More and more consumers are shopping online via mobile and the number of mobile purchases is expected to increase even more during the end of the festive season. Emarketer estimates that although the return to normality has begun, consumers will continue to be willing to shop on their phones, with 66% of consumers saying their mobile device is their main shopping tool.
This also means that competition for consumer attention on mobile is growing and many marketers are wondering how to reach customers. SMS marketing is a cost-effective way for businesses to stand out from the crowd and reach the right people effectively. Research shows that 98% of people read their inbox and while text messages sent by individuals are on the decline, there are many opportunities for businesses in this powerful channel. So make the most of the effectiveness of SMS during the end-of-year festive season. We've listed the ways to make SMS marketing work.
Create a sense of urgency
Consumers want to find the best deals and are ready to make quick purchasing decisions. Send text messages that make the reader feel they have to act immediately. Highlight the validity of the offer or the limited quantity of the product in the message.
Create a sense of exclusivity for SMS subscribers and encourage them to ”take advantage of the deal while it lasts”. This traditional marketing technique is an effective way to grab SMS subscribers' attention and drive results during the festive season. Increase the number of purchases by sending customers reminders of the offer's validity.
Treat your SMS subscribers like VIPs
SMS marketing is a way to engage and deepen relationships with your most loyal customers. Personalised messages can include unique offers that only SMS subscribers receive. In this way, you create a sense of belonging to a VIP community. For example, you can send them a pre-subscriber benefit, so they get the offer before anyone else. Or offer them the chance of free shipping if they place an order using the code in the SMS.
Keep customers informed about deliveries
Customers appreciate and expect information on delivery, as they often want to receive their purchase as soon as possible. Text messaging is quick to reach and commercial messages increase customer satisfaction. You can also inform them of any delays, so they get the information quickly and don't wait in vain. By integrating SMS into your system, you automate the delivery of messages and improve the customer experience.
Praise and reward
Remember the customer afterwards by thanking them for their purchase. An easy way to reward your loyal customers is to send them, for example. Alarm code. The Ärrä code is a service for companies that allows them to easily and quickly reward customers and other stakeholders with products from the R-kiosk range.
The Ärrä code is a one-time, unique code that is sent as a text message to the desired number of people. The Ärrä code works like a gift card and can be used with a variety of products from the R-kiosk range. By showing the Ärrä code at any R-kiosk in Finland, the recipient will receive the product attached to the code free of charge or at a discount. The Ärrä code is a quick and cost-effective way to make a lot of people happy!
Make the customer matter
Text messaging is a great way to interact with your customers and give them the opportunity to make a difference. You can send SMS surveys to improve the customer experience or, for example, send customers a promotional message about their next purchase so they want to buy from you again. Make the customer feel that you care about them and that they are important.
Text messages help businesses reach their customers and engage them with their brand in real time. Whether you're trying SMS for the first time or looking for ways to improve your current SMS strategy, we hope you found these tips useful. We wish you the courage to try SMS as part of your customer communications. You can try our SMS service for free and if you have any questions, we are happy to help.
