10 ways in which SMS marketing increases your sales
Complete guides, expert articles and best practices in email marketing, SMS and marketing automation.
SMS Marketing
10 ways you can grow your business
As technology advances, SMS marketing remains an essential strategy for companies that want to quickly interact with customers, increase engagement, and generate sales.
Consumer expectations regarding direct communication from brands are high, and SMS marketing proves to be the ideal solution for fast and effective messages.
Next, we will address several topics related to the use of SMS marketing:
• Why is SMS marketing an effective communication channel? • 10 ways you can use it in marketing communication • How to build an impactful SMS strategy • A comparison between SMS and other digital channels
Why is SMS marketing an effective communication channel?
SMS marketing stands out for its efficient way of reaching the desired audience. Unlike traditional communication methods, it plays an important role in omnichannel strategies. Here are some advantages of SMS communication:
High open rates: On average, 98% of SMS messages are read, and 95% of them are opened within the first three minutes of receipt.
Quick interaction: 59% of recipients respond to SMS in less than five minutes, making it perfect for real-time communications.
Uptrend: Almost 40% of companies included SMS marketing in their strategies, capitalizing on reduced costs and increased impact.
Growth potential: Spending on SMS marketing is estimated to grow at a 20.3% CAGR, reflecting its growing importance across various industries.
How brands can leverage SMS marketing: Recommendations and examples
If you want to maximize the impact of SMS marketing campaigns, here are 10 strategies that companies use to attract and retain customers:
1. Welcome messages
An effective first contact can determine long-term customer loyalty. Sending a personalized SMS upon signup helps establish a positive relationship from the start.
Recommendations for welcome messages:
• Use the client's name for added personalization • Includes an exclusive offer for your first purchase • Set customer expectations by explaining what will come next (news, discounts, benefits)
Example: "Hi [Name]! Welcome to our community. Get 10% off your first order with code WELCOME10. Buy now: [bit.ly/linksite.ro]"
2. Customer surveys and feedback
SMS surveys are the most effective way to get feedback from your customers. When sending a survey, you should keep in mind a few best practices that will increase your response rate.
Recommendations for surveys:
• Questions must be short and easy to understand – maximum 3 questions • Use an incentive to increase the number of respondents • Send thank you messages to those who responded
Example: "Your opinion is important! How would you rate your experience with the customer service department on a scale of 1 to 5?"
3. Contests and giveaways
You can run SMS contests where customers benefit from a gift that is conditioned on an action.
Recommendations for competitions:
• The registration form must be simple (example: Answer with "Yes") • Set a deadline to create a sense of urgency • Announce the winner to provide transparency
Example: "Would you like to win a vacation in Tuscany? Answer "yes" and you will be automatically entered into the raffle that will take place on Friday, April 25th."
4. Limited promotional offers
Communicating limited-time promotional offers via SMS is ideal for holidays, stock clearances or discounts.
Recommendations for limited offers:
• Mention the deadline (example: Until tomorrow, 10:00) • Use a "call to action" (buy now) • Provides a sense of exclusivity to increase loyalty
Example: "Exclusive offer for subscribers! Get 30% off all products until Friday, 10:00 AM. Use promo code FLASH30 at checkout. Buy now: [bit.ly/eveniment]"
5. Reminder and offers
Using text messages to remind users about participating in an event or promotional offers launched close to a deadline can increase participation rates by up to 38%.
Recommendations for reminders and offers:
• Send multiple messages at regular intervals (a week, a day, an hour in advance) • Includes event details • Use links to the online page
Example: "We remind you that the play "A Stormy Night" takes place tomorrow [date], at 7:00 PM, at the National Theater, Ion Caramitru Hall. Entry to the hall is 30 minutes before the start of the show. See the program at: [bit.ly/eveniment]"
6. Loyalty program updates & VIP rewards
A successful loyalty campaign starts with good customer communication. SMS marketing can be used to inform customers about accumulated points, special offers and exclusive benefits.
Loyalty program recommendations:
• Send monthly notifications about your points balance • Offers bonuses for double points days • Personalize messages based on purchase history
Example: "Congratulations! You've accumulated 500 points. Redeem them for exclusive discounts, in store or online. See all the benefits here: [bit.ly/loialitate]"
7. Promoting products and services through SMS marketing
Communicating a new product or service via SMS is a fast and effective method to generate enthusiasm and stimulate first purchases from loyal customers.
