Want to reach more customers? Then do not wait for them to come to you. You need to go where they are.
Mobile device users are rising, so building a marketing strategy for mobile devices is unavoidable for eCommerce marketers.
How many text messages do you receive per day from the shops you have purchased in the past? It may be 4 to 5 messages in total. These text messages are part of SMS Marketing.
Let’s find out what SMS Marketing actually is and how you can escalate sales with it.
What is SMS Marketing?
Short Message Service (SMS) Marketing refers to sending promotional texts to customers who have agreed to receive updates from your store. Sending marketing messages directly to customers’ mobile numbers helps to increase the engagement ratio.
Store owners can use SMS Marketing for personalized promotions, offers or discounts, remarketing, surveys, and other information. Text message marketing or mobile marketing or SMS marketing is an effective way to communicate with customers when done in the right way.
The Rise of SMS Marketing in eCommerce
SMS marketing is the fastest-growing marketing channel for businesses globally. The popularity of SMS marketing for businesses as well as customers is increasing because mobile phones are rarely far away.
Check some of the statistics of SMS Marketing by luisazhou:
- Text messages have an open rate of 98%.
- 91% of consumers opt to receive text messages from the brands.
- The SMS marketing market size is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.3% from 2019 to 2025.
SMS marketing is quickly gaining the limelight for marketers to convey messages to customers. Hence, text message marketing is a super powerful marketing channel for eCommerce businesses.
Why is SMS Marketing Effective?
How quickly do you open a text message after receiving it? I guess within half an hour. People usually habitually check their text messages before the end of the day. Don’t believe me? Well, check the below statistics.
As discussed earlier, SMS Marketing has an open rate of 98% compared to email marketing which has a 20% open rate.
This means SMS Marketing is highly effective for eCommerce businesses. Let’s look at some reasons that prove SMS Marketing is really effective.
SMS Marketing is aimed at M-commerce
SMS marketing is designed for mobile devices. People spend most of their time on mobile phones, which are always within reach.
- On average, people check their mobile phones every 4 minutes.
- People check their mobile within 5 minutes of receiving a notification.
Using SMS Marketing, you can reach people in mere seconds.
Enhanced interaction with higher open rates
People are engaging with text messages besides just opening them. With high open rates, businesses notice higher conversion rates, strong click-through rates, and enhanced engagement. With SMS Marketing, you can reach a higher targeted audience, resulting in repeat purchases and increased customer lifetime value.
Communication with customers using their preferred channel
People like to stay in the know and feel like they are important to the brands. Customers feel cared for when they get regular updates from their favorite brands. SMS offers one-to-one communication between brands and customers. SMS is easier to connect with customers than emails and paid advertising.
How to Get Started with SMS Marketing
So now you know how effective SMS Marketing is and you can make a decision to practice SMS Marketing for your eCommerce business. Here are the steps to follow before you send your first marketing message to customers through SMS.
Set your goals
Before starting with the new communication channel with your customers, the first and foremost thing to do is to determine what you want to achieve. Find out the answers to why you will be doing SMS Marketing and how you will do it.
You can set goals to reduce cart abandonment and customer feedback at the initial stage. Gradually you can use SMS Marketing to remind customers about the items they have left in the cart and send order notifications.
Choose a right SMS Provider
Once you set your goals, the next step is to decide on an appropriate SMS Service provider for your business. Look for an SMS partner with easy setup, integrations, and targeting options.
Partnering with an SMS service provider will help streamline your SMS marketing campaigns to improve customer relationships.
Expand your Subscriber’s list
The next step is to develop your subscriber list for SMS marketing. Let customers opt for receiving SMS notifications from your business. Include an SMS subscribe option on the checkout page or emails.
Start sending SMS Notifications
Once you get subscribers for SMS marketing, plan out and send SMS notifications to subscribers. Try various things and look at what works best for you. You can also use SMS automation to streamline your Marketing campaigns.
eCommerce businesses can try out Magento 2 SMS Notification module or All in One SMS Notifications Shopify App to send order notifications to customers.
Testing is must
Once you start sending SMS marketing messages to customers, it doesn’t get completed. You must check what works for you and what isn’t. Change your SMS marketing strategy based on analytics. Look for how customers respond to the messages.
Best Practices for eCommerce SMS Marketing
To help you succeed in your SMS marketing strategy, check out some of the tips to follow.
Share valuable messages
When you send SMS notifications to your customers, avoid sending irrelevant messages. You can consider the following types of messages to your customers:
- Order status notifications
- Deals and Discounts
- New product launch
- Important information about business
Keep it concise
No one likes to read long messages on a small mobile screen. Make sure your marketing SMS is short, sweet and to the point. Avoid confusing customers while you send SMS. Convey your message to the customers in a minimum number of words.
Send personalized messages
Personalization is crucial. Consider sending personalized SMS notifications to customers to improve the user experience of your store. You can also create customer groups with similar interests and plan your SMS marketing strategy accordingly. People love receiving notifications of the stuff they are interested in.
Benefits of SMS Marketing for eCommerce
Here are some of the advantages of SMS Marketing that will help to strengthen and take your business to newer heights.
Higher Open Rates
Text messages have the highest number of open rates compared to emails or phone calls. This makes it a top reason for marketers to choose SMS for their marketing strategy. As discussed earlier, 98% of SMS gets opened. Hence, businesses can rely on SMS marketing for effective customer communication.
Better Conversion Rates
SMS has plenty of benefits for eCommerce businesses. Apparently, people will visit your website or take action when receiving notifications via SMS compared to other communication channels. SMS witnesses better conversion rates for eCommerce.
SMS is Cost-Effective
SMS is a budget-friendly service. Even if you are an eCommerce startup, you can invest in SMS marketing as it will not cost you big bucks. Compared to other forms of marketing, SMS is inexpensive.
Greater Customer Reach
With the increase in the usage of phones, SMS is a boon for eCommerce. Businesses can reach customers right at their fingertips which helps them target a higher audience. And the best of all is SMS does not require internet connectivity. Hence, SMS marketing allows reaching customers who do not even use the internet on their mobile phones.
Win Back Lost Customers
With SMS marketing, you can even plan campaigns to remind customers who have not visited you for a long time. Here you can use personalized marketing based on the customer’s buying history. This is a very good way to bring them to the checkout.
Example SMS Marketing Messages to Send
Let’s jump into some of the SMS Marketing examples to know how marketers can build better relationships with customers and subscribers using text messages.
Welcome messages with rewards
Everyone expects a welcome email, but adding welcome SMS will be a fine surprise for users. A welcome message with an incentive will be the icing on the cake.
Time-bound offers
Create a FOMO with a limited-time offer encouraging customers to act fast using SMS marketing. SMS are great for time-sensitive offers by adding a bit of urgency to the message.
Order confirmation and shipping updates
Sending order confirmation and shipping updates through SMS adds a layer of transparency between businesses and customers. Emails may get delayed, while SMS eliminates any second thoughts.
Personalized offers
Show customers that you care about their important days. Send wishes via SMS and offer special rewards on occasions like birthdays or anniversaries.
New Product launch alerts
Send a text message to your shoppers informing them about the product or service you just launched. This is a great way to engage customers to visit your website.
Wrapping it up!
Getting started with SMS marketing is easy. Follow the points discussed in this article and you are well on your way to growing sales for your eCommerce business. Keep an eye out for the results and you are sure to supercharge your SMS marketing campaigns.