Boosting SMS Engagement
Lifting SMS Engagements
Another effective strategy is to segment your customer base by grouping them based on shared attributes or characteristics. This targeted approach enhances customer loyalty, reduces opt-out rates, and boosts revenue significantly.
Research indicates that segmented campaigns have a 14% higher open rate and 101% more clicks compared to non-segmented campaigns. They also lead to lower bounce rates, unsubscribes, and reporting issues.
Segmentation is crucial for personalization, which is highly desired by consumers. Brands that send irrelevant emails or text messages frustrate 70% of millennials, highlighting the importance of catering to individual preferences.
This consumer demand for personalized experiences presents a significant opportunity for local businesses. Brands that tailor their experiences for customers are 80% more likely to attract purchases, and 91% of consumers prefer brands that offer relevant offers and recommendations.
To keep your opt-ins satisfied and increase business, segmentation is essential. Start by tracking key characteristics, and with the right tools, it's easier than you think to get started.
Demographic vs. behavioral
Segmentation is all about creating smaller customer lists based on criteria you can easily document.
There are different segmentation models you can use, like behavioral, demographic, geographic, and psychographic segmentation.
When it comes to behavioral segmentation, you categorize customers based on their actions, like purchase history, website activity, or product use. It's like figuring out who's likely to swing by your jewelry store for a Mother's Day gift or who's a repeat buyer on Black Friday.
Demographic segmentation is based on age, gender, and income. You might notice that some patients are into denture packages rather than whitening ones, or that your Malibu boat collection attracts younger buyers more than your Mastercraft line.
And don't forget geographic segmentation, especially if you have multiple locations. You can see which locations perform best and which products customers in each area prefer.
Make your campaigns more effective by leveraging all this data. Like targeting engaged customers based on their recent purchases or tailoring offers to match their interests-- even customizing messages or deals based on local weather events. You can even offer special packages to households with kids or send personalized birthday offers.
Segmentation gives you the power to make your marketing more personal and engaging. So don't miss out on the chance to rock those targeted campaigns!
Start with some questions
What are my goals for customer segmentation?
Who are my top-notch customers? What do they look like? What are the key traits of repeat customers?
Which specials or promotions would likely entice them the most?
What was one of my customers' recent interactions with my business?
What type of interaction was it? (Did they visit the store? Make a purchase? Leave a review? Was it positive or negative?)
As you start, keep things simple and avoid overcomplicating the process. One common mistake local businesses make when segmenting is going overboard and creating excessively small segments that don't result in increased engagement. It's also important not to categorize based on qualities that are difficult to define. As you learn what works, begin with 1-2 easily identifiable criteria and develop more comprehensive segmentation as your customer list grows and you gain insights into which messages grab the most attention.
For instance, if Sam wants to receive a text message with a personalized promo code relevant to his last purchase or during his birthday month, addressing him by name.
When sending texts, consider both segmentation and personalization variables, such as customers' names. Always anticipate customer desires and needs by taking the following factors into account:
Name
Date of birth
Location
Website journey
Last purchase
Seasons and holidays
Previous feedback
Simplify the process by integrating your texting service software with your CRM database. With well-designed templates, you can create personalized messages effortlessly.
Though it requires time and research, dividing your customers into targeted groups for promotions and messaging is highly beneficial. By continuously adjusting and analyzing the results, you'll be able to consistently send the right message to the right audience.
When should you send a campaign?
Customers actually want more frequent communication from you than you may think. In fact, over 60% of them want to receive messages from you at least once a week. However, exceeding this limit can result in unsubscribes.
The timing of your SMS marketing campaigns can significantly influence their performance, and it varies across industries. Generally, sending messages in the afternoon (after 1pm) tends to generate higher message revenue compared to the morning (before 9am). Moreover, click-through rates for campaign messages are notably higher in the evening and afternoon.
Since every business is unique, it's crucial to test and determine what works best for your specific customer segments. Younger, higher-earning customers who are busy during the day may prefer receiving texts in the late afternoon or during their lunch break. On the other hand, older customers who are early birds might appreciate receiving offers early in the morning to plan their day.
When scheduling your campaigns, don't forget to consider different locations and relevant time zone differences. For example, it's important not to send promotional texts to customers in Canberra, Australia at four in the morning, even if it's the afternoon in Dallas, Texas.
Taking into account locations and appropriate times might seem simple, but it can make a significant difference in the success of your campaign.
The nature of your campaign also impacts the timing of your messages. For events like opening parties or webinars, it's usually best to send promotions on the same day. Flash sales promotions are also effective when sent on the day of the sale.
Regardless of what you're promoting, always include start and end dates in your texts. End dates are particularly effective for sales as they create a sense of urgency. For events, clearly specifying dates and times (especially for recurring events) is essential.
Create your campaign content calendar
Customers actually want more frequent communication from you than you may think. In fact, over 60% of them want to receive messages from you at least once a week. However, exceeding this limit can result in unsubscribes.
Timing is a critical factor in running successful campaigns. Sending a well-timed promotion for snow tires just before the winter season kicks in can lead to quick sales. On the other hand, sending a promotional offer for a holiday product on the Wednesday morning after Christmas would likely miss.
While analyzing and experimenting can improve campaign performance, a reliable method to increase your numbers is to develop a content calendar for SMS marketing. This calendar serves as an organizational tool, encompassing dates, times, target audiences, segments, and relevant links for your messages. It also includes campaign copy, as well as creative assets like photos, GIFs, and attachments.
