Debunking 10 Text Marketing Myths for Medical & Dental Practice
Text marketing serves as a great way to capture the attention of your target audience.
How Does Text Marketing Work?
Text marketing serves as a great way to capture the attention of your target audience. Text marketing uses simple text messages to send promotional or informational campaigns. Moreover, with proper planning, these campaigns can be converted into two-way conversations that actively engage potential patients.
Text marketing is a marketing strategy that utilizes text messages to send promotional campaigns to their business market. Text messages can instantly alert your target audience to the healthcare products, services, special sales, and gift cards you offer. Additionally, it is the most effective way of communicating directly with your target audience. Text message provides a low-cost and time-friendly way to meet the communication needs of patients without long delays.
According to the Pew Research Center, 97% of Americans own a cellphone. As a result, it makes it easier for businesses to use this as an opportunity to maximize their marketing strategies. In fact, utilizing text-based marketing can any business boost its sales since most individuals are frequently on their phones.
However, that there are a few myths that commonly prevent people from jumping on board to use text marketing. This article will help dispel these myths so you can stay informed on all aspects of text marketing. In doing so you will also learn the benefits and how you can use them to increase your practice’s bottom line.
Debunking 10 Text Marketing Myths
Myth 1: Text marketing is not effective as you think.
Many people assume that text marketing is ineffective in promoting businesses. This myth stems from the fact that it is not used as often as compared to other marketing strategies. However, text marketing has been proven to be effective and has one of the highest engagement levels. Business2Community statistics have shown that text messages have a 99% open rate, which is significantly higher than the 30% average seen with email marketing. Additionally, since text messages are more personal and direct, it is easier for consumers to them.
Myth 2: The use of text messages is only for Millennials and Gen Z.
Some businesses tend to believe that text marketing is only for millennials and Gen Z. This myth stems from the idea that younger generations adapt to using technology quicker than older consumers. However, the fact that the baby boomer generation is the most likely to interact via text message is one example that disproves this notion. Additionally, of the 97% of Americans who own a mobile phone, most can access and send text messages with ease.
Myth 3: Text marketing is a one-way channel.
It is easy to think that most messages are read by customers and then ignored. However, marketing promotions are designed to be a two-way channel where customers can send replies and give their feedback. Since text marketing opens the door for things like surveys or checking attendance, it is actually rarely a one-way channel.
In fact, text marketing makes it much easier to confirm appointments with your patients. That is why it is important to build a solid platform that allows you to interact with your clients. One platform that we recommend is Weave. Weave messages allow for two-way texting so you can communicate with customers, send updates, schedule appointments, and collect payments.
Myth 4: Text marketing is only for known brands with a big budget.
Whether it is a small or a start-up business, anyone can benefit from text marketing. There are no limitations set on how you can utilize text messaging to reach and connect with your customers. Many studies have shown that 84% of small businesses can immediately see the long-term benefits of utilizing text marketing.
Some of the other benefits of using text marketing are having improved customer service scores and higher message open rates. It also makes it easier to learn about your customer’s needs and wants when it comes to your business. Incorporating this marketing strategy will help your business grow and improve, and since anyone can utilize text marketing you don’t need a big budget to use this. In truth, all you need is proper planning and well-constructed text messages.
Myth 5: Text marketing is not worth the time and effort.
This is actually the exact opposite of what is true. Text marketing is worth the time and effort in your business since it is can increase your sales and profit. It is easy to send out bulk messages via text and to reach a wide range of customers. You do not have to allocate significant portions of your marketing funds for text marketing either to be effective. All you really need is a mobile phone to send out messages to your customers about your offers and future promotions for your business. It is also less time-consuming as compared to designing emails and video ads.
Myth 6: Text marketing is expensive.
Many businesses are reluctant to invest in text marketing because they think it will be too expensive and will require special knowledge to use it. Once again, this myth is actually the opposite of what is true since text marketing is one of the most cost-effective channels in promoting your business.
It is important to note that sending text messages may include costs per subscriber. However, the return on investment is high, and you can increase sales through coupon redemption and raising awareness regarding different products and services. Overall, you can improve your market reach with text marketing and use your subscriber count to increase your results.
Myth 7: Customers view promotional text marketing as spam.
Spam is prevalent in all channels which means that spam is not a text-specific problem, but is rather a problem on how the message is composed. To prevent your messages from being considered spam, make sure that you are articulate and polite with what you say. Based on statistics from Digital Marketing Magazine, 75% of people actually prefer to receive offers and discounts via text message since text messages are easy to read and don’t take much of their space.
Myth 8: Text marketing limits creativity.
Utilizing text marketing won’t limit your creativity since text messages or any promotional materials are designed to be brief. Moreover, your customized messages should act as a thoughtful extension of your brand. Since you can incorporate your style and branding into every message there is no limitation in the creativity you use to attract customers to visit your website.
In addition, as text message services continue to evolve, Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) allow you to send a wide variety of multimedia content, pictures, GIFs, emojis, and custom links.
Myth 9: The text marketing trend will not last.
Text marketing is a long-term investment, and will continue to grow to positively impact many different industries- the health industry included. Based on the industry trends and consumer behaviors, text message marketing will continue to be a part of the day-to-day marketing for the foreseeable future.
E-commerce sales in 2021 and beyond are expected to increase since many businesses and transactions are now online. With this it is increasingly important to appeal to mobile-first shoppers. This includes utilizing text marketing since many shoppers prefer to receive text messages regarding different products and services as opposed to other means of marketing.
Myth 10: Text message marketing is intrusive.
Many customers like using text messaging as a channel to connect with the brands they enjoy. Over 90% of customers prefer signing up to receive marketing text to be informed right away regarding new promotions, discounts, and sales. Under this use, it is not intrusive since subscribers have opted in to receive messages from you since they know that the messages will contain valuable and relevant content.
How can Streamsoft help improve marketing your medical practice?
Streamsoft is a healthcare digital marketing agency that utilizes different marketing strategies that can help your medical practice and business. There are many marketing channels that can improve and increase the reach you have. With that, Streamsoft believes in debunking each of the myths regarding text marketing. It is proven that text marketing is profitable, it provides high click-through rates, and allows you to actively engage with subscribers who choose to opt-in to connecting with your practice. To understand more about your medical practice can benefit from improving your marketing exposure sign up now for a free consultation with Streamsoft.