This is an interesting question and the simple answer to, are you allowed to do it, is yes. You can send promotional messages to text numbers from your customer’s mobile numbers, without upsetting the regulatory authorities.

The simple principle observed here, is that if a customer, or prospective customer, has provided you voluntarily with a mobile telephone number, then you are allowed to use it for a promotional text.

Now, the thing to remember is that many of the rules and regulations within the SMS Marketing area are actual guidelines and not laws. So, there is a certain etiquette to be observed when conducting such campaigns and it is in the best interests of the company to observe them.

Firstly, and most importantly, make the message accountable. In other words, make it clear where the text is coming from. Arbitrary, waste-of-time, random and poorly worded texts are to be avoided at all costs.

So, make it clear straightaway where the text is coming from. Add to this your phone number, as this shows you are being upfront and honest, with nothing to hide.

Again, to be fair, always include a text opt out within your text. It means that should the recipient not want to get any more texts from a business – and there could be a number of reasons for this – then they can refuse anymore. This is a sound strategy for many reasons, not least that it keeps your list ‘clean’ and valuable; in other words, full of people that don’t mind receiving your texts.

So, texts might finish with the words, “…to stop texts, reply STOP.” The word STOP is the keyword of course and when this is sent to a five digit short code, it goes into the customer database and acts as a stop mechanism; all numbers thus marked, won’t receive a text message when the others are sent out.

As a final word of advice, only send out texts that are relevant to the customer’s first purchase, or enquiry to you. So, if you are selling books, then be careful not to stray too far away from the subject. So, sending out promotional texts about power washers to people who’ve bought a book on flower arranging, will be deemed inappropriate.

So, some common sense is required.

Tags: Direct Marketing, Marketing Channels, Marketing Strategies, Marketing Trends, SMS Marketing, Text Marketing

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 8:45 am and is filed under Marketing Channels, Mobile Marketing, Mobile Marketing Association, SMS Marketing, SMS strategies, eCommerce. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.