How to create higher SMS engagement
SMS’s (‘Short Message Service’. Also known as a ‘text’) is one of the most underrated and underused marketing tool by retailers, especially when you consider that 90% of SMS’s are read within the first 3 minutes, and as many as 20% of all recipients click on SMS links.
Why don’t retailers create more SMS campaigns?
Is it because most SMS solutions are too complex to set up and use regularly, or is it simply a case of not knowing when or how to use SMS?
The good news is that once you become an XL.Today™ subscriber, SMS becomes simple. From the most basic package up, all XL.Today™ subscriptions come with a generous block of SMS’s. You also have a campaign workflow that makes it incredibly simple to send target SMS’s to any segment of your database that contains mobile numbers. The other great news is we’re here to help you with ideas on how to get the best results from your SMS campaigns, and higher SMS enagement.
Special offers, special results
Contacting customers via an SMS is possibly the most powerful and direct form of retail marketing, with what is widely accepted as the highest level of conversions to sales. The success of SMS marketing is driven by a combination of convenience and offer. The rule of thumb is the more compelling and immediate the offer, the higher conversion to sale. Contacting your customers through their mobiles is the best way to let them know about offers you want them to act on, no matter where they are or what they’re doing.
Now, now, now
Because most SMS’s are reviewed within 3 minutes of receipt, time-sensitive offers are an effective way of increasing sales. Let your customers know about existing offers that are coming to an end or ‘limited time’ online deals. You can also use XL.Today™ to create SMS campaigns on the dates of in-store sales or VIP events.
Think of your database segment
Think of offers that trigger an impulsive response. Triggers will vary depending on your target segment. For example, customers aged under 45 will generally prefer discounts, whereas those over 45 will respond more to free shipping. As an XL.Today™ subscriber you have the advantage of trying different offers to each campaign segment, then comparing results to see what delivers the best outcomes.
Include a short link
Think of SMS as a way to incentivise your customers to engage with your brand online. Add a short link to drive traffic back to your website or e-commerce solution, creating an opportunity for a transaction and increased basket size. As an XL.Today™ subscriber, a shortened version of your campaign is automatically added when you create a campaign.
Keep experimenting
The advantage of being an XL.Today™ subscriber is that SMS campaigns are simple to implement and even easier to compare. Now you can experiment with multiple campaigns to your database segments, compare campaign results, then use those results to drive even more effective SMS campaigns. Remember that what worked once will not necessarily work again and again, as customers tire of the same thing. If you’re always experimenting, then your offers (and by default, your brand) are always fresh and exciting.
