As a small business, you are probably trying to figure out the least expensive way to advertise. Of course, there are herds of people out there willing to offer you a million different advertising services, and they will all work well if you have unlimited funds. I have a better solution though.

Advertising is everywhere

Imagine yourself in a typical day. You get up and listen to the radio while you are getting ready. Then you listen to the radio on your way to work. At work, you surf the web or check your email. You check your Facebook and listen to Pandora. Then, you drive home with the radio blazing and billboards on both sides of the road. At home, you watch some TV. Maybe you go out to the movies or out with friends. Throughout the day, you are being bombarded with advertisements. If you are a small business trying to compete with the hundreds and hundreds of ads out there, you don’t stand a chance. Chances are, your ad will get ignored or it will not be remembered.

How to beat the competition

Now, imagine yourself sitting with some friends at dinner. All the sudden, you get a text. What is your immediate response? To ignore everything around you and look at your phone. Maybe that is why most people use texts for sending Birthday messages now, according to the New York Times. No matter what advertising is around or what people are talking to you at that moment, you will ignore it all for the text. This is exactly why small businesses are investing in text advertising. It is the one way to guarantee customers will actually see the ad and have to make a conscious decision about what to do with it.

Important reminders

One time, I was at work when all of the sudden I got a text telling me about a special at a restaurant nearby. After I saw it, I started to think about it and decided I wanted it. I may not have purchased the dish from the text message, but that gentle reminder that the restaurant existed and was ready to serve me still got me there!

Monday may be a slow cover count, but maybe that is just because people have forgotten about you. If you remind customers that you are there and they see your text message, you are much more likely to get an increase in customers.