Email is one of the most basic online communication tool that most companies use to reach out to employees and customers across the globe with over 3.7 billion email users. However, according to 2016’s statistics on internet users, only 40% of the world’s population is online or has means of internet connection. The Oxford Business Group reported that even in 2019 less than half of Indonesias adults have a smartphone—SMS is still king for inclusive marketing campaigns in Indonesia. If a company only offers online communication tools for their employees and customers to reach them, they are still missing out on more than half of their target market.

According to Worldometers, the current world population is at a staggering 7.5 billion for the first half of this year. Three-quarters of this population are mobile phone users having either basic phones, smartphones without internet plans, or smartphones with internet plans.

Consider this for your campaigns

SMS

• Majority of your target market owns a mobile phone.
• Not everyone owns a smartphone even up to this age.
• People bring their mobile devices wherever they go.
• People check text messages more often than emails.
• Read almost instantly upon receipt.
• Does not require an internet connection.
• Buying airtime credits is way cheaper than getting data plans.
• You can send and receive text messages anytime, anywhere.
• On point messages.
• Presents more personal and intimate connection.

Email

• Requires internet connection.
• Most people from the remote and rural areas don’t have emails.
• It is time-consuming.
• Requires constant of tweaking to keep your recipients engaged.
• Higher maintenance costs.
• Marketing emails can be filtered out.
• Spam emails are so widespread.
• Often incorporates long messages with risk of boring the recipient.
• Risk of having your emails deleted without being open.
• Prone to virus and malicious content.

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NGO’s and big names from private sectors

Small to large enterprises and non-profit organizations acknowledge the effectiveness of sending SMS campaigns. Check out how they took advantage of the power of SMS for promotions and educational campaigns for a cause:

Mercy Corps launched SMS campaigns to encourage financial literacy to Typhoon Haiyan victims in the Philippines

Red Cross encourages blood donations with SMS notification

Noora Health offers post-surgery medical information to patients through SMS and voice messages

Coca-cola look under the crown promotion was launched by texting code to a number

Nike and Pontiac engaged target audience with the launch of their new products via SMS

House of IT managed employee attendance by setting up SMS attendance hotline where employees’ mobile credit is not deducted

Final Thoughts

Even with today’s technological advancements, the majority of the world’s population are not constantly online. More than half of the population owns a mobile device – some of which lacks the advanced functionality of a smartphone, like access to the internet.

Email is good for reaching the working class global network that has constant internet access. But if you want to influence a wider market and ensure higher response rate, the simplicity of sending an SMS is definitely the answer to your communication woes.