9 Tips for Improving Customer SMS Engagement & Minimizing Opt-Outs

#1

Send Personalized Messages

Personalizing your messages is one of the easiest ways to boost customer SMS engagement. This is because it helps your customers feel like they’re more than just one customer in a sea of other customers, making them more inclined to interact with your content.

There are several ways you can go about personalizing your SMS messages. For one, you can customize them to include your customer’s name. Another way is to follow up on something unique about their interaction with your brand. For example, you could ask them how they’re liking their recent purchase from you or remind them that they still have an item in their shopping cart. You can even send messages with information regarding where they live, such as reminders about events in their area or sales at their local branch.

#2

Offer Incentives

Incentivizing your customers is another key way to drive your text engagement rates and improve retail engagement. After all, who doesn’t like receiving a message with access to perks?

To increase engagement through SMS texts, consider sending your customers messages with special discount codes or information about upcoming sales. Offering freebies and buy-one-get-one promos can also pique their interest.

For instance, if you want to encourage your customers to join your text marketing program, send them a promo code in exchange for signing up. Your advertising message could say, “Sign up for Ryders’ Bike Shop text program and receive 20% off your next purchase! Text BIKES to 858585.”

#3

Create a Loyalty Program

VIP programs are a sure way to make your customers feel appreciated. To boost your SMS engagement rates, sync your loyalty program with your texting program.

Ask your customers to join your loyalty via your texting program, and then send them messages with access to special sales, exclusive inventory, and even VIP-only events. For instance, maybe you open your summer blowout sale to your VIP customers 24 hours before the rest of the public. Or, you could treat your VIP members to an extra 10% off their purchases.

The more valued you make your customers feel, the more interested they’ll be in your SMS content.

#4

Request Feedback

Another aspect of improving text engagement rates involves giving customers a voice. When you request feedback about their experience with your brand, you have a unique opportunity to respond and potentially improve that experience.

So, how can you go about enlisting feedback? Send an SMS message asking them to complete a survey, take a poll, or write a review. If you want to entice them, you could reward them with promo codes or free products in exchange for their feedback.

As long as you’re soliciting input from your customers, review their responses, consider ways to put it into motion, and let them know you’re listening.

Text message campaigns like “text to apply” and list building techniques are an excellent way to boost engagement with potential candidates and get them to apply.For example, based on the feedback, you might discover that your customers want you to return a discontinued product. In this case, you might send an SMS message that says, “(B&B Bakery) The results from our recent poll are in, and due to popular demand, Brownie Bits are returning to our menu! Place your order today.”

#5

Text Reminders and Updates

Sending irrelevant or unnecessary information is one of the quickest ways to get your customers to opt out of your program. Instead, stick with messages that provide value, such as reminders, updates, and notifications.

Depending on the kind of company you run, this could mean sending reminders about upcoming appointments and events to which they’ve RSVP’d. It could also cover updates regarding shipping details and notifications about the return of an out-of-stock product.

An example SMS text with a reminder might look like this: “(Dr. Jone’s) Liza, this is a reminder that you have an upcoming appointment with Dr. Jone’s scheduled for January 2 at 3 p.m. Please text Y to confirm.”

#6

Develop Contests

A little friendly competition is great for business. For this tip, encourage your customers to engage with your brand by creating opportunities for them to win contests and giveaways.

Let’s say your scuba gear company is giving away a free two-day scuba tour in the Caribbean to two lucky winners, or your furniture brand is drawing names for a complimentary six-piece couch. To drum up interest, send out SMS texts introducing the contest with details on how to enter.

For instance: “(Scuba Stuff) We’re giving two lucky winners a FREE two-day scuba trip in Jamaica this August! Click on this link for details on how to enter.”

#7

Provide Customer Service via Texts

A recent study found that 89% of customers prefer communicating with businesses via text to any other communication form. Therefore, providing customer service over text is a straightforward way of boosting engagement.

When providing this option, some companies place a click-to-text button on their websites, which initiates a text conversation with one simple click. If you offer this service, please be sure someone on your team can cover this correspondence in real time.

#8

Don’t Over-Text

Now that you have some good ideas on how to increase your customer SMS engagement rates, it’s crucial to remember this key tip: Don’t over-text.

Spamming your customers with multiple texts every day is one sure way for them to take advantage of your opt-out message for SMS. Even if you’re rewarding them with incentives or sending out reminders, there is such a thing as too much communication.

Whether you’re bombarding them with relevant content, they won’t take kindly to it if their inboxes are slammed with your messages daily.

#9

Always Provide an Opt-Out Option

Businesses prefer to see their customers select the SMS opt-out option. However, it would help if you gave them a choice. You’re legally required to provide (and abide by) SMS marketing opt-out options, but doing so also lets your customers know that they’re not forced to receive your content.

When you give them the freedom to opt-out at any time, your customers may feel more comfortable subscribing to and interacting with your content in the first place.