5 Reasons Why Retail Brands Should Utilize SMS Marketing

Retail brands are confronted by an ever-growing number of potential marketing channels as technology continues to advance and change. But not every consumer touchpoint is equal. With mobile usage consistently on the rise, more and more businesses are focusing on SMS marketing to build stronger ties with their customers. Our Digital Marketing team understands the value of effectively reaching customers where they are most engaged. Through our integration with Attentive, a Salesforce partner,  we’re able to help our clients take their marketing strategy to the next level with SMS. 

Let’s explore SMS Marketing, its advantages for companies, recommended practices, and how to get started.

What is SMS Marketing?

SMS Marketing or Text Message Marketing is a form of digital marketing that involves alerts, promotional messages, offers, or other types of content to a group of individuals through text messages. These messages are sent to a list of subscribers who have opted in to receive communications from a business or organization. 

Text message marketing utilizes SMS technology for short text messages exchanged between mobile devices. It is a direct communication channel to reach Salesforce B2C Commerce customers, clients, or subscribers on mobile phones. Businesses often use text message marketing to promote products or services, share exclusive offers, provide order updates, send event reminders, conduct surveys, and more.

5 Reasons Why Retail Brands Should Utilize SMS Marketing 

The API for text messaging is versatile, catering to various entities, from small-scale enterprises to expansive corporations. Cost-effectiveness is a hallmark of SMS marketing. Similar to email marketing, bulk texting services are budget-friendly, allowing businesses to reach a vast audience without straining finances.  

Furthermore, SMS marketing elevates Salesforce B2C Commerce customer service. In today’s customer-centric world, consumers anticipate premier service. Even with limited resources, businesses can now meet these expectations, thanks to SMS solutions. SMS marketing ensures rapid results, given the immediacy of text messaging. Moreover, SMS promotions are ideal for fleeting deals or discounts, urging customers to act swiftly, and ultimately boosting sales.  

Here are five benefits of SMS marketing if you are on the fence about using it in your digital marketing strategy. 

1. Direct and Immediate Communication 

SMS marketing offers a direct and immediate line of communication to your audience. Unlike email or social media, which might go unnoticed in crowded inboxes or newsfeeds, SMS messages are always read within minutes of being received. With an open rate of 97%, brands have a remarkable opportunity to ensure their SMS messages reach their intended recipients promptly.

This immediacy is advantageous for time-sensitive promotions, flash sales, event reminders, and breaking news. Retail brands can capitalize on the urgency of SMS to drive immediate action from their audience.

2. High Engagement Rates 

The engagement rates associated with SMS marketing are notably high. SMS texts encourage prompt responses in addition to being more likely to be opened. Retail brands can use SMS to initiate interactive campaigns, such as polls, surveys, and contests, fostering a sense of participation and involvement among their audience. 

Additionally, SMS is a private communication method. Customers who receive text messages from brands experience it as a one-on-one interaction, forging a strong bond and boosting engagement and customer loyalty.

3. Large Audience and Accessibility 

An active internet connection or downloading specialized programs is unnecessary for SMS marketing. All mobile phones, even entry-level models and smartphones can receive SMS messages. Companies may reach a wider audience because of this universality, including people who require more dependable internet connectivity or shun using applications and emails. SMS marketing provides a flexible communication route for companies wishing to interact with a range of demographics or grow into regions with varying levels of internet infrastructure. 

4. Opt-in Model Assures Targeted Audiences  

Customers who use SMS marketing have voluntarily chosen to receive messages from a brand because it is an opt-in service. A highly focused audience interested in the brand’s offerings results from this. Customers are more likely to engage with SMS content since they willingly opt-in, which leads to more meaningful interactions and transactions.

5. Combines Well with Multi-channel Marketing Strategies  

Instead of being considered in isolation, SMS marketing should be seen as a supplement to and amplification of multi-channel marketing initiatives. By integrating SMS with other channels like email, social media, and physical marketing materials, Retail brands can create a cohesive and synchronized customer experience. 

For instance, an SMS could be a teaser for an upcoming email campaign or provide exclusive information about a social media contest. Cross-channel integration reinforces the brand’s messaging and helps customers recognize and engage with it across various touch points. 

SMS Marketing Key Use Cases 

So, imagine your newly integrated SMS platform in action. Some of the main use cases for SMS marketing are: 

• Limited Times Deals: Customers can be alerted to a short-term sale or discount, so they don’t miss the opportunity.
• Stock Availability: If a customer has been on a waitlist for a desired product, a text message notification can let them know the item is back in stock so they can quickly place their order before it sells out again.
• Appointment Reminders: Automated SMS alerts are an efficient way to remind customers of their appointments, decreasing missed slots and enhancing efficiency.
• Order Updates: By offering real-time updates on order and delivery status, businesses can foster trust and ensure transparency with their clientele.
• Feedback & Surveys: SMS streamlines the feedback process, helping  businesses glean vital insights from customers.

Sporting Life SMS Marketing Success 

We have worked with Sporting Life for many years on Salesforce projects, implementations and Managed Services to support the growth of their retail ecommerce brand. When the time came to expand their customer reach with SMS marketing, Attentive’s powerful platform and expert support stood out.

“We’ve seen incredible results from partnering with Attentive for our SMS program. By personalizing our messaging strategy, we’ve been able to increase our overall reach of subscribers and ultimately grow our e-commerce business. Attentive has allowed us to go above and beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and personalize our SMS strategy while staying true to our brand and activating the customer’s channel of choice.”

 – Sporting Life 

SMS Marketing Strategy Best Practices 

By building a considerable subscriber list, choosing the most appropriate platform, and crafting compelling messages, you can harness the energy of SMS marketing to foster meaningful customer relationships and achieve your company goals. SMS marketing requires a combination of creativity, strategy, and compliance generated by following these best practices.

• Build a Subscriber List: Before sending SMS messages, you’ll need a set of subscribers who’ve opted in to get your messages either via your website, in-store, or social media.
• Select a Reliable SMS Marketing Platform: Numerous SMS marketing platforms can allow you to manage your campaigns, schedule messages, and monitor the outcomes. Efficient platforms that offer statistics, message scheduling, and contact management. 
• Segment Thoughtfully: Segmentation is vital in any marketing strategy. Organize your subscriber list into preferences, purchasing history, or demographics segments. This helps ensure your messages will be relevant and resonate with specific targeted groups.
• Be Mindful of Timing: Timing plays an essential role in SMS marketing success. Sending messages when your audience is available and engaged produces best results and shows respect to your customers. 
• Test and Optimize: Examine and test different call-to-actions, transmission instances, and message formats and continue to adapt your strategy accordingly.
• Be Mindful of Compliance: SMS is a highly regulated channel that must adhere to specific laws. Familiarize yourself with the key rules and requirements of SMS marketing, from getting express written consent to allowing subscribers to opt out of your program at any time. 

Getting Started with Ease 

SMS marketing is a powerful  channel that retail brands should consider integrating into their digital marketing strategies. Accomplishing your organization’s SMS objectives requires growing your subscriber list, carefully selecting the right platform, and creating appealing messages. Getting started doesn’t need to be complicated or overwhelming. Our experienced digital marketing team can facilitate a partnership with a third-party integration partner like Attentive to help you achieve your goals in reaching your B2C commerce customers.  

Have some logistical questions on how SMS marketing works? Based on our experience, we’ve compiled a resource answering some of the most frequent inquiries about SMS. You can download the SMS FAQ list here.