SMS Marketing For E-commerce: Powerful Strategy To Unlock Higher Conversion For Your Online Store
22 April 2024
Nicole Esters
Picture this: Your company’s marketing messages are instantly seen without an Internet connection! Isn’t it an impressive and cost-effective marketing strategy? Of course, it is. SMS marketing for e-commerce is the most intimate form of business-to-consumer (B2C) communication.
As a business owner, finding ways to attract new prospects and convert them into loyal customers is the biggest challenge. Here is where an eCommerce SMS marketing strategy can help.
As per the study, approximately 66% of customers prefer text messages to communicate with business. And you will be surprised to hear that 85% of customers would give a reply. It clearly shows that people consider texting a super easy and convenient way to talk to e-commerce stores and brands.
So, if you are tired of abandoned cart rates, opting for eCommerce SMS marketing can effectively reduce this rate.
Now, you must be wondering how it is possible!
Let us explain to you in detail.
As an eCommerce store owner, every sale matters to you. Even one abandoned cart could impact your day’s revenue significantly. In the meantime, the total number of abandoned carts can convert into a significant loss.
So, as a business owner, you must be thinking, how can I reduce this abandonment cart rate?
Please keep reading to get its answer.
There are many reasons why consumers leave their selected items in the cart. Implementing effective SMS marketing for e-commerce can help reduce the cart abandonment rate.
Sending SMS to consumers can give them a gentle reminder about the item they have left in the cart directly to their mobile device. You can send text messages with a limited-time discount offer or a few personal recommendations to encourage them to take action. It will improve the overall shopping experience for your existing and new potential customers.
SMS for eCommerce can assist in bridging the gap between interest and action.
Keep reading this blog to understand how an effective e-commerce SMS marketing strategy can boost your sales and enhance your consumer experience.
Why are big brands using SMS marketing for e-commerce?
Today, we live in the mobile-first world where we want everything to be available at the click of a button. Especially after the pandemic, people have preferred online shopping.
It is not only putting significant pressure on brands, but on the flip side, it has opened the gate to various opportunities. As per the study, by the end of 2027, A2P SMS will generate revenue of around $51.15B.
It shows how easy it is to implement text messages. Here are two reasons why big brands are considering SMS marketing strategy.
- Text messages are exclusive and intimate. The person who received it has already opted in for it. It shows subscribers want to hear from the brand. In addition, it straightforwardly lands in the inbox, which is not cluttered with spam.
- They are effective purchase drivers.
According to the study, the open rate of SMS is 98%, and the response rate is 45%. Also, the CTR of eCommerce SMS is around 35%.
However, none of these stats matters if SMS cannot generate results.
Right?
Just like CTR varies, the sales and ROI data also vary as per the providers. Due to the effectiveness of the results, big brands consider SMS a worthy investment.
Now that you know SMS is an effective marketing strategy for e-commerce, let us understand how you can start with it in the next section.
How to get started with e-commerce SMS marketing?
If you are ready to incorporate SMS marketing as a part of your overall marketing strategy, here are a few steps that you need to take.
1) Decide SMS priorities
While starting your e-commerce SMS marketing journey, you should not start with all types of text message campaigns. Instead, research and think carefully about which SMS marketing campaign can bring you the desired results.
For example, if you are facing challenges in promoting special events, offers, and sales via email marketing, you should start with SMS marketing. Or, if you feel you need more consumer feedback, it is good to send out SMS surveys.
2) Set your success metrics
Like any project, setting the goals for your text message campaigns is vital. Therefore, you can easily track your progress. Goals can be like this. – the number of customers you want to satisfy or the total number of customers you want to join in your SMS list.
When you define clear goals, it will be easy for you and your team to work towards your target and continue improving the SMS marketing strategy.
3) Plan your engagement strategy
SMS marketing is a universal messaging method. However, the success rate of it truly depends on your audience. Some people want brands to contact them via Facebook, and some prefer to receive SMS only. Therefore, you need to research your customer base and, based on the result, decide on the engagement channel and strategy.
