Over the past few years, SMS marketing has become a major communication channel for brands and online stores of all sizes. Companies are using SMS to increase sales and build customer loyalty. Text messaging is a proven, effective and fast way to reach customers and get them to act as they want.
More and more purchases are being made on phones and digital commerce is growing all the time. At the same time, reaching consumers is becoming increasingly difficult as they live in a flood of messages and stimuli. Text messaging is therefore one of the most effective channels to reach customers and increase sales. Text messages are usually read without exception - their open rate is staggering compared to other channels. The best features of SMS are its low cost, speed and reach.
Why now is the time to start SMS marketing?
We all encounter more messages and content than we are able to internalise. Email click-through rates have fallen and the effectiveness of digital ads on social media has also declined by about 50% over the last few years. Recent changes in data protection and data sharing have created more challenges for marketers.
It is clear that brands need to diversify their channels - both in terms of consumer preferences and marketing performance. Consumers see personalised SMS as a way to connect more directly with brands - whether it's to get support, a behind-the-scenes look or exclusive offers.
SMS still seems to be a forgotten and misunderstood channel among businesses. While most consumers are willing to receive SMS from their favourite brands, the vast majority of brands do not yet offer SMS. This means that they are constantly losing sales. Online retailers therefore have an opportunity to differentiate themselves and increase sales easily and effectively through SMS.
1. Your customers want to receive SMS messages from you
70% of consumers want to receive text messages from their favourite companies and brands (Simple Texting). If you have loyal customers, they are likely to be happy to receive text messages from your company.
Messages such as updates on orders and new products are useful information for your customers and can effectively increase sales.
2. Most shopping is done on the phone
Mobile commerce accounts for the largest share of all e-commerce sales 60 per cent. We shop by phone from where we are. It's fast and convenient. Those businesses that have adopted SMS as part of their marketing channels are quickly seeing the benefits. Messages reach customers quickly and reliably, and links make it easy to click through to purchase.
The sooner you adopt SMS as a marketing channel, the greater the advantage you'll have over your competitors.
3. High click-through rates for text messages
The average open rate for emails is 20% and the click rate is only 4%, while the average open rate for SMS is 98% and the average click rate is 19%. So the efficiency is in a class of its own.
Focus on growing your recipient register first
Growing your recipient list is one of the most important steps in launching a successful SMS marketing campaign. The registration process should be as easy as possible. You can ask for permission at the time of subscription, with a separate banner, or encourage people to join by sending an SMS with a specific keyword such as ”VIP” to your company number.
Design an incentive to join the SMS list that will entice you to do so. This could be a discount code or a promise of SMS-only offers.
Quriirin with recipient lists is easy to manage and you can create different groups of recipients according to your own segmentation criteria.
Examples of marketing messages
SMS has emerged as an effective channel for marketers. Below are some examples of marketing messages.
Welcome messages
When someone joins your SMS list, it's worth taking the opportunity to send them a message that makes them feel welcome and special. You can send a thank you for joining the community, a discount code, free shipping on a maximum order or anything else that adds value to the customer.
You can also ask a question such as ”What made you join our SMS list?”. In this case, you can get valuable feedback from customers.
Exclusive offers
To make people feel that it's worth joining and staying on the SMS list, you can send them exclusive offers. These offers are only available to SMS subscribers. Customers are also likely to recommend their friends to join the list if the SMS offers something special.
Messages about product launches
Your more loyal fans will want to hear about future product news as soon as possible. Many people may miss an email or discover it too late. With text messaging, your customers can get the latest news quickly.
Limited time offers
SMS works particularly well for FLASH-sale type campaigns. When an offer has to be grabbed by a certain date or time, you create a sense of urgency and the customer is more responsive. Reminder messages also work well for this type of campaign.
Feedback surveys
The average response rate for text messages is 45%. It is easy and quick to reply to a text message. You can use SMS to ask for feedback on a purchase experience or a specific product, for example.
The benefits of SMS marketing can be seen quickly and it is and ideal way to connect with your customers. It is particularly effective for e-commerce brands, as customers click on a link and make a purchase within minutes.
Quriiri makes SMS marketing easy
Send messages using your browser
Our browser-based service allows you to send and receive SMS messages quickly and easily. All you need is a web browser and an internet connection. You'll find easy-to-use applications for sending group messages and making enquiries.
Send messages from your own software
Take advantage of the Quriiri's features from your own system and automate the sending of messages. Versatile technical interfaces allow integration with most marketing software and IT systems. We are happy to help, so feel free to ask for more information!
Is it time for you to create an impressive SMS campaign that will increase conversions and strengthen your relationship with your customers? Read more SMS marketing with Quriirin or start free trial.
