Kelly Bonanno

Life & Wellness Coach & Matchmaker helping you make your next chapter your best chapter

#smartphone

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10 Advantages Text Message Marketing Gives Your Business

SMS has remained somewhat under the radar in the marketing and advertising arena but it’s the best way to get in front of your customers in this mobile-centric society.

SMS aka Short Message Service allows you to reach your customers faster and more consistently. As the name implies, it’s short and sweet, just how consumers like it these days in our short attention span culture.

Text message marketing is the untapped, cutting edge tool that allows you to stay connected to your customers, patients, employees, and membership groups.

Text messages get a 97% open rate within three minutes! 

Are you frustrated by your email open rates? Even more frustrated by conversion rates? You’re not alone. Average email open rates are only between 15-25% and average click-through rates are only 2.5%.

Email marketing and list growth is still relevant and necessary but let’s face it, with those dismal open and click-through rates, we need to get progressive and implement another touchpoint that is proven effective. The solution is text message marketing.

Just about everyone says their email inboxes are inundated with emails that they’ll never read. Alternatively, people get excited when their phone pings with a text. In fact, 70% of Americans say they’d like offers from their favorite businesses sent right to their cellphones.

To find out how to easily integrate it into your business, text, call 818.235.2205 or email kelly@biztext247.com Kelly.

Text Message Marketing offers a myriad of benefits and advantages

Higher open and click-through Rates

Out of the 8 trillion texts sent last year, 95% of those were read within 3 minutes. Unbelievably better than email open rates. 

Mobile friendly marketing has an edge

60% of all web traffic takes place on a mobile device. In April, 2015, Google updated their search algorithm to favor mobile friendly and mobile optimized websites, aka“Mobilegeddon”. Get on board. 

Texting is quick, convenient and customizable 

Text message marketing is more relevant in today’s modern market place where people always have their phones with them. It makes it far easier for potential clients and customers when they can simply click a text to learn about your free offer, book a strategy session, learn about your sales and specials, your latest podcast episode, YouTube video, anything and everything!

It’s modern, cutting-edge and not oversaturated

It’s been around for a while but the market is not saturated at all. It’s on the rise and now is the perfect time to start a text message marketing campaign so you can reap the benefits by getting in on the ground floor of a growing and progressive modern strategy to grow your business. 

It’s cost effective

Literally pennies per text. Far more cost effective than many other types of marketing such as Facebook ads but works seamlessly with other ways you market your business. It’s not intended to replace your marketing, it turbocharges it!

Offers quick wins

You can get your customers excited and turn them into raving fans by announcing great deals and flash sales. People are happy to see that pop up on their phone! I know I do when I see that Express has a great sale on my favorite jeans, Cost Plus has a fun giveaway or my business coach is offering a nice discount. Up to 50% of sales go to vendors who respond first.

Efficient way to send reminders

Texting is a far more efficient way to remind patients, clients and members about their appointment, meeting, fundraiser and special events. It’s perfect for appointment reminders which decreases your no-show and cancellation rate. It saves you money rendering it unnecessary to pay staff to make confirmation calls. 

It’s a quick and easy way to send announcements.

Flexibility for you and your subscribers

Over 50% of consumers say they’d rather text customer support. They can respond on their own time and don’t need to wait until business hours.

Delivery is fast, recipients get their messages right away. Plus, it’s quick and easy. No need to spend time crafting the perfect email.

We’re all multitasking and our attention is divided in so many different directions it’s much easier to get someone to respond to a text. It’s user-friendly and easy for the recipient.

Emergency communications

In the event of an emergency, texting gives you an immediate way to communicate both locally and worldwide with your students, parents of students, organization members, staff, other offices, customers and clients.

Even if it’s not an emergency, you have the ability to immediately send group information or cancel scheduled group meetings when necessary.

Everybody’s doin’ it

We all have our phones with us. That includes your customers, potential customers and members. The average American looks at their cellphone 150 a day. SMS is the fastest, most convenient way to reach them. 4.2 billion people are using text messaging globally and that number is growing. You need to be where your customers are. They’re with their phone. 

Text message marketing gives you a highly effective low-cost marketing strategy

If you want to reach your audience and make sure they can reach you, the clear solution is texting.

If social media goes away tomorrow or your favorite platform makes some big unforeseen changes, you’d still have access to your text marketing subscribers. You won’t lose that connection which means you won’t lose business.

To find out how to easily integrate it into your business, text, call 818.235.2205 or email kelly@biztext247.com Kelly. We’ll explore how text message marketing can save you money, increase sales as well as your fundraising and engagement efforts.

I’ll schedule a free test of our services and provide a personalized use case scenario for your type of business or organization. If we determine that it’s a good fit for you, I’ll help you come up with the best strategies for your business needs.

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Unwrapping Smartphones: Is Your Child Ready?

Guest Post by Cassie Brewer

‘Tis the season for blinking lights, soulful tunes, family traditions, and of course: a child’s wish list of toys and gadgets they long to see under the tree come December 25th. As our children plot and plan their detailed lists of wants and desires, many parents are noticing that at the top of our son’s and daughter’s beloved Christmas list is a Smartphone.1

Before we place a wrapped Smartphone under the tree this year, we first need to consider a child’s ability to handle responsibility.

It is estimated that three quarters of eight year olds and younger children have access to “smart” devices. And it’s not just our youngest family members dreaming of cell phones and tablets. Roughly 78 percent of all teens own mobile phones- with a majority upgrading to Smartphone technology.

Even though our kids are using handheld technology, they might not possess the necessary skills to safely handle the responsibility of digital citizenship. Before surprising a child with a phone of their own this holiday, answer the following questions:

  • Can my son or daughter take care of their belongings?
  • Does he or she demonstrate good reasoning or judgment skills?
  • Is my child able to grasp the concept of social media permanence?
  • Has the family discussed social media etiquette?

Tips For Dialing A Merry Christmas

If you answered “yes” to the majority of the questions posed, your child might be ready for a Smartphone. As parents, we need to be prepared before introducing a world of disappearing messages, sexting, online predators, and cyberbullies into our child’s life.

Unlike the man in the big red suit, many of us haven’t mastered the ability to magically know what our son or daughter is doing at all times. Listed below are six tips to keep a child safely snapping selfies and sending emojis to their friends long after the ornaments are put away:

  • Know common dangers trolling the Internet and social media. Sexting is now viewed as normal development and rates of cyberbullying still continue to rise.
  • Develop a family technology contract that lists all consequences and expectations for proper Smartphone ownership.
  • Help children and teens set their privacy settings to make sure they are protected.
  • Have a conversation about social media etiquette, social permanence, online predators, sexting, and cyberbullying.
  • Utilize monitoring software to access a child’s cell phone and Internet activity to ensure they are safely using technology.
  • Keep devices in common living areas and limit access to bedrooms. Children are less likely to get into trouble if they know mom or dad can walk in any minute. Also, you will be helping a child get a good night’s sleep without the glow of a screen or messages interrupting their shut eye.