How can Bulk SMS for Business boost customer engagement and sales?

Instant Delivery = Immediate Response

Through SMS, businesses can achieve the immediacy that email marketing struggles to obtain and can deliver a promotional message directly to their customers. Text messages have a 98% open rate, and the majority are opened within three minutes of being sent. With such immediacy, it is a direct line to the customer’s attention, enabling bulk SMS for business to be used for time-sensitive offers, flash sales, or urgent communications. Limited-time offers sent via SMS create a fear of missing out, along with instant delivery, leading to fast buying decisions that greatly affect sales numbers.

Personalizing at Scale

Many of today’s SMS platforms allow companies to categorize their customers and customize messages on an individual basis based on how they interact with products, their purchase history, and preferences. This means rather than sending out generic broadcasts, organizations can communicate with specific groups of customers with targeted messages. As an example, a retail store could send promotional offers via SMS to their frequent purchasers, while they may also send different types of promotional offers via SMS to their occasional purchasers. Service providers can send customers appointment reminders based on when they scheduled them. Personalizing the marketing message leads customers to feel they are valued and not just the recipient of spam leading to greater customer retention and improved conversion rates.

Affordable Marketing That Achieves a High ROI

Compared to conventional means of advertisement, bulk SMS has an incredibly high return on investment. Since bulk SMS has very low costs associated with sending each message, combined with the relatively high engagement rate for this type of marketing, bulk SMS is an incredibly effective marketing tool to achieve results without being budget-laden. Furthermore, small businesses are able to take advantage of the affordability of bulk SMS, allowing small businesses to access the same capabilities as big businesses. Bulk SMS generates significantly more revenue than the small operational costs associated with it, whether promoting new products, providing discounts, or following up on abandoned shopping carts.

Creating a Two-Way Channel for Communication

Not only does bulk SMS allow senders to communicate one-way, but it also provides a platform for two-way communication. Customers will respond to SMS messages with feedback, inquiries, or orders, taking bulk SMS for business marketing and providing an interactive experience for consumers. By creating an opportunity for customers to respond to the text messages, companies establish a level of trust and loyalty with customers while obtaining valuable information on the customer experience. Companies may also conduct rapid surveys or obtain customer reviews through text response or use the technology to run "text-to-win" promotions which increase interaction and engagement with customers. When customers feel heard and can communicate through the preferred method of communication, customers will build brand loyalty and make repeat purchases from the company.

Integration of SMS with Customer Journey

Every step in the lifecycle of a customer can benefit from SMS. For example, welcome messages sent to new subscribers provide them with an initial hello, transaction alerts confirm the orders placed, shipping notifications create anticipation, and thank you messages for the post-purchase help create a loyal customer base. With abandoned carts comes the opportunity to recover lost revenue, and updates to loyalty programs allow companies to reward customers for repeat purchases. Using a consistent touchpoint strategy that utilises SMS allows brands to provide value without creating an overwhelming experience for recipients. Texts provide value at every stage of the customer journey and provide both a seamless experience as customers move in towards conversion, and a way for customers to become brand advocates if they are happy with the company.

The Value of SMS in Measuring Results and Improving Performance

The functionality of bulk SMS platforms provides rich, actionable data. With detailed analytics showing metrics including delivery rates, click-throughs, and conversions, companies can easily determine the most effective types of campaigns, what types of messages work best, and what times to send these messages based on data, rather than guesswork. Therefore, using Instavo IP bulk SMS platforms allows companies to refine their messaging strategy quickly, allowing for continuous improvement of their SMS campaigns. When a company clearly understands how their SMS efforts have increased revenue, they will have more confidence to invest in scaling established methods while eliminating those that are not generating results.