Is promoting local transportation one of your top goals?
Whether you want to increase holiday traffic or traffic in any season, SMS may be the answer.
According to research conducted by the messaging platform Podium, SMS (or SMS) is the only marketing channel with an open rate of 97%.
Use it this holiday (or any season, really) to drive foot traffic and online sales.
On November 17, I hosted a sponsored webinar hosted by Matt Boyce, senior director of partner marketing at Podium.
He shared practical and effective tips for SMS marketing this holiday season.
This is a quick review of the webinar.For complete details, please fill out the form to Access the entire webinar.
Holiday shopping outlook
Nearly 30% of American consumers plan to spend more on holiday shopping this year than last year.
Consumers also plan to start holiday shopping this season earlier than the previous year.
Therefore, we expect more holiday shopping spending this year.
As a business owner, marketer or agency, how do you prepare for the shopping boom? How can you keep your head clear?
SMS and email
Maybe you mean you are already using email. Why add SMS?
Although email is one of the most effective channels available to businesses, most users have been bombarded.
This can result in a large number of unopened emails.
SMS is a great way to get rid of confusion.
Podium has seen people open text 98% of the time, and 90% of the time within three minutes.
Get instant access to webinars-learn how to get 98% open rate →
SMS Holiday Marketing Tips
No matter how many subscribers you have on your list, companies of any size, including B2B and B2C, can benefit from the following tips.
We also provide important guidance for building and cultivating subscribers.
Tip #1: Use effective options to join touchpoints.
Take advantage of every opportunity to opt-in, such as:
- Point of sale or transaction.
- Website chat.
- Online registration page and form.
- Website banners, pop-up windows and tips.
- Comment.
Tip #2: Use your online status to capture opt-in.
Use your current marketing channels to reach customers:
- Convert your email marketing contacts to SMS marketing opt-in-send mass emails to promote opt-in promotional texts.
- Create social posts using URLs, QR codes, or keywords to capture opt-in via social media.
Image source: podiumTip #3: Get ready to opt-in to attract holiday shoppers in the store.
Use the in-store shopper journey to get more options:
- Set up a registration station or kiosk.
- Use QR codes and signs.
- Create a textable keyword to make it easier to opt-in.
Image source: podiumTip #4: Optimize conversions during the holiday shopping season.
Create attractive offers to increase choice:
- Provide VIP status to choose to receive SMS.
- Offer specific discounts, offers, or gifts to consumers who opt-in to SMS messages.
- Hold contests or gifts to increase participation in selection.
Get access to instant webinars-learn which offers will lead to opt-in to SMS →
Image source: podiumTip #5: Promote seasonal promotions via SMS.
Use holidays and other seasonal opportunities to attract your audience:
- Don’t wait until the holiday season begins to let customers know about holiday marketing activities.
- Send SMS marketing messages to your opt-in list to let them know about upcoming sales.
Image source: podiumTip #6: Advertise BOPIS, curbside pickup, and other in-store services.
Use SMS activities to educate your audience:
- Remind your customers (via text message!) that they can use BOPIS, curbside pickup and other in-store services.
- Combine your mobile marketing strategy with your overall marketing plan-use it as an amplifier for your current work.
- Convert planned holiday promotions into short text messages.
Get instant access to the webinar-learn what BOPIS is + how to use it →
Image source: podiumTip #7: Personalize your SMS marketing activities.
Track key behaviors to create better segments:
- Use purchase or review recency as an indicator of positive interaction with your brand.
- Record responses to past sales or specific items or services as an indicator of interest in similar sales, items or services.
Tip #8: Conveniently complete the transaction via SMS payment.
Create a better checkout process:
- Send the purchase link to receive payment directly through the SMS campaign.
- As customers take advantage of the convenient checkout process, they get paid faster.
Get two more SMS marketing tips-visit the webinar review now →
What to look for in an SMS marketing platform
If you want to start with SMS as one of your marketing strategies, then you need to pay attention to the following points to ensure the success of your business:
Compliance is essential. You want to make sure to track people when they opt-in to avoid any spam issues.
- Integrate with your existing technology stack.
No matter what your CRM is or what your point of sale is, you want to integrate these tools as much as possible. It will allow subscribers to easily flow into your CRM and vice versa.
- Build targeted/segmented marketing activities.
Being able to tag or segment users is valuable for creating key marketing campaigns.
- Provide two-way dialogue.
When a customer uses an SMS number that the customer cannot reply to, the company may drive the customer away. The ability to have two-way conversations is critical to creating successful sales.
Consider your timing and needs. You may not want a complex platform that requires custom development work or resources you don’t have, especially when you want to get up and running during the holidays.
Instant webinar review visit-find out what else to pay attention to →
Key points
You want to have customers during the life of your business, not just once. If you want your company to grow sustainably, you must attract, retain and expand your customer base.
Start these conversations with text messages.
Many touch points can make it an effective channel to convert and close these potential customers and cultivate existing customers.
The holiday season provides multiple opportunities to drive foot traffic and online sales.
SMS is a way to help increase traffic and differentiate your business from the competition.
View the entire presentation and complete the Q&A.
[Slides] SMS Holiday Marketing: 8 Tips to Increase Audience and Influence
This is the presentation:
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