6 Smart Text Messages to Quickly Drive Retail Sales
With foot traffic low and email inboxes bursting, it can be tough to find new strategies to share information with customers, update them on new inventory, and get them excited about upcoming initiatives.
Enterprising business owners are turning to text-based marketing to not only communicate better with their customers, but to increase sales.
Here, 6 ways to use text to drive retail sales:
Use Texts as a Tool to Drive Immediate Engagement
Text functions on immediacy. That’s why pop-up promotions, coupons, and other value offers can be so effective in text message marketing. Several strategies can help drive customers further down the funnel towards a sale. When customers know that a text from you will contain high-value information, like exclusive coupons and promotions, they’ll pay attention and read your texts as soon as they receive them. Don't forget to include a link for the most immediate result.
1. Increase Sales With Pop-Up Promotions
A pop-up promotion is an easy way to get inventory out the door fast, and get people buying now, instead of waiting.
2. Encourage Foot Traffic
With foot traffic down, texting can be a great way to get customers in the door. A “show this text” strategy is effective at turning a customer’s “someday” into today. Make sure that the value is significant enough that it makes sense for a customer to put a visit on their to-do list. Tracking engagement and sales can help you assess what the sweet spot is for your business.
3. Experiment With Coupons
Coupons can be a great way to encourage sales. Buy-One Get-One (BOGO) and free gift with purchase are two ways to provide immediate rewards for a sale in a way that’s more concrete than a percentage off. A text BOGO coupon can also be a great way to get rid of excess inventory and drive excitement about new inventory that may have recently hit the shelves.
Use Data to Nurture Customers and Drive Your Campaign Forward
A well-curated contact list can be one of a retail businesses greatest asset, especially when it comes to customizing content to encourage sales. Segmenting customers into frequent and occasional shoppers, or shoppers based on demographics can help you fine-tune your messaging. Tracking engagement on texts based on CTRs and ROI can help you assess what your customer responds to, and how to tweak messaging for the future.
4. Use Drip Campaigns to Drive Customers Down the Funnel
A drip campaign can be a great way to continue engagement regarding potential purchases and to nurture customers at different points along their customer journey.
5. Engage and Inform on In-Store and Virtual Events
Without foot traffic, it can be tough to engage in the community-like aspect that set some businesses apart from their competitors. Text-based messaging can be a great way to let people know about any educational content or virtual events you may have, as well as encourage sales related to the event.
6. Engage With 1-on-1 Chat
1-on-1 chat can be a great way to connect with customers directly. Providing 1-to-1 availability shows your customers that you’re virtually “in the store,” and that their opinions and concerns are important to you. It can also be a way to assist in seeking out merchandise that may not be readily available on your website or providing white-glove service that goes the extra mile for a loyal customer. Or, better yet, combine service, loyalty, and sales into one streamlined offer!
Take Care of Compliance Seamlessly
Just like Email, text has a few simple rules. Before you send a text, it’s essential to make sure you’re complying with FCC rules regarding commercial texts. EZ Texting offers seamless software to manage compliance, including SafeSTOP, a simple, secure opt-out process. That way, you can make sure that your retail or e-commerce business is compliant and your messages are reaching the people who want them.
See other resources related to:
