In today’s world, communication takes place on so many channels that customer engagement can be a real challenge. Are emails best for a service follow-up? Should brands call customers with exciting new deals? While all these channels have their benefits, statistics increasingly show that SMS is more than just a convenient channel for quick communication. Indeed, a Nielsen study found that on average, Americans exchange twice as many texts as they do calls. While SMS may therefore be a key channel for customer service, its potential for marketing and sales acceleration should not be underestimated. According to Direct Marketing Association, 44% of consumers would rather receive marketing messages and product information through text than any other channel. Here are five tips for driving SMS sales.
True, the customer may have already made the purchase, but the effort should not stop there. Keeping customers updated with information such as delivery status and all the steps of the order process shows them you appreciate their business and will entice them to keep coming back.
Knowing customer purchase history is vital to making meaningful marketing offers that turn into sales conversions. SMS sales are often driven by taking a targeted approach such as announcing upcoming sales as well as end-of-sale reminders so customers don’t miss out. Another strategy is sending SMS discounts and vouchers as thank-you gestures following a sale.
Customer engagement is also important to driving SMS sales. If a customer hasn’t purchased recently, retail brands might take the approach of reaching out to customers with gentle messages of encouragement and possibly a coupon code to boost enthusiasm. Following a service interaction or sale, brands should also follow up with a customer feedback survey to learn what might be done better in the future. The idea is to always let the customer know that their business is appreciated and their opinions count.
Perhaps the greatest challenge in driving SMS sales is knowing just when to contact customers. Sending messages too often might drive them away, so timeliness and relevance are critical. Brands should be careful not to send messages at untimely hours, keeping the customer’s time zone in mind. While it’s generally important to make pre-sales announcements, texts should be sent with a targeted approach that feels relevant to the customer (such as post-contact surveys and sale reminders). Brands should always give customers the option to stop text communications and inform them of any messaging rates that may apply.
One of the strongest approaches to SMS sales is helping the customer in-store who may need support. Many customers abandon purchases when they cannot find the information they need, or perhaps the checkout process is too complicated. Geolocation tools make it possible to track customers so as to offer them service when it’s most needed while also enabling brands to entice sales with lucrative marketing offers.As SMS continues to dominate as a popular communication channel, brands may capitalize on its potential by optimizing their customer engagement and using strategic methods to drive SMS sales.
