According to Forbes, the top five reasons why consumers opt in to a brand’s text messages are:
- coupons or deals (77%)
- personal alerts (50%)
- being in the loop (48%)
- more meaningful content (33%)
- no need to visit a physical location/website/app for information (31%)
With these in mind, it's obvious that consumers want information quickly and without having to do any heavy lifting to receive it. The world we live in makes this approach easy to tackle, simply by applying the consumers' desire to what you're already attempting to sell.
1. Customer service simplified
If your company isn't operating with an SMS-enabled customer service team, make that your first priority! The ability to simply text a business with a question or issue is a huge convenience for your customers.
Arguably one of the biggest use cases of SMS for business is customer service. Consumers today don't care to spend time on hold, or sending their issue through an email and waiting for a response. The option to communicate with customer service through text message is a game changer for both businesses and consumers.
2. Quick feedback and surveys
Sending a quick text asking how their experience was, what (if anything) they would change for future interactions, how many stars they'd give the salesperson/ customer service rep, etc.
Experience surveys not only give your business valuable feedback on operations and current policies and procedures, but also show the customer you care and are looking for ways to improve their experience.
3. Important product and feature updates
Launching a new product? Pushing new updates that will offer new functionality and capabilities for your users? Testing new features? Anything product or service related should be communicated with your customers - why not use SMS to do so?
Sales prospects who are sent text messages convert at a rate 40% higher. This tells us that communicating with leads on this channel will bring in more revenue, bottom line.
4. Trade shows and events
Whether you're attending a local business workshop, running a booth at a popular trade show, or any other event where foot traffic is heavy, creating an SMS campaign specifically for this event creates a unique way to chat with anyone your team meets.
Encourage attendees to text your short code with the associated keyword. Texting that number will opt them in to receive marketing messages related to the show, any follow-up your team has in mind for after the show, and additional relevant resources as you see fit.
5. Text enable your business numbers
We've talked a lot about how your business numbers are probably getting text messages, even if you can't read them. Without the correct platform to access these messages, not only is money being left on the table, but your team is missing out on prospects, conversations, and revenue.
SMS-enabling phone numbers is simple and it opens the door for new opportunities for marketing, sales, product development, customer service, and more.
How is your business using SMS to improve its' bottom line? If you've got ideas for a new campaign, click below and let's get you started.
