Since you know you need to engage with your customers, you probably use social media platforms and email newsletters. Still, there is another option that many businesses have yet to tap into—-SMS marketing.
By utilizing SMS messaging, businesses can engage with their customers quickly and cost-effectively. Besides its use in marketing, it lets customer service teams stay connected with their clientele and keep them informed about updates or changes to their orders.
SMS messages provide the perfect opportunity for businesses to reach existing and potential customers in a direct, timely way.
Let’s take a closer look at why this marketing type effectively improves customer relationships.
The Basics of SMS Messages
Sending an SMS message online allows your businesses to send quick and direct messages directly to your customer’s phones. Your message grabs your customer’s attention quicker than a telephone call or an email.
The ability to target SMS messages is another tremendous advantage of SMS messaging. You can segment your customer base according to user data and send them messages tailored to their preferences, location, or activity.
Even better, you don’t need a full-fledged app for this type of marketing. You only need a short code, a number that customers can text to receive updates or participate in promotions, and a keyword.
SMS messages also offer better personalization opportunities than traditional marketing methods do. You can include the customer’s name in the message and other details, such as their order history or purchase preferences. This builds trust with your customers because it’s similar to speaking directly to them.
Finally, sending an SMS message online is incredibly cost-effective. Compared to a telephone call or email, it has minimal overhead costs and can reach customers quickly and conveniently. You don’t need to maintain an entire customer service team to respond to inquiries or complaints. All you need is a dedicated number and keyword for customers to text their message so that the appropriate personnel can address their query.
Why SMS Works So Well
SMS messages are highly effective for customer engagement because they are direct and personal. Unlike emails or social media posts, which can get lost in other notices, SMS messages go directly into the recipient’s phone—and usually appear on the lock screen!
The Pew Research Center found that customers open text messages quickly because they don’t want to miss out on important information.
The Benefits of Using SMS Messages
SMS messages provide several benefits for businesses seeking to engage with customers more effectively.
An SMS reminder can be used both as a promotional and a reminder. If, for instance, you want people to come into your store on a particular day or buy a new product, sending them an SMS reminder will increase engagement.
Finally, since many people like receiving personalized messages from businesses rather than generic ones (i.e., news alerts), sending out customized text messages allows you to create a more intimate connection with each customer, which could make them feel more loyal toward your brand.
Think about it: Texting allows you to send timely reminders about special offers or upcoming events without worrying about emails getting lost in someone’s inbox or social media posts buried under other updates—your message will always be front and center on recipients’ phones.
Leverage Automation to Build Your Business
SMS solutions allow you to automate conversations with customers and prospects. This automation helps increase efficiency and accuracy by sending automated texts triggered by user actions or events.
Automation also helps save time by automating repetitive tasks such as sending follow-up messages or appointment reminders to clients.
Additionally, it allows you to customize messages based on customer data, such as their preferences or interests.
Analyze Your Conversations
After sending an SMS message only, you can further improve customer service and engagement levels by analyzing customer conversations.
By analyzing customer conversations, you can also identify patterns in customer behavior to optimize messaging campaigns further. In short, by leveraging these analytics features, you can better understand your customer’s needs and serve them better over time.
Use This Powerful Way to Enhance the Customer Experience
Using SMS messaging as part of your customer engagement strategy has numerous benefits, such as increasing visibility among potential customers while providing personalized experiences for existing ones.