Top 3 best practices for MMS/SMS messaging

Since more consumers are going everywhere with their smartphones in-hand, it makes sense for brands to be able to reach consumers through those devices. But a little contact goes a long way, especially for consumers who may be on the go but in a different city or even on vacation and who may not want to know that their local coffee shop has added a new muffin flavor to the mix.

"Mobile marketing is highly regulated, with new rules coming out every month," said James Citron, CEO and co-founder of Mogreet. "2013 is poised to be a huge year for text marketing. We are seeing new campaigns launching nearly every day, and we have even started seeing references to text marketing in television and movies. In order for this to continue to be a successful marketing tool, it is important that campaigns are always executed in compliance with the industry regulations."

First, get permission. Much like the early days of email, Citron and Mogreet suggest that brands create and build a permission-based subscriber list. Employees at the cash register could tell a shopper about and SMS/MMS option, but put the onus of signing up in the customer's court. And, while creating that permission-based list, keep copies of the opt-ins and permissions. Just in case.

Second, tell subscribers what types of messaging to expect - and how often. Don't send daily texts to a subscriber list who is expecting bi-weekly or monthly messages, for instance. Again, like email, create a messaging strategy and stick with it.

Finally, don't text during drive time. When customers are commuting to work, they're more likely to ignore a message than respond. Likewise, don't message while a customer is likely getting ready for work or sitting down to dinner with the family. Just because texts can be delivered at any time of the day, doesn't mean those messages should be delivered at inopportune times.

The full best practices guide from Mogreet can be downloaded here.

Tags: MMS ads, MMS messaging, mobile marketing trends, mobile trends, Mogreet, SMS ads, SMS messaging