In everything we do, proper timing is essential. The time you communicate to your customers creates a difference between success and failure in your business. SMS Marketing requires that you get the timing right.
A specific answer to the question “When to send bulk SMS to clients and command high engagement” does not apply because there are factors to consider before choosing the best time. It varies by industry, the demography of your audience, etc.
Some recipients respond better in the morning, while others prefer to receive messages in the evening. And as I said, it all depends on your target audience. In some industries like the eatery, the afternoon is even the best because that is a break for many people. Based on my experience in the SMS industry, here is my review of time and the result you should expect when you blast an SMS message.
Send Bulk SMS Before 8 am
How can you even send a message to someone before 8 am? Yes, you can. You will agree with me that a lot of people don’t even sleep early. They stay awake till 2 am or even 3 am. These are the best times for some people to plan their day or think through their problems. Some wake up as early as 5 am and start planning their day.
Imagine you send a message that is important to them during this time and they open it and see that your message contains a solution to the problem at hand. Your message could even be what they need to achieve one of their goals for that day. What do you then expect? Good response! People want what adds value to their lives and not time-wasting messages. Take note.
However, the problem is that the recipients cannot respond to you immediately during these odd hours.
8 am to 1 pm
Traditionally, this is the best working hour when the energy is high. Everybody is alert and taking action towards achieving the day. Usually, this is when people send bulk SMS to their customers, as you can get an immediate response and close a deal right away.
Your recipients can get clarifications of your message content with a callback immediately. For instance, if your company is running a promotion and your customers receive an SMS concerning that, any of them can call back to learn more about the offer. They may want to know the eligibility, deadline, terms, conditions, etc.
This time, your audience is fully awake to take your offer, thereby increasing the return on investment for your SMS marketing.
1 pm to 7 pm
By 1 pm, those who have been neck-deep at work now have time to look through their phones. Some phones are just even switched on. If you provide leisure services, this is the best time to push your messages. As people are on a break by now, this is the best time for eateries or companies running food delivery services to send messages. Why are you still waiting? Send that message immediately. People are hungry! You can creatively work out a little offer on it and experience a rush.
Towards evening at closing, say 5 pm to 7 pm, SMS marketing does not produce many results. At this time, people have closed, and they are commuting home. Your message at this time, no matter how useful, may be less attractive to them because all their expectation is how to get home as they are relatively tired. If you haven’t sent your bulk SMS at this time, wait till the next time frame.
7 pm to Bedtime
Work was good, and your recipients are taking a rest. Generally, people draw close to their screens at this time. They now want to open all unread messages on their mobiles, and they turn on televisions. If your mobile phone is on, you can get instant messages or calls by this time as responses to your bulk text messages.
For companies running a television show on a particular channel, this is the best time to blast and remind your audience to tune to that channel. With this, your viewers will skyrocket.
What about churches? This time on Saturdays is your best bet. Push your reminder message to your congregation for Sunday service. You will be amazed at the turned out. When they receive your reminder message, they can make up their minds and alert their spouse of the need to attend the service on Sunday.
Finally, it is worth noting that time is valuable to all your audience, and make sure your messages help them enjoy that value. Also, you do not need to send every bulk SMS on the spot. Nigeria Bulk SMS has made it easy to schedule your messages for delivery at your desired dates and times. Set up your SMS delivery in minutes and let our system do the hard job for you accurately.
What time of the day or days in the week do you get the best result from your SMS messages? Please write your answer in the comment section below.
What is the Best Time for SMS Marketing?