Prepare for the Holiday Season with Text Message Marketing
Hard to believe summer is drawing to a close soon, which means the Holidays are just around the corner! Most retailers are already well into preparations for the upcoming shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Don’t wait until the last minute to include text messaging into your mobile marketing campaigns this year. Whether you are an online retailer or you run a brick and mortar business, make sure you have the tools in place to reach your customers where they are — on their mobile phones!
Here are a few text message marketing tips to help you prepare for the Holidays:
Start building up your mobile marketing list now.
Text message marketing is permission based, so start asking your customers to opt-in to your text groups. Using an easy-to-remember short code like 37373 and a unique keyword, you can easily promote “Text MYSTORE to 37373” type call-to-actions on your website, social media sites, emails, receipts, in-store signage and more. Make sure your call-to-action is clear and compliant anywhere you promote your text call-to-action.
Offer incentives for joining your list.
Drive sign-ups with a special opt-in incentives. Offer mobile coupons like discounts off next purchase, buy-one-get-one-free, free with purchase or VIP access. More importantly, give people a reason to look forward to your text messages beyond the initial offer they receive from opting in. Examples include sneak peeks, exclusive offers, members only specials or content made available just for your text subscribers.
Target your messages.
Don’t blast your text group with offers and messages that aren’t relevant. Segment your groups by interest, geographic location or gender, for instance, and tailor your text message with targeted content. The more relevant your messaging, the more likely your subscribers will remain opted into your text group.
Integrate your text program with social media.
Point your customers to your social media pages by text message and encourage them to share. You can also promote your text call to action on your social media pages to help grow your subscriber base. While sites like Facebook and Twitter are good for “joining the conversation,” text is a great tool for cutting through the noise and making sure your message is opened and read in the first place. Open rates for text messages are as high as 98%!
Time it right.
Messages that are delivered at just the right time can drive action more effectively and increase redemption rates and sales. Offer text-for-info type coupons while customers are in-store. For example, if you want to drive sales of a particular item, you can promote your “text-and-receive-coupon” call to action on the display signage next to that item.
Don’t annoy.
If you send too many text messages, you’ll turn people off. If you send too few, they’ll forget about you. There is no right frequency that applies to all businesses but in general, 1-4 messages per month is a good place to start. And always give your subscribers a way to opt-out of your text program by periodically letting them know to text STOP.
Make it fun.
Customer engagement is not just about getting coupons. Sometimes you want to remind or inform your customers but you also want to entertain and delight! Use text messaging to drive people to a mobile web page with a fun contest or promotion. Send scavenger hunt clues through text as a means of driving traffic to different store locations or landing pages on your site. Or simply text a reminder for a special Holiday events or a link to your Holiday Gift Guide on your blog. Be creative!
Interested in learning more about Text Message Marketing? Contact TextMarks at 800-696-1393 or email tmsales@textmarks.com.
