics

SMS is one of the most powerful tools in every marketer’s bag of tricks. At their most simple, they’re a quick way to send a short message to customers. But, in reality, they’re so much more. SMS messages are the most effective way to connect with customers. With a near-perfect open rate of 98 percent within 15 minutes of receiving the message, they offer maximum return on investment to companies looking to get the most bang for their SMS marketing buck. So, let’s go back to basics.

What is B2B?

Simply put, B2B is a type of business to business transaction such as the ones between manufacturers and wholesalers, or a wholesaler and a retailer. It refers to business conducted between companies, rather than those conducted between a company and individual consumers (B2C).

“A typical supply chain involves multiple business to business transactions, as companies purchase components and products such as other raw materials for use in the manufacturing processes. Finished products can then be sold to individuals via business to consumer transactions,” says Investopedia.

“In the context of communication, business to business refers to methods by which employees from different companies can connect with one another, such as through social media. This type of communication between the employees of two or more companies is called B2B communication.”

B2B marketing, therefore, is a type of marketing where one business attempts to appeal to and sell its products or services to another business. And one such way that has shown itself to be massively effective is SMS marketing.

Related: The role of SMS marketing in your B2B strategy

What is SMS marketing?

It’s been around for many years but SMS marketing is more popular now than ever before. And that’s because it’s the most effective and cost-efficient method of communicating with buyers. Many billions of people around the world own cell phones and the open rate of SMS messages is 98 percent, meaning it is the best way of communicating with your audience. Importantly, marketers must have permission to send promotional messages. This is done through an online program that allows the sending of numerous messages at once. The goal of marketing in this way is to create a list of customers to increase loyalty. This can be done by offering special promotions, invitations to receive early releases and sneak peek into behind the scenes goings on at your business.

Related: The best ways to use SMS campaigns in B2B marketing

How can marketers use SMS marketing for B2B marketing?

It’s important that marketers keep in mind that the best practice for appealing to business buyers is very different than appealing to customers. Business buyers want to be helped rather than sold to, especially at first, they want your messages to answer their questions and they want to feel they’re gaining insight from industry experts. It’s important that these messages create a sense of urgency and inspire buyers to take action at the necessary time. They should also be personalized to each buyer as they’ll appreciate being specifically acknowledged as loyal customers. It’s essential that these messages are simple, to the point and short – it is called a “short message service” after all. Most importantly, they need to have a purpose and offer value. Otherwise, you’re just wasting those in your network's time. And once you do that, you’ll lose their trust and respect. And, really, if you don’t have that, what do you have?

If reading this has increased your interest in SMS marketing, read our recent article which talks about SMS marketing and its role in mobile trends. It discusses a number of topics including the importance of connecting to a listening audience and giving real-time communication.