SMS is SUCH a killer tool for consumer brands 📱📱
A lot of marketers wince and think of SMS as intrusive, but that’s not how consumers see it.
📈93% of US shoppers are interested in or opted in to texts from a brand.
📈In 2022 that number was 81% (a 26% jump from 2020).
📈 88% of consumers in the UK, Australia, and Canada said they’re interested in or have already signed up for texts from brands.
In reality, it’s often seen as much less intrusive than things like social ads — customers give consent and can opt-out.
The fact that adoption of SMS has continued to grow highlights that the channel meets their needs and expectations for convenience.
It allows you to meet your customers where they are — on their phones.
📈 On average, SMS has a 98% open rate
📈77% of buyers develop a positive perception of a company that uses SMS notifications
📈 Globally, 63% of consumers engage with brands’ SMS programs at least twice a week.
Consumers say they’d rather talk to a brand via SMS than call them, talk to a sales associate in person, do laundry, or even…. exercise.
With the fast, two-way nature of SMS, It’s an incredible channel for cultivating direct relationships with their customers
It makes it easier for customers to buy, and It’s super effective at enhancing customer service and retention efforts.
Want to give it a try? 🤔🤔
Based on what I’ve seen work across our own campaigns, here are some tips to keep in mind:
✅Timing: don’t ping peoples phones at 1am, or hammer them with messages on Christmas day
✅Mention your company name: Since SMS marketing uses short codes, customers may not know who sent the message.
✅Provide value: Offer discounts, deals, coupons, or sales.
Align with your overall marketing strategy / goals / offers.
✅At the same time, SMS only / exclusive offers work really well too
✅Never waste space — SMS is a brevity game. Get to the point. Front Load your SMS with why a customer should care.
✅Use automation and set up the key flows: welcome series, abandoned cart reminders, post-purchase messages, upsell and cross-sell, review collection, stock reminders, win-back messages…
✅Don’t send too many messages
🚫 And finally, don’t just copy your email strategy.
Consumers are actively engaging with brands through both SMS and email, but expect tailored messages for the medium.
SMS is a great first touch — it’s urgent, to-the-point, and personalized.
Consumers know they’ll hear about announcements and limited-time offers via SMS first, and are ready to click through and shop.
Email lets you tell a longer story with branded content, or educate to build engagement and loyalty.
📖 Tl;dr SMS is a vital in 2023. It’s fast, has high engagement, and if used right, incredibly powerful at pumping up retention and sales.
What have you seen work with email?
Is there anything you’d add to my list of tips?
