A common misconception we see at InvolveMobile is around databases. Often customers come to us with the idea that if they don’t have a big database, they can’t use text message marketing. A complete myth!
One of the best features of text message marketing campaigns like text to win, text voting and on demand texts is that you can use these campaigns to build a database from scratch. Simply advertise your SMS short code on any non mobile medium like print ads, TV, online or via email with a great call to action like ‘Text WIN to 80672 for your chance to win a months supply of free product!’. As customers text in their entries, you’re building up your mobile database. Simple.
The most important thing to remember with databases is that you cannot buy a database. Buying a database means you will be sending unsolicited text messages without consent which is in violation of the law, specifically the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) which you can read more about in our earlier blog post the essentials of the TCPA for mobile marketers.
For effective text message marketing campaigns just remember you can build a database but you cannot buy one. Good databases take time to build, but the more active you are with text message marketing, the quicker you’ll build a quality database you can market to time and time again.