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The cornerstone of any successful brand is its relationship with customers. When the customer relationship is strong, small hiccups in the user experience are easily forgiven because customers trust you to serve them well. And they’re more likely to give feedback and return with repeat business, even when your competitors offer enticements. Essentially, everything is easier when you have good relationships with your customers.
What’s more, when the customer relationship is strong, you’ll have higher customer lifetime value because your brand retains more customers who are loyal to you. And you’ll acquire more new customers through referrals than brands with lower CLV. But this relationship must be constantly tended and nurtured.
What are some of the things you can do to build and maintain strong relationships with your customers, the kind that turn them into brand ambassadors? One way to strengthen your customer relationships is through personalized communications, which will help you connect with them on a deeper level.
The next question, of course, is which channel do you choose?
SMS messaging, popularly known as text messaging, is the practice of sending transactional or promotional messages to users by text. Using SMS to send targeted, relevant communications can be a potent tool to build this connection — especially when users are constantly bombarded with random messages from different channels.
SMS messaging has stood the test of time, maintaining its position as a reliable and direct method of reaching out to customers. A report from Statista shows a significant uptick in SMS marketing campaigns sent by ecommerce brands in 2022. These brands amplified their SMS campaigns by a staggering 62.3% compared to the previous year, and the impact of this surge was not just quantitative. It translated into tangible results, with a notable 10.7% increase in CTRs and 23.8% increase in orders.*
This surge highlights the significance of SMS campaigns in the ecommerce landscape and their potential to boost revenue and enhance customer engagement.
How can you leverage SMS messaging effectively to build and strengthen customer relationships? Here are some best practices to follow:
Clearly ask for users’ consent before sending them text messages. You can request users to opt-in through a web form or a checkbox. Provide the customer an easy way to opt-out at any time by replying STOP or by using a link to unsubscribe.
Be consistent with the frequency of SMS. Bombarding users with too many irrelevant messages will annoy them. Avoid launching SMS campaigns at inappropriate times or when there is a high probability your users will ignore it. For example, don’t send messages late at night, and don’t send a coupon for a lunch deal in the evening when it should be a dinner coupon.
SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, so be concise and clear. Convey your message effectively with simple and direct language. Check the spelling, grammar, punctuation, and tone of your SMS