Segmenting lists helps you reach specific customers to match them with the goods and services they’re most likely to buy. This form of marketing requires you to know a little bit about customers, such as their shopping habits and preferences. Gathering data takes time and effort, but it’s worth it if you want to build a sustainable business using SMS text message marketing.

Since sending a text message is far more personal than sending an email or posting to a blog, you need to make sure you’re sending only the most essential information subscribers can use to make a purchase, attend an event, or visit your business location and website. Otherwise, your messages will be deleted and ignored.

Gathering Data

You can gather the data needed to create smaller, targeted text message lists in a variety of ways. Use your email list to ask subscribers (those who have opted in to receive text messages) which types of messages they would like to receive. Types of SMS notifications include:

  • Dates and times of upcoming sales
  • Information about specific goods and services
  • Updates about new goods and services
  • Dates and times for upcoming events

Segment your list into these groups to send messages based on subscriber preferences.

You can also use social media marketing to survey people to determine the best ways to segment your list. Ask people to leave comments, answer surveys or polls that you post on social media pages. Questions to ask include:

  • Average age
  • Gender
  • Geographic location
  • Average salary
  • Favorite places to shop
  • Online/in-store shopping preferences
  • Expectations from marketing campaigns (coupons, information, advice, etc.)

Create segments based on the answers. For example, if you notice a majority of people that answered your survey are under the age of 24, create a smaller group for those in their early to mid-twenties. Young people enjoy receiving coupons, discounts and other incentives to make a purchase or participate in an event. You can also send additional surveys, polls, interactive games or links to useful apps as this age group seems to respond well to this type of marketing.

Older people tend to respond to information. Use text messages to get this group to visit your website or opt-in to your mailing list or blog to receive valuable information.

Other ways to gather data for segmenting purposes:

  • Review purchase histories to determine regular from non-regular customers
  • Determine which customers are local
  • Survey your shop, restaurant, etc. to determine the average age of customers
  • Determine most popular products and services (create a list of customers that purchase these items most)

As you can see, there are many ways to determine segments for your text message list.

Personalized Messages

Once you’ve created segments, market to these segments accordingly. Create additional surveys and polls specifically for smaller segments so you can learn even more about customers. Provide information, discounts, or coordinate events that these segments will respond to. The idea is to market more to individuals rather than large, nameless groups.