Looking for new ways to stay connected with your customers and increase sales? SMS marketing is a great way to engage with your clients particularly now with most people being on their phone constantly. Utilizing SMS in your current marketing is an easy way to directly engage and speak with your customers. Studies show that response rates to SMS marketing are 7.5x higher than email marketing. This is great for companies because you can easily boost your sales with SMS marketing by integrating these 10 strategies!

1. Exclusive Offers

Utilizing SMS marketing can help you go direct to the consumer, but the key is to create or increase engagement. If you have customers who opt in for text messages, it is good to reward them for being part of your SMS campaign. Sending your SMS clients exclusive offers through text messages is a great way to nurture the relationship. For example:

  • Use the code “CODE” at check out and get 20% off your purchase!
  • Get a free item/gift when you show this text!
  • Complete this survey via text and receive $10 off your next purchase!

By offering exclusive discounts to your customers, it can create a bond, and increase loyalty, by making them feel special that they have discounts that are only exclusive to them and not to others. Also, by offering exclusivity, you can directly boost your sales with SMS marketing because it brings in those customers to spend at your establishment. Because you enticed them with a discount, they will now bring their business right to you.

2. Upcoming Sales

Sending out texts to your opted in clients can be great for notifying clients and leads about your current sales and promote a sense of urgency. For instance, if you are planning a flash sale or even a weekend holiday sale, tell your SMS clients first! Texting is a great and direct way to notify your audience about an upcoming sale and direct them right to your website from their phone, with a link, to begin shopping. With 98% of text messages being opened, you are bound to get the attention of your customers and turn that lead into a sale. Your text should be direct. For example,

  • “Flash sale starting TONIGHT Don’t miss out on this exclusive offer!”
  • “DON’T FORGET this weekend’s holiday sale where the whole site is 30% off!”

3. Contests

With any business, you can use SMS marketing to improve your engagement by running contests, giving your customers the chance to win something. Everyone wants the chance to win something, particularly your customers. For example,

  • Text WIN and enter now for a chance to win a free product/service
  • Text WIN and enter now for our contest and for an additional entry tag three friends on our Facebook/Instagram post

With the previous example, that gives you the chance to direct your clients to your social media as well as engaging in text messages. Utilizing contests through SMS messages is easy and direct to the consumer and can get your business even more exposure.

4. Surveys

Giving your customers surveys through SMS marketing can boost your engagement with your clients. It also gives you the opportunity to learn more about your customers and what they like about your business and even feedback on what you can improve. Surveys through SMS are direct to the client which gives you a higher chance that they will complete the survey. The SMS response rate to surveys, across different industries, is 42%, which is great if you already have customers opted into SMS. Make sure the survey message is concise and brief and one at a time. For example:

  • On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate our service?
  • What could we improve on? We want to hear from YOU
  • What would you like to see next from us?

By showing your clients you truly care about their opinions through SMS marketing, can boost your sales overall and your company morale.

5. Clear Messages

When you are doing SMS marketing, you want to make sure you are straight to the point. Most people will not read a message with a lot of text, telling a story, or dragging on. If you want to get the attention of your customers, make the message brief and actionable. You want your clients to engage, so the messages must be direct and to the point if you want action. If you have a lot of information to relay and not enough space, insert a hyperlink that can take your customers to a page on your website that further explains your message.

It is important to make the message specific about whatever you are advertising. Some helpful tips on how to stay to the point in your SMS marketing:

  • If there is a social event or sale make sure there are clear start date and /times and end dates and times in plain written text.
  • Add links or flyers if needs
  • Make sure it is under 160 characters, but less is more
  • Avoid emojis and abbreviations
  • Include a call to action

6. Call to Action

Call to action word choice is one of the most important aspects of SMS marketing. Utilizing call to action phrases directs the customer to do exactly what you want them to do without any confusion. It also creates engagement and drives the consumer to your website or whichever link you provide. Great examples of call to action phrases are:

  • “Click here”
  • “Show this text”
  • “Buy now”
  • “Use code at checkout”
  • “Shop now”
  • Text to win

These examples will work for any type of targeted message and provide an easy and clear way for your clients to purchase from you right from their phone.

7. Follow up Faster

First come, first served. In business, quick follow-ups are very important to customer retention. Studies show that 35–50% of sales go to the vendor that responds first. With SMS messaging, it is easier than ever to follow up with clients. Response rates through SMS are much higher than email, and that is probably because people prefer to use their phones to communicate. Furthermore, taying connected with your customers builds customer retention and customer retention builds sales. The overall best examples to use as follow up with clients through text messages are:

  • Receipts
  • Customer Service Surveys
  • Shipping Confirmation
  • Checking in with Clients
  • Answering questions (Customer service help)

8. Customer Service via SMS

Offering customer service through texting as a form of communication other than email and phone calls is very smart. Not all people check their emails, and not everyone likes to make phone calls to get customer service needs met. Offering customer service through SMS makes your company stand out against your competition because it is very convenient for the customer. Using SMS for your customer service needs can save your company money, which can help increase profits. It was found that customer service through SMS is up to 45% lower in cost compared to voice or email, and up to 25% compared to traditional live chat. Your staff can spend a lot less time on the phone with customers by going digital and communicating through text. Your customers will love it for the convenience and your company will love it because it frees up more time to complete other tasks.

Some of the things that can be serviced using SMS:

  • Appointment reminders and confirmations
  • Shipment/delivery confirmations
  • Payment reminders
  • Receipts
  • Product questions
  • Technical issues
  • Product or service issues
  • Rating the transaction

9. Do Not Force

Quality over quantity! No one likes to be spammed, whether it’s a phone call, email, or text message. Flooding your customer’s inbox is a one-way ticket for them to completely opt-out of your SMS messaging service, which is not what you want. When messaging your customers, keeping a limit on the number of messages is important. Try sticking to 3-4 times per month with brief, call to action messages to increase your chance of turning that lead into a sale.

Additionally, make sure you always provide opt-in and opting out options. You want to strive to keep the opting in retention numbers high and the opt-out numbers low. It is respectful to provide a choice and it’s also helpful to your business because you do not want to be sending messages to people who do not want them.

10. Personalize your Messages

Personalizing your SMS messages adds extra flair to your marketing strategy. Using a customer’s name in a message not only grabs their attention but it makes them feel important. Personalizing messages is easier when your company utilizes CRM software. CRM software manages your current customer’s information by collecting data across multiple platforms. Because you have access to the customer’s profile, you can send them more personalized messages which builds a connection with your customer, eventually increasing your chance of obtaining a sale.

Knowing about your customer and showing that using SMS marketing can also boost your sales. It was found that 75% of consumers are more likely to buy from a retailer that recognizes them by name, recommends options based on past purchases, or knows their purchase history.