Using personalization tokens within your SMS platform is a simple but powerful way to continue building rapport with your customers.
In the noisy world of technology and 'instant' everything, consumers demand a level of personalization to the marketing and sales tactics that they see each day. Smartphones are attached to our bodies for the majority of the day, with the average person checking their phone 52 times a day!If you got a text message from a random phone number with a generic message like, "Hey, come shop at our business this weekend!" Chances are good the modern day consumer would either ignore this text or delete it entirely. Nothing about that message is enticing, gives a strong encouraging action, or even comes off like it was sent to the right person.
This message begs the question(s):
- What are you selling?
- Which product do you recommend for me, based on my demographic?
- How are you encouraging me to come shop?
In order to launch a successful SMS (text message) marketing campaign, personalization is key.
Why?
Think about it. If you opted in to receive text messages from a business, you might expect a level of personalization that you wouldn't from a radio advertisement or on a billboard. That's because they have some of your personal information already, even if it's just your name, gender, age, and location... information a radio commercial simply can't obtain just by advertising through your car speakers.
Personalization is all about knowing your audience.
Let's say you're a pet groomers business owner and you're trying to get locals to come check out your new space in town. You want to ensure your new location does well, and you're relying on existing customers to continue bringing their animals to you, despite your new storefront being a bit farther outside town.
What would a solid text message read like for existing groomer customers?
"Hi, Linda. Bobby here, from Pups Gone Wild in Denver. Just wanted to send you a quick reminder that the new storefront opens this weekend, and we're offering 25% off grooming services for current customers. I know Daisy's summer coat is ready for a trim, so bring her on any time after 10am on Saturday and we'll get you taken care of! Our new address is 9191 Friedmont Street."
This text works because it has several layers of personalization, including:
- The customer's first name
- Highlighting her status as an existing customer with a discount
- The dog's name
Even if Linda can't make the shop opening this weekend, she's still been reminded of the new location and chances are good she feels like Pups Gone Wild really cares about her dog and in turn, keeping her business.
A personalized text message really can go a long way; you just have to have the data and the ability to segment accordingly. You can segment by age, gender, or get much more detailed information by segmenting by an action taken (purchased from your online shop, filled out a form on your website, etc.) to apply to campaign messaging.
Sales, product updates, promotions, and launches are important to your customers. That's information they want to be informed of! Using personalization tokens within your SMS platform is a simple but powerful way to continue building rapport with your customers, one dog wash at a time.
