Personalized SMS for eCommerce Marketing

SMS marketing is an effective way to attract, engage, and retain eCommerce customers. It’s easy to use, scalable, and has a powerful impact. The dominance of SMS marketing is unparalleled in terms of customer retention. Texting is arguably one of the best modes of marketing for the eCommerce business. Unlike other marketing channels, SMS markets adhere to the highest engagement rate.

From availing order status to contacting customer support, SMS remains the most preferred channel for the users as compared to its counterparts. So what is the most effective way to conduct SMS marketing? In the blog, we will break down some best practices related to this channel, which in turn help you make informed decisions.

Get Permission & Use Clear Tone

Make sure you have proper customer permission before you push out a string of text messages in their inbox. Otherwise, your marketing effort will convert into the spam and ruin your brand identity.

There’s one big concern in context to SMS marketing for eCommerce that we as brands can’t sit ideal at any point in time. On a bad day, a fantastic personalized marketing opportunity can turn out to be creepy for the end-users. There’s a marginal difference between helpful and invasive, and if you overlook that line, you’ll jeopardize customer’s trust forever.

Always start the preceding by sending the promotional content to motivates the customer to opt into text messaging. And to boost opt-ins, be clear about subscriber’s intention. What type of text messages can increase engagement, and at what frequency customer should be informed?

For instance, “Text ‘SAVINGS’ to 33664 to get weekly coupons.” This shortcode explains everything from the main keyword to the contact number. Also, it clarifies the user’s mindset about what campaign they are signing up for.

Segment

You wouldn’t engage with a new visitor the way you would tackle loyal customers. The same is true for SMS. Segment your audience and make sure that each user gets valuable content that adheres to a high degree of relevancy.

New visitors may get benefits like free shipping or promo code, while the loyal customers might get access to newly-launched products or an invitation of a rewards program.

Make use of profile data to send discount offers or birthday promotions to render the personalized user experience and up conversions.

Timing is crucial

Timing is everything when it comes to SMS marketing. Before you trigger the personalized SMS campaigns at the full throttle, figure out your user’s daily habits. This also involves the checking of users’ habits in context to mobile usages.

According to the popular marketing agency, Mondays have the flattest response rates. Unless your message is particularly important to that day, bypass it. Also, you should be clear about common commute times, typically 4-7 pm and 6:30-8:30 am when your target audience is likely to engage with driving or other essential errands.

Generally speaking, 10 am – 8 pm is the most suitable timeframe for SMS marketers. Hence, it becomes vital for you to confine the send times for your audience specific time zone. No one wants to engage with text messages at 4 am.

Wrapping up

We have prepared this blog with an end goal to make SMS marketing more effective than ever. Hopefully, these strategies will throttle your campaign and give the push that it needed since its inception.

SMS Examples for E-Commerce Businesses

No matter where or what you sell, SMS will help you grow your eCommerce business and your bottom line. eCommerce business has seen:

eCommerce SMS Marketing Examples

Let’s dive straight into specific examples of how eCommerce marketers use SMS daily to reduce abandon cart rates, drive sales, and improve customer experience.

1. Broadcast to an Audience

Easily send a text message to your entire text subscriber list.

Drive Sales

With SMS marketing, you can create a unique SMS keyword that your subscribers can text in to receive a discount code. When your subscribers text this keyword, they’ll immediately receive an exclusive discount code that they can apply to their next purchase.

2. Send Notifications Related to a Specific Event

SMS notifications are text messages that are sent when an event occurs.

Communicate Key Order Details

Since customers typically read text messages within 3 minutes of their sending, SMS can help you instantly communicate key order details.

For example, you can send your customers text messages to confirm that their orders have shipped. Not only will this lead to happier customers, but it will also cut down on unnecessary and time-draining support interactions.

Rescue Abandoned Sales

A whopping 74% of customers abandon their carts. Recouping these sales is a top priority for the majority of e-commerce marketers. Instead of relying solely on automated emails, send them a text message reminder.

Drive Post-Purchase Reviews

70% of customers consult reviews or ratings before they decide to purchase. The problem is that generating these reviews is difficult.

SMS marketing allows you to follow up with your customers after they make a purchase. Text them a poll, asking if they’re satisfied with their items, then if they are satisfied, ask them for a review.

3. Conduct Two-way Conversations

You can enable customers to ask questions and resolve issues via 1-on-1 conversations.

