SMS marketing is the fastest growing marketing channel for brands that has become too popular to ignore. This communication method is more informal than other forms of marketing, making the use of SMS a great way to reach your customers while also humanizing your brand.
Even though it’s a more casual form of communication, SMS marketing still requires a strategic plan in order to be successful. Staying on top of the best practices for text message marketing is important as the popularity of SMS marketing continues to boom.
In this article, we dive into the top 5 SMS marketing trends for 2022.
Is SMS Marketing Effective?
SMS marketing has become a proven strategy for digital marketers that isn’t going anywhere any time soon, mostly because of its cost-effectiveness, simplicity, and ability to reach customers quickly. The average open rate of a text message is 99%, while the average open rate of an email is 30%.
The Covid-19 pandemic shifted the way many consumers shop, with more people making purchases on their smartphones than ever before. SMS marketing meets the customer where they are making purchases: their mobile devices.
In a study by Attentive Mobile Consumer Report, 91% of consumers said they would opt-in for brand text messaging and 55% have already done so. In other words, don’t ignore your audience: they want to receive SMS messages from you.
Top SMS Marketing Trends In 2022
- Personalization
- Increased use for flash sales and building brand loyalty
- Combining SMS and email marketing strategies
- Handling customer service through SMS
- Use SMS for review requests
Personalization for SMS marketing
Not only do consumers want SMS messages, but they want SMS messages tailored to them. In fact, SmarterHQ reported that 72% of consumers will only engage with personalized marketing messages tailored to them.
Personalizing the customer journey through automation and work flows is an effective way to boost engagement and enhance the user experience. This also can reduce time marketers spend on tasks by having campaigns that are automatically triggered based on user actions, such as cart abandonment and order confirmations.
Increased use for flash sales
95% of text messages are opened within the first 3 minutes of being received. This makes text message marketing the perfect communication channel when having time sensitive information, such as a flash sale. Subscribers are excited to receive these messages, as everyone loves a discount, and the limited time offer encourages them to act as it creates a sense of urgency.
Combining SMS and email marketing strategies
Email and SMS marketing each have their own strengths. SMS messages create instant awareness where email is a great tool to do the followup work. There are many situations where communication can be more effective when SMS and email are used together.
For example, when launching a new product, you can use a text campaign to notify subscribers about the pre-sales event to create awareness. Following up with an email containing details and images about the product provides clarity and encourages customers to follow through.
Using both can also help with customer management, such as:
- Sending shipping notifications via text and detailed invoices via email.
- Offering product giveaways via text and following up with terms via email.
- Notifying about changes in terms and conditions via text and sending updated attachments via email.
Having touchpoints with customers across multiple channels enhances brand awareness and the overall customer experience.
SMS customer support
When customers have a question or concern about an order, they don’t want to wait on hold listening to elevator music. Instead, having two way SMS messages allows them to easily reach out and have a conversation in real time.
While there are many brands that are yet to adopt this strategy, consumers’ expectations of reaching customer service via text are increasing, as 52% of consumers said they would text a customer service representative if given the option.
SMS review requests
Reviews are king in today’s economy, as a Nielsen survey found that 92% of consumers trust suggestions received by word of mouth more than traditional advertising. Obtaining reviews isn’t always easy, but sending a quick survey through SMS offers an effective way to gain customer reviews and build trust.
Best SMS Marketing Campaigns
The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to communicating with your customers via SMS. Below are some of the most effective mobile marketing campaigns that receive the highest engagement.
- Welcome
- Flash sales
- Birthday
- Text to win contests
- New products
- Order confirmation
- Shipping confirmation
- Product tips
Welcome message
A welcome message marks the beginning of your new communication with a new subscriber. Besides welcoming a customer that decided to opt-in to your SMS marketing messages, you can also send them a call-to-action to increase sales which can include:
- A discount code for being a new SMS subscriber
- A link to your website to continue shopping on their mobile phone
- A quick message about what kind of messages you’ll send in the future (sales alerts, new product updates etc)
Flash sales
Flash sales are a SMS marketing strategy with one of the higher conversion rates that will quickly increase ecommerce sales. With 60% of SMS customers reading a message 1-5 minutes after receiving it, SMS is the best channel to use when sending time sensitive material such as flash sales. Sending a limited time offer creates a sense of urgency for your customer to act quickly so they don’t miss out!
Birthday messages
Create a personal experience with your SMS subscribers by wishing them a Happy Birthday. These messages build customer relationships which drive loyalty, but also including an exclusive discount code for them as a birthday gift is a great way to increase sales revenue.
Text to win contests
Text to win contests are an easy way to attract new subscribers with mobile messaging while building brand awareness and customer engagement. Text to win contests have a significantly high return on investment and one of the fastest ways to grow your SMS subscriber list.
New products
Have a product launch approaching? Use text message marketing to build excitement with a product teaser, introduction and countdown to the new product arrival.
Order confirmation
Transactional messages are a great touch point for ecommerce businesses. Customers like to stay informed about their orders. A quick confirmation text lets them know their order was received and builds trust.
Shipping confirmations
A follow up to the order confirmation text is a shipping confirmation text that lets the customer know their order is on the way. This SMS message is another way to build trust between your brand and the customer by having clear communication.
Product tips
SMS marketing can also be used to educate and provide value to your customers. Send out product tips or links to your other content marketing that gives your customers innovative ideas on how to use products more effectively.
How To Do SMS Marketing
Below are some tips on best practices to use SMS marketing:
- Have a clear opt-in before you start sending messages
- Have clear messaging and keep it short and sweet
- Identify yourself so the receiver clearly knows who the message is from
- Include one CTA and make it time sensitive whenever possible
- Keep it informal by using emojis and conversational tone
- Tailor your message to the customer with list segmentation
- Take advantage of SMS automation
If you’re unsure how to get started using SMS marketing, request a free complimentary audit with Quantum Lifecycle Marketing. We are happy to show you how SMS marketing, along with other lifecycle marketing tools such as email marketing, can successfully grow your business.
