Mobile devices are now one of the most convenient and prominent channels of B2C (business-to-consumer) interaction. In fact, a recent survey showed that a majority of consumers would prefer for businesses to contact them through SMS (short message service) more often.
Throughout these studies, the truth is clear: text message marketing from businesses aligns with consumer preferences and bodes well for open rates. To help you take advantage of this opportunity for heightened customer engagement and satisfaction, we’ve compiled 7 ways to creatively utilize SMS reminders for your business.
1. Run Mobile-Only Incentives
SMS reminders are an important addition to all types of businesses because they reach customers and clients efficiently. By building a list of customer contact information, you can reach out about appointments, special offers, satisfaction checks, and more.
The hurdle, however, is getting customers to sign up for SMS reminders in the first place. Instead of plainly asking if customers would like to sign up with their phone number, tell them about the benefits and give them a reason why they’d want to. Offer contests or exclusive deals only available through SMS reminders, and let them know that SMS is your preferred way to communicate.
2. Loyalty Reward SMS Opt-Ins
Another great way to get customers engaged with your business is to tie loyalty rewards with SMS opt-ins. At check out, offer a way to sign up for rewards with a phone number and ask customers to consent to text messages. Once they’re signed up, you can send personal messages about their points or alerts about special days for bonus rewards.
3. Special Event Announcements with SMS Marketing
Similar to email marketing, SMS marketing allows you to build a list of interested recipients who are likely to engage with you. They’ve already told you that they’re interested, so now you just need to invite them. If you’re opening a pop-up, running a sale, or partnering with another business, shoot your list a quick text!
4. Day-Of Appointment Openings
If you run a business that requires appointments, asking clients to opt-in to SMS reminders can increase appointment retention. In one study, researchers found that SMS appointment reminders lowered the frequency of no-shows in pediatric practices. As a result, practices can run more efficiently and children can receive the medical attention they need.
What about when appointment cancellations occur?
Instead of only sending out appointment reminders, you can also send notifications for when a slot opens up last minute. If a client has been asking for an earlier appointment, or they’re supposed to show up later in the day, send out a quick message to ask if they’d like to arrive earlier.
5. New Product or Service Announcements
One of the biggest missed opportunities for a business is to release an exciting new product only to hear crickets on opening day. Make sure you’ve alerted all your potential customers in the most intimate way — through their text messages. Even better, include a link to the product page or booking form so that they can buy or reserve with just a few clicks.
6. Satisfaction Check-Ins with SMS
Sure, selling a product or service is a huge accomplishment. Knowing whether your customers really enjoyed what they bought, however, is even more important for long-term success. After your customer has gotten a chance to enjoy your service or product, follow up with them in a text message. Ask if they are satisfied and offer a line of communication for questions or concerns.
7. “Leave a Review” Follow-Ups
Finally, if you aren’t taking the opportunity to remind customers through text that they should leave a review, you’re missing out on a golden opportunity to build your online reputation. Often, satisfied customers walk away without providing feedback. Remind them about their purchase, then provide a link to a review site or to your custom review form so they can easily provide feedback.
Track Customer Satisfaction with Telio
Understanding what works and what’s falling short in your marketing efforts is essential to the growth process. Reminding customers that you appreciate their feedback and providing convenient channels for reviews will help you better understand how your business is performing and how you can improve.
Telio believes in quality customer engagement through SMS reminders and review management. Not only can they help you keep in close contact with your audience through text messages, but they can also alert you to all reviews online as they’re posted.
To begin improving customer engagement today, check out our SMS reminder services or contact us.