Rise Above the Competition

SMS is an increasingly effective form of mobile engagement. While still new when compared to marketing through email, SMS has been proven more effective. The open rate for text messages is much higher. When you want to get customers interested in your brand, you have to engage them with solid marketing strategies. SMS is an approach that takes time and careful cultivation of your customer list. As time goes on, your number of subscribers will rise and you'll be able to reach a wide audience with a simple text message.

Create a Plan For Your Marketing Strategy

Once you decide to use text marketing as part of your marketing, it's time to create a plan to move forward. Your messages need to be strategic, as you don't want to overwhelm your customers with too many text messages. 81% of cell phone owners use text messaging as a main form of communication. While this is good news for marketing, it also means you don't want to overwhelm your customers with too many messages. Your plan should include sending messages that are interesting, relevant, and timed so that you don't send too many at once.

Send Texts When You Have a Deal to Share

Text messages can be sent when you have a great deal to share. Your customers wont' have to deal with cutting out coupons, as they can simply show their phone to get the deal. You can reach your customers any time, and share a flash deal that's only good for a few hours if you want. When business is slow and you are trying to attract customers into your store, a time limited deal can have a big impact.

Share News Through SMS

If you have a new product you want to showcase, or you have recent remodeled your store, you may want to share this news with your customers. A quick text message can let your customers know about changes to your business, insiders deals only for those receiving texts, or anything you think will interest customers and get them interested in your brand.

Get Traffic to Your Website

When you want to get customers to engage with your brand online, share text messages that have links in them. You can send a text to learn more, and share a link to your website or your social media page. If your business includes online retail, this is an excellent way to gain website traffic and increase sales. The message should be direct and give customers a reason to click the link and visit your website.

Grow Your Customer Base

Your marketing efforts should always include growing your customer base. To get more subscribers to your SMS, you have to share this information anywhere you can. When customers are in the store, ask if they want to sign up to receive text messages. Share your information on social media platforms. Provide ways for customers to learn about your business and sign up to receive messages.

SMS can transform your retail business by improving the customer experience. Pay attention to the frequency of messages and the content you send. Continually grow your base of subscribers and look for ways to get customers to engage in your brand.