Why Is Gary V Texting Me?
The famed internet marketing guru has recently dove into what he calls “the counterpoint of social media” — text message marketing.
I can already hear faint comments from readers proclaiming “nobody would ever want to get a text message from a company.”
While the idea of a business sending text messages to you is still foreign to most consumers, more brands are starting to see massive returns from texting. Companies such as Cash App, Best Western, and Go Puff are starting to test text marketing strategies … and consumers are buying in.
I’ll let the data speak for itself
98% open rates
8x more engagement than email
Average conversion rate of 23.3%
With text message marketing performing so strongly, it’s astonishing why most marketers haven’t taken advantage of this channel in the past and even neglect it today.
Now back to Gary V.
Vaynerchuk has been using text to distribute his personal content as well as create a new way to sell wine(more on that in the later half).
1.It all started with a text. An ambiguous request to text Gary V himself. I mean who wouldn’t jump at the chance to text the famed marketing guru. Curious about the hype I signed myself up.
2.”Hey Gary….wait…oh….” After texting Gary’s number, an automated message was sent to my phone asking me to add my number into his phone.
3.What’s up Gary! After the initial setup I started receiving videos of Gary giving micro talks on living your best life and finding your purpose. Typical Gary
4.From then on I’ve received a video from Gary V. every week about the grind and how I need to keep my hustle alive.
Here’s an example of his videos if anyone’s interested.
Gary V is selling wine… via text.
The online marketer doesn’t stop there. He’s also managed to find a way to sell wine using text messages.
Shocker, I know 🙄.
Gary V’s WineText.com allows its users to sign up with their billing/shipping addresses as well as their phone numbers allowing them to buy discount wine via text message.
All the one time Napa goers are giving him a standing ovation 🙌.
Final Thoughts
Now we know why Gary V is sending us texts, but why are other celebrity influencers like Ashton Kutcher and even Ninja on board with texting?
I believe it’s something bigger happening within the world of marketing. As social media and email become overused, consumers will naturally look for more novel experiences with brands.
Texting has been an almost unexplored realm for most marketers. Therefore there are plenty of opportunities for companies to create memorable experiences using text marketing. They just have to not be afraid to be different.
The day I start ordering wine via text is up in the air, but what I can say for certain is that text message marketing is something that marketers should keep a look out for in the next coming months.