4) Find the perfect SMS marketing tool for eCommerce
You need to select the right SMS marketing tool if you are considering SMS marketing automation. The perfect SMS tool, like Textdrip, can help you maintain your SMS list and run SMS campaigns effortlessly.
5) Work on growing your SMS list
Once you have decided on the goals, priorities, and the right SMS marketing tool, it’s time to start growing the SMS subscriber list.
You can use popups on your website to collect your consumer’s phone number and grow your SMS list. Popups work much better than opt-in forms because they let you target visitors based on their behaviour.
Therefore, you can reach people who are ready to hear from you.
You can use the following SMS list builder templates to design popups on your website and grow your SMS list.
Example - 1
Enjoy 15% off on your first order.
Sing up now and get the instant 15% off.
Enter name – (textbox)
Phone number – (textbox)
Click on subscribe (CTA button)
Example - 2
Get 5% off on your next purchase
Sign up and grab your coupon code
Enter name - (textbox)
Phone number – (textbox)
Get your 5% off (CTA button)
Example - 3
Your discount is 5%
Double it to 10%!
Enter phone number – (textbox)
Double my discount (CTA button)
SMS marketing for E-commerce: Best practices
Here are the best practices and SMS marketing tips for e-commerce businesses you must follow to ensure you get the most out of your SMS marketing efforts.
- You need to develop a strategic opt-in procedure. It will help you to increase your SMS list. You can offer some discounts, deals, and new offer alerts to attract consumers to opt-in. You should make such incentives clear so customers can understand what benefits they will receive if they agree to receive an SMS message from your business.
- Use the SMS marketing tool to send real-time updates to your customers. It will keep them informed and engaged with your brand. Use the SMS tool to send instant notifications regarding order confirmation, shipping updates, and delivery tracking to offer a seamless shopping experience to consumers. It can increase your customer satisfaction rate and encourage repeat business.
- Keep your SMS/MMS clear, concise, and personalized. Customization is the most powerful way to establish long-term relationships with consumers. When you send tailored messages to your customers, they feel valued, and there is a high chance that they will engage with your brand. Include a proper call to action that will encourage customers to take the next step. It improves the chances of converting your prospects into loyal consumers.
- Don’t bombard your prospects or existing customers with text messages. Maintain a consistent schedule to send promotional messages. It will help you strike the right balance. You can keep your customers informed without annoying them with lots of messages.
- We understand shopping cart abandonment is challenging for e-commerce businesses. However, SMS automation can help you deal with it. From promotional messages to simple reminder SMS, you can send SMS with special offers to your consumers to complete their purchases. It will increase your conversion rates.
- Keep analyzing your results and make necessary changes to your e-commerce SMS marketing strategy.
Let’s Get Started With SMS Marketing For E-commerce
In summary, integrating the e-commerce SMS marketing strategy into the comprehensive marketing strategy is most effective when focusing on consumer engagement and loyalty.
So, what are you waiting for? Start with SMS marketing today. This strategy is easy to implement. All you need to do is find out what message you want to send and why you need to send that. Take approval from people to send them messages and find out the automated SMS platform like Textdrip which also provide a free trial. If you want to learn more about their eCommerce SMS marketing services, they even let you schedule a free demo.
And you are good to start your SMS campaign!
Remember to keep the text message short and relevant. Also, don’t send too many messages in a day.
Keep reviewing the results you get with your eCommerce SMS marketing so you know how you can improve it in the future to get better results.
FAQ's
| Is SMS marketing for e-commerce legal? |
Yes, it is legal as long as you comply with the regulations.
| How much do you need to spend for SMS marketing? |
The cost of SMS marketing varies. It depends on the provider and the amount of messages you send.
| What Type of SMS can I send to customers? |
While sending SMS to customers you should remain on-brand. Don’t send too many text messages in a day. Some best types of text messages you can send to customers are discount deals, promotional texts, birthday messages, reward program updates, etc.
| How can I grow my opt-in visitors' SMS list? |
You can use popups on your website to collect phone numbers of visitors and customers. The opt-in form on the website is also another effective way to collect consumer’s phone numbers.
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