Use free trials to compare service providers

Most of the major SMS marketing platforms will offer a free trial of their product so you can try before you buy. This way you can get to grips with the various features and see if the platforms offer everything you need to send and track your SMS campaigns.

Test before sending

Before sending your SMS message to all its intended recipients you should set up a small group of mobile numbers of staff or friends so you can test that it's going to work properly.

Don't abbreviate your message too much

While you've only got 160 characters for your SMS message don't fall into the trap of abbreviating all the words so it ends up making little sense to the people receiving it.

Prepare an HTML version of your message

More and more people have internet enabled phones nowadays so you should have a link to an HTML version of your SMS for people to access. This will allow you to brand your message better than in a plain text.

Shorten your URLs

If your SMS contains a link to your website then it's wise to use a URL shortener to save on the number of characters used. Two URL shorteners to try are http://www.bit.ly or http://goo.gl/

Give people the option to unsubscribe

All the SMS messages you send to people should contain an option for them to unsubscribe. This is often done by texting STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE back to the originator's number.

Avoid spamming

Sending too many SMS messages to your list of contacts will usually result in lots of people unsubscribing. Even if you don't send out many SMS campaigns, you should try to remember to communicate benefits to the recipient rather than just trying the hard sell.

Relevance is king

When people sign up for your SMS marketing campaigns, they will expect to receive relevant information. If your business has more than one area, make sure you segment the mobile numbers you have accordingly.

Consider the timing of your messages

Depending on the type of business you're running, the timing of SMS messages can be crucial. For example if you run exercise classes on a Wednesday evening, sending out a message to potential new clients on the Thursday morning will probably mean they forget all about it come next week.

Use feedback to improve your SMS marketing

One easy and affordable way to improve your SMS marketing is to ask your recipients for their feedback. A simple survey asking questions on frequency of messages, content and timing could give you an invaluable insight.

Jamie Fairbairn is experienced in local search & online marketing and has worked with many small business owners to improve their search engine rankings over the past 10 years. Jamie's blog can be found at http://www.searchblogger.co.uk

To learn more about SMS marketing visit http://www.searchblogger.co.uk/category/sms-marketing/