Provide Instant Customer Support

More and more people are choosing texts over phone conversations, so consider implementing an SMS customer support experience. Text messages have a reputation for being more instant and personal than emails or webchat, so make sure you’re prepared to respond promptly.

Conclusion

Still not convinced that SMS text marketing is right for you? We understand. After all, there were once people who thought combining chocolate and peanut butter was a bad idea too.

Is SMS Marketing Still Relevant in 2020?

SMS is now regarded as an “old” form of communication, but the art of SMS marketing is making a comeback all the same.

According to recent data, SMS messaging increased by 197% between 2015 and 2017 alone. That’s because the majority of consumers would rather text with a business for scheduling or appointments than by email or phone. Meanwhile, social media and marketing influencers like Gary Vaynerchuk are asking their audience to text them directly.

With all this in mind, we’ve asked marketing experts why SMS marketing is making a comeback in 2020. We also asked them to share some tips for leveraging the technology to engage with new leads and existing customers alike.

Why SMS Marketing Is Growing

SMS Marketing — texting customers and leads — is a viable direct marketing strategy for both B2B and B2C brands. “Consumer behavior is constantly evolving and today mobile devices are becoming more personal than ever,” said Fara Rosenzweig, the chief content officer at ManyChat. She believes the instantaneous and personal feel of SMS marketing makes it enticing for businesses looking to create relationships and satisfy customers.

“CMOs and senior marketers are investing heavily in business texting as a means to engage potential customers and drive the digital customer experience strategy,” said Matt Reid, CMO at EZ Texting. He believes text messaging is one of the most exciting technologies for direct marketing today because the strategy yields much higher engagement rates than email, print, and even social media. “It can act as a proxy to email marketing when you find your target audience is ignoring email newsletters,” explained Aaron Watters, CEO of Leadhub. Consumers prefer texting and are much more likely to respond to texts from brands, so it’s an excellent method for customer re-engagement.

SMS Marketing Tips & Strategies

While it’s clear that SMS marketing is effective, there are some best practices to make the most of the strategy.

Respect Consumer Privacy

Watters warned that “buying a bunch of cell phone numbers and sending blanket texts to everyone on the list is frowned upon and will yield similar results to an ineffective email campaign.” He believes it’s critical to respect consumers’ privacy, or it could negatively impact your brand’s reputation. Watters added, “If you’re going to text them, make sure you have substance and a specific purpose.”

Get Permission First

Rosenzweig suggested brands get permission from consumers first. “People forget when they opt-in to lists all the time,” she said, “so make sure you keep a record of people with opt-in agreements.” And don’t forget to include the option to opt-out as well. Otherwise, you could violate consumer data and privacy laws if you’re not careful who you message. Text marketers, therefore, need to focus on respectful and compliant communications.

Don’t Spam Consumers

Since texting is a more direct form of communication, it’s especially important not to spam consumers. “No one wants to receive a ton of messages from any business anyway,” Rosenzweig said. That’s why she suggested limiting the text messages you send to only two to six per month. “Occasional texts throughout your text sequence should also include an opt-out option,” she added. Following these tips will help your brand to avoid being perceived as too spammy.

Own Particular Keywords

You need to reserve particular keywords for consumers to text and subscribe to. “When people text your shortcode — or the special five or the six-digit number for your business — with the keyword,” explained Rosenzweig, “you can respond back with an automated and customizable response.” It’s critical to make it easy for people to subscribe, so consider owning multiple keywords for specific promotions and deals as well.

Focus on Lead Generation

“You can collect leads from your SMS campaign,” Rosenzweig recommended, “It’s then ideal to move them to other marketing channels.” She believes promotional texts in the hopes of a sale aren’t nearly as effective as lead generation and driving traffic to other marketing channels. “Use text conversation to start building the relationship, then encourage people to move the conversation on other platforms like a messenger bot, which you can use to guide them to purchase,” she said.

Stop Overlooking SMS Marketing

“SMS marketing is a powerful tool to use for shop abandonment, appointment reminders, tracking, promotions and more,” explained Rosenzweig, “as well as a way to create conversations and build relationships with your customers.” That’s why digital marketers shouldn’t overlook SMS marketing to engage with new leads or re-engage with existing customers.

In the end, Reid concluded, “SMS marketing and service provider features help businesses interact more seamlessly with new consumers, garner more leads, provide effective customer service and maximize team effectiveness.” SMS marketing, therefore, is making a strong comeback in 2020, and the strategy is one that digital marketers shouldn’t overlook.