What would you say are your top 3 effective marketing channels? If your three answers didn't include SMS marketing, then you could be missing out on a huge opportunity to drive engagement and revenue growth for your business. With an average read rate of 97% within 15 minutes of receipt, it's not hard to see why so many campaigns that include it are successful. That said, it's not as simple as creating messaging and using a scattergun approach to reach your customers. Instead, it takes a well-thought-out strategy to use the channel to its fullest potential. You've first got to get subscribers to opt into receiving SMS messages from your business, after which you have to give serious thought to a range of aspects, such as:
While the concept of SMS marketing may still be quite new, brands that are able to leverage its power can enjoy a real strategic advantage over their competition. When employed via popular platforms like Klaviyo, the impact can be truly significant.
One of the appealing benefits of Klaviyo SMS marketing is that it allows for two-way communication between businesses and customers. These conversations can be conducted easily and swiftly, and that's in addition to the fact that SMS facilitates better customer experiences.Want an example? Well, imagine a scenario in which a customer needs some important information about a high-ticket item - which they ask for via SMS. You reply with lightning speed and furnish them with what they require. This gives the customer the confidence to make a purchase and a positive brand perception is created. That's the WHY, but what we look at now is the HOW as we investigate some of the things to consider when putting your SMS marketing strategy together.
Research into the subject has clearly shown that, for the most part, people subscribing to your SMS mailing list want to know about the following transactional info:
Also popular are messages about promotional codes and coupons. 30-50% of people asked would accept these types of texts and view them as both welcome and appropriate. Basically, customers seem to want; a) reassurance that their order is sent as planned and b) access to exclusive discounts and offers. Other useful texts people prefer include:
The basic rule of thumb when it comes to your SMS output is that it should be short, easy to read and offer value. Whether that's an opportunity to get a first look at a new product or an extra 10% off of their favorite products is up to you. When chosen right, a sales boost typically ensues.
Another important factor to consider when creating your SMS marketing strategy is WHEN to send your text messages. While things may vary slightly from sector to sector, there's a sweet spot during which customers receiving your messages are most likely to respond. Generally speaking, that time is between the hours of 12 pm and 1 pm on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. This will coincide with a midday lunch break for the majority of professionals in the US and give your SMS the best chance of opening and interaction. Those sent at the beginning and end of the month also seem to enjoy better conversion rates. Another way to differentiate yourself from the competition is to avoid sending messages on the hour or half-hour - as that's a very common tactic. By sending yours at, say, 11:34 or 12:38, you can stand out and win the attention of your audience. Other useful times to send promotional messages include:
.jpg)
As we mentioned earlier, the last thing you want to do is annoy your customers with your SMS marketing, but bombarding them with too many will surely do so. According to the latest surveys, over 96% of people were happy to receive texts from brands on a weekly basis.
Just 4% of respondents said they wouldn't want any kind of text messaging from their favorite brands. The vast majority of those thinking this way come from the baby boomer generation. So, there's a clear and obvious way to keep pretty much every one of your subscribers happy - send interesting, value-laden text messages at least once a week. Go over this line, and the numbers start to stack up against you and impact the subsequent interaction and conversion rates.
If you're looking for new opportunities for interaction and sales, you need to seriously consider putting together your own SMS marketing strategy. Offering a conversion rate in the region of 29%, nothing else comes close. Due in part to the convenient and immediate nature of texting, it's a channel that online retailers can ill afford to ignore. As we've seen here, however, even with all this potential, you need to time your texts well, in addition to delivering the right frequency of messages and ensuring that they’re both useful and interesting. Get that right, and the rewards for your efforts will surely come.
.jpg)