Creating an SMS marketing content calendar offers significant advantages for you and your team. It saves time by enabling advanced planning and anticipation of future content distribution. Moreover, it fosters organization, allowing you to establish workback schedules, meet deadlines, and deliver tailored messages, including follow-ups, to specific audiences.
This asset is particularly valuable for effectively spacing out campaign activity, especially when employing automated campaigns. When messages are sent automatically, precise timing and content are essential for successful execution and to avoid costly errors.
Content calendars also promote team alignment by providing visibility into SMS marketing strategy and execution across the entire team. By preparing content in advance and coordinating efforts, such as acquiring necessary links, creative materials, approvals, and promo codes, you can ensure a cohesive approach.
Lastly, this tool enables you to leverage relevant occasions such as holidays, events, and promotions. Additionally, it enables you to track successful strategies and continuous improvement of your SMS marketing approach. Well-designed calendars allow you to identify patterns, such as optimal days, times, offers, and frequencies for specific audiences. They also serve as a resource for inspiration and insights, drawing from past ideas and campaigns.
How to create it
So, how do we make it happen? It's actually quite straightforward. You can begin with a simple spreadsheet or integrate SMS into an existing business calendar. For local businesses, a streamlined calendar that complements your existing promotional schedule is often ideal.
Identify the events, holidays, and seasons that are relevant to promoting your business through SMS. Consider leveraging SMS to complement your current promotions running on other channels.
Determine specific promotions and offers to implement. If you're unsure where to start, observe the promotions and offers being run by your competitors and their timing, paying particular attention to the ones that appear most successful.
Define your target audiences. Promotions are not equally effective at all times and for all customers. Each customer has a unique relationship with your business that requires careful analysis. By tailoring your approach correctly, you can achieve significant rewards.
Begin crafting your campaign copy. While it's important to plan ahead, don't hesitate to make adjustments as the dates approach. Sometimes, changes are necessary to accommodate current events and evolving circumstances.
Review the calendar with the necessary team members. As always, ensuring alignment among all team members is crucial when creating a calendar. Give everyone an opportunity to contribute their input, and start building your campaigns and scheduling in advance.
Should I reply to SMS campaign responses?
It's essential to understand that successful SMS marketing extends beyond simply sending out mass messages. Consumers no longer wish to be overwhelmed with one-sided communications. Unlike emails, when text-based marketing is executed correctly, customers are much more inclined to respond. They desire genuine conversations.
The more your communications convey a human touch, the more effective they will be. One-way messages come across as robotic, impersonal, and unengaging. The true power of SMS marketing lies in its ability to feel personal and convenient, surpassing other communication channels. Well-executed two-way messages create the impression of a genuine conversation, and that's where the true value lies.
When examining the statistics, it becomes clear that customers have a strong desire for conversations. 24% of consumers already engage in two-way, real conversations with local businesses via text messages. Additionally, 56% of those who haven't had such interactions express a desire for the ability to do so. Your customers crave meaningful connections, which includes the opportunity to engage in one-on-one conversations with you.
74% of consumers state that they would be more inclined to engage in texting conversations with a local business if they were aware that a genuine person would receive and reply to their messages.
Customers expect you to respond quickly
According to a Google report, taking longer than 20 minutes to respond to a text message can be taken as impolite. Although customers tend to be more forgiving towards businesses compared to friends and family, they still have high expectations for prompt responses, especially if their inquiry is urgent.
The key is to establish response time expectations and fulfill them consistently. If you commit to replying within 10 or 30 minutes, it is crucial to honor that commitment. However, it is advisable to allow your employees a bit more time whenever possible.
Additionally, the nature of the text and its time sensitivity should be taken into account. Queries about a sale or an appointment occurring within the next hour may require a response in less than five minutes, while inquiries regarding inventory might allow for more flexibility. Regardless of the question, businesses should never take longer than a working day to provide a response.
How to gain speed with SMS marketing and automation
To achieve this, local businesses require an SMS marketing solution that enables effective management of responses. For local businesses, this entails efficiently routing conversations to on-site representatives, customer service teams, and reception or service areas. In the case of multi-location businesses, it involves directing conversations to the appropriate locations for timely responses, minimizing any delays.
It's important to engage customers regardless of when they contact you. Messages related to appointment confirmations and updates feel more personal when sent during typical business hours (9-5), aligning with the working hours of your employees.
With the right SMS marketing solution, many businesses effectively utilize automated messaging features specifically for after-hours communication. One approach is to proactively send texts during business hours and utilize automated messages when leads engage with you outside of those hours. An example of an automated after-hours text could be:
"Thank you for contacting Belview Tires. Please note that these messages are not actively monitored on weekends and evenings. We will respond during business hours. We appreciate your business!"
Additionally, leveraging appropriate technology allows for automatic responses to frequently asked questions (FAQs). As the conversation progresses, if a customer asks a question that requires live assistance, the platform can trigger an employee to respond. This can save significant time for you and your team while maintaining a reputation for responsive customer service.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This guide serves as informational material and does not provide legal advice or an exhaustive summary of the law. It is advisable to seek independent legal counsel to review this guide and evaluate your specific circumstances regarding text messaging business operations. Additionally, businesses have the potential to engage in activities, such as using the Podium system beyond its intended use, which may give rise to liabilities not covered in this guide.
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