Did you know the average American spends 3 hours and 43 minutes on their phones each day? With statistics like that, it’s hard to believe more companies aren’t utilizing text messaging as a key marketing strategy. But that might be about to change because email, text messaging’s vastly more popular sister, is beginning to become less effective. Consumers are flooded with so many promotional emails every day that they are often labeled as “spam,” and end up in the trash before the consumer so much as reads the subject lines.
So, why not connect with your customers where they spend an average of 3 hours and 43 minutes every day?
75% of people would like to receive offers through text, so it isn’t a surprise to see a rising number of businesses start using text messaging as part of their marketing strategy. Text messages also tend to have faster open rates and higher response rates, which makes it an effective communication channel.
Whether you’re looking to incorporate text messaging into your marketing strategy or improve your current marketing plan, here are some ways in which you can use text messaging to increase conversions:
Use A Text Messaging Platform
A text messaging platform is especially useful for managing large mailing lists and helps you save a lot of time. The platform allows you to send messages at a specific date and time so you can schedule promotions ahead of time and forget about them.
You can also create triggers so that specific messages are sent to encourage customers to complete an action, such as reminding them to check out if they haven’t done so within a certain number of days.
An advanced platform will also allow customers to directly respond to the messages they receive. This is a great feature because it allows you to provide a personalized customer service experience and close the sale.
Timing Is Key
The goal of your text messages is to create a sense of urgency that will encourage the receiver to take action as soon as possible. That means the timing of your messages is crucial. Promotions should give customers enough time to take action, but not so much time that they put it off. You can also send reminders before the promotion expires, but this should be done sparingly so you don’t risk spamming the receiver.
You can use Google Analytics to track the number of people that click your campaign links. This will help you to determine how long a promotion should run to get the best response rate. It will also allow you to track the ROIs.
Be Clear And Concise
You can easily lose the receiver’s attention with a wordy message. A snappy, time-sensitive text is more likely to entice and convert. Always limit your messages to one CTA per text so that the consumer doesn’t get confused about what they need to do to claim the promotion.
If you need ideas for crafting your messages, you can refer to business texting templates and customize them to suit your needs.
Make It Convenient
Customers are more likely to convert when responding to the CTA requires minimal effort. Rather than sending a general link to your website, include direct links to the promotional page or their shopping carts so they will be more likely to take action immediately.
For in-store offers, allow customers to respond to your text with one simple word, like “YES,” and have a QR code sent to them for scanning at the cashier.
With people spending an increasing amount of time on their phones, using SMS as a communication channel is becoming a more effective tool to reach customers. Not only are they more responsive to text messages, they actually prefer to receive promotions this way.
Regardless of what industry your company is in, you should leverage this highly effective yet under-utilized way to connect with your customers and stand out from your competitors. By using these tips and adding your own twist on your messages, you can further encourage your customers to take immediate action and increase conversions.