Recommendations for product promotion:
• Notify your customers about the product launch date • Mention where the product is available • Add a link to the product page
Example: "Steam Master, the most revolutionary iron, has been launched. Come to our stores starting April 7th or order online with free delivery. Pre-order now: [bit.ly/produs]"
8. SMS marketing drip campaigns for customer loyalty
Keep customers connected to your brand for the long term. SMS drip campaigns are a series of automated messages that are sent sequentially to potential customers, delivering relevant messages to increase conversions.
Recommendations for drip campaigns:
• Creates a stream of messages that are sent at regular intervals • Offer valuable content, tailored to each customer's needs or based on their behavior • Directs users to clear actions and mentions what the next steps are
Example: "Welcome to [Brand]! In the coming days, you'll receive helpful recommendations to make the most of our offers. We start tomorrow!"
9. SMS marketing for abandoned cart recovery (cart abandonment)
Sending text messages to customers who abandon their shopping cart is an effective practice for increasing conversion rates. The customer receives a reminder to complete the order, which is often accompanied by an incentive (promotional code, a gift, etc.).
Recommendations for optimizing abandoned cart recovery: • Remind users which products they left in their cart • Create a sense of urgency through limited-time discounts • Includes a direct link to checkout
Example: "Hey [name], Your cart is waiting. We're offering 10% off if you checkout today. Use code CART10: [bit.ly/checkoutcart]"
10. Back-in-stock alerts via SMS marketing
When a product runs out of stock, customers and store users should have an alert option for when it will be back in stock. When the stock is updated, the user receives a message via SMS.
Recommendations for sending back-in-stock alerts:
• Create an alert that sends messages automatically, immediately after stock updates • Urges immediate action to benefit from the offer • Provides a quick link to the product
Example: "Good news! [Product name] is back in stock. Make sure you grab one before it's gone: [bit.ly/backinstock]"
How to develop an effective SMS marketing strategy that generates conversions
An SMS marketing campaign is not just about sending messages, but involves a clear strategy to achieve conversions and increase customer satisfaction.
Here are some steps for a successful strategy:
Set precise goals
Before initiating an SMS marketing campaign, it is essential to define the objectives you want to achieve:
• Increase sales and conversions • Increasing customer interaction rate • Increasing participation in events or loyalty programs
Segment your audience for personalization
Sending messages in a "one size fits all" model is not effective. SMS marketing becomes much more effective when messages are tailored to each audience segment.
Here are some examples of audience segmentation:
• Purchase history: Identify loyal customers vs. new buyers • Demographics & location: Adjust bids based on region and time zone • Behavior & interaction: Create personalized messages for frequent buyers vs. inactive users
Performance monitoring and continuous optimization
Monitoring the performance of SMS campaigns gives you feedback on indicators such as: sales performance, response rate, sending rate, message clarity, etc. Based on these indicators, you can optimize your campaigns to achieve better performance from one edition to the next.
Key indicators to track:
• Delivery rate: Do messages reach their recipients? • Response rates: Are customers interacting with your messages? • Conversions: Do the messages drive sales and signups?
SMS marketing vs. other communication channels
•SMS vs. Email: Higher open and response rates, without spam filters • SMS vs. Social Media: Direct message, without dependence on algorithms • SMS vs. Push Notifications: Extended coverage, no app required • SMS vs. Paid Ads: Lower costs and precise targeting Successful SMS campaigns
An example of a successful campaign that White Image developed and was on-going for several years was for communicating the weekly Mega Image promotions.
We launched an SMS campaign with a very high level of personalization, meaning that each SMS contained a reference to a product that the respective customer frequently buys using the Conect - Mega Image card and contained a unique link that redirected each customer to a unique list of offers dedicated exclusively to their preferences. These SMS had an interaction rate of ~70%.
Another example would be using SMS as a way to collect marketing consents offline. Car manufacturer Toyota invites customers to fill in their personal details on a tablet in showrooms and they receive a subscription confirmation SMS to which they only have to respond with a "yes". This is how the function of collecting information via SMS and confirming marketing consent is used. This technique can be easily used by any business with an offline presence.
The basic idea: test new strategies to optimize audience segmentation and obtain real benefits.
Conclusion
SMS marketing campaigns offer quick results with minimal investment. Short messages are easy to read and increase sales by up to 45%.
Use correct audience segmentation and send offers at the right time for the best results.
Test different types of messages to see what your audience responds to best.
Create an SMS campaign now and you will see how your conversion rate and customer loyalty increase.
Let's talk!
Fill out the form and a specialist from our team will contact you as soon as possible.
