An ill-timed text message can confuse your mobile subscribers.

Have you ever received a text from a business that left you scratching your head? Perhaps you received it late on a weeknight or maybe after a limited time deal had already lapsed. When it comes to text message marketing, timing is both an art and a science. A well-timed message can mean the difference between customers feeling excited about your brand or slightly confused. If you are using text messages in your business marketing toolkit, here are some tips for timing them right.

Learn about Your Target Customers' Behaviors

Part of the art of timely text messaging is learning about your target audiences' behaviors. Understanding who your mobile subscribers are and what a typical day looks like for them can help you time your text messages more effectively. For example, are most of your mobile subscribers college-age students or are they young professionals working 9-5 jobs? What are their daily patterns? Do they shop or eat at restaurants frequently during lunch time hours? Talking to your customers or conducting a short survey can help you learn more about them. The more you know about your target audience, the better you will be able to time your text marketing efforts.

Think about When You Want Them to Pay Attention

Another important thing to think about when it comes to timing is the type of offer you're sending. For example, are you a restaurant owner that's hoping to capture the attention of the lunch crowd with a special discount? Or maybe you are hoping to drive more foot traffic to your business for happy hour on a Friday evening. Take a look at what you are trying to accomplish with your offer before you schedule a time to distribute. To some degree, the type of text message you will share with your mobile subscribers will dictate the appropriate time to send it.

Avoid Certain Times

While it may seem obvious, it's important to avoid certain times with your text messages. It's a good rule of thumb not to distribute messages early in the morning or late at night. You may also want to avoid typical commute times if your target customers are already in the workforce. While you may be able to capture the attention of some people taking public transportation to get to and from work, you will likely miss a good portion of your audience that commutes by car. Avoiding certain times of day can help you get the highest possible reach for your mobile marketing efforts.

Timing is important when it comes to text message marketing, but many business owners have trouble timing their campaigns properly. There are a few key factors to look at as you are scheduling your text message marketing efforts. Learning about your target customers' behaviors, timing your messages according to the type of offer you're sending, and avoiding certain times of day can help you get the best response from your campaign. If you are interested in getting started with text message marketing, try Club Texting for free today.