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Good old school SMS. You probably think there’s no place for such a thing of the past in modern e-commerce, but it turns out that it is much more effective than other ways of communication with the client in some situations. Instant notifications, delivery statuses and engaging two-way conversations – this is the power of SMS messages. It seems like 160 characters make a real difference.
Mobile marketing using bulk SMS sending can be a very effective way to reach a wide range of consumers as well as to build relationships with existing customers in e-commerce. However, the condition is that the senders of such messages comply with the rules of SMS marketing.
In practice, this means that a well-prepared mobile campaign provides specific value to recipients, responds to their needs and interests, and not just random information about a product or service. That’s why it’s also an answer on how to market your startup. All you need is a contact database and an idea for enticing content.
Quick list of good SMS marketing practices
- Always collect contacts with SMS marketing consents in accordance with the GDPR rules.
- Use the Opt-out feature that helps customers to unsubscribe from your database.
- Insert shortened links to reduce the number of characters.
- Add UTM parameters to URLs in order to track customer’s behaviour in Google Analytics.
- Monitor the frequency of SMS messages for a single user and never exploit customers’ privacy.
How to measure the effectiveness of SMS marketing?
Use short links with the UTM parameters to track user behaviour in Google Analytics. It is the simplest way to check how well are your campaigns performing.
Here’s also a quick video instruction on adding UTM to short links:
In the following paragraphs, we will present the most frequent problems of e-commerce that SMS messages can quickly solve.
1. Customers missed the promotion?
Solution: make a sale with SMS marketing in e-commerce
Almost everyone has at least one mobile phone. And so, SMS can be a very effective way to transfer a customer from an offline to the online world. All you must do is include a link, preferably a shortened one with UTM parameters. It will lead the recipient to the store. Notify the consumer about current promotions and try to get them to buy quickly.
An example of SMS time-limited promotion
A Japanese restaurant that sells sushi online can send SMS to its customers with the following content:
Upon clicking the URL, the recipient is redirected to the cart page, to which a promotional sushi set has been added and can immediately order it. A single SMS sent on weekdays in the afternoon can increase the number of orders in the restaurant.
2. Lack of information about the status of the order?
Solution: automated SMS reminders
SMS communication will be helpful during order processing. At this time, it’s vital to communicate quickly and effectively. The customer should enjoy shopping, count down the hours to receive the package, and not wonder if his order was placed successfully or if the courier lost the parcel in the sorting house. What should communication look like at the stage of the order fulfilment?
The first information about the order status should be sent by e-mail – this is the right solution when the transaction is completed because the customer is online and will check the e-mail afterwards. Further information about the status should be sent via SMS because this message will be delivered directly to the recipient’s pocket.
What’s important, this process can be fully automated thanks to the integration of SMSAPI with the most popular e-commerce software like Magento, WooCommerce, PrestaShop and many others.
Notifications are also helpful when the consumer has completed the purchasing process but has not confirmed the payment. In this situation, it is enough to send a short message to the customer that you want to pack and ship the product he ordered, but he probably forgot to pay.
An example of an SMS payment reminder
In the case of an online store selling backpacks, the message may look like this:
Moreover, it’s popular to send notifications when you have to give back money after accepting the return of the product. In this situation, it’s worth formulating a payment status message. It would show that you care for every customer and want to improve the quality of their shopping experience with the standard of service.
Especially in the case of complaints and returns, it may even condition subsequent orders placed by the consumer in the future. The younger generation attaches great importance to the store’s customer experience, guided not only by a price.
3. Low client retention?
Solution: SMS remarketing
Efforts to get a customer back who has entered the store but has not bought anything is simply remarketing. The idea is simple – product ads are displayed after some time spent on particular carts. If the user browsed the online store offer with bicycles, then on the following visited pages, Google Ads will show the bikes that interested him. This solution is also available on Facebook. But is that enough?
An example of SMS remarketing
Paul looked for a bike in a shop recommended by friends, looked through the offer, chose and bought the suitable model. Over the following weeks, he still saw many display ads around even though he finalised the order.
In this case, the ad budget was misplaced because it was intended for advertising directed at a customer who has already bought the product. Such actions can only discourage a customer from a particular e-shop. Yes, it’s worth expanding your remarketing strategy by activating customers who have purchased, but this should be done differently.
Contact information about Paul, who finalised the order, is already in the database. So let’s offer him a discount on a complementary product. Not necessarily in the form of advertising on every page he visits, but by simple SMS. The message could look like this:
4. Lack of evaluation of the order?
Solution: collecting feedback via 2-Way SMS
How to find out what the client expects? Ask him! Most SMS bulk services allow a virtual number to which the buyer can send a reply. Use it if you’d like to collect customer feedback about the quality of customer service via the survey.
An example of SMS feedback
Send an automated SMS message right after order completion:
The two-way communication can solve more problems – it works well if the client is involved in competition in various contests. Feedback will be generated automatically in SMSAPI Customer Portal.
Summary
Nowadays, consumers expect more attention and quick response to their questions. Automating the information sent to them in the following stages of the purchase process can help meet these expectations. An old, good SMS effectively breaks through information noise. This process can be easily implemented in e-commerce thanks to SMS modules for e-stores.
Regardless of their purpose, text messages will be helpful in every step of the purchase process. Whether they serve as notifications about the status of packages or in remarketing or promotional campaigns, their effectiveness and speed of delivery guarantee the improvement of the store’s customer experience, and consequently, ROI.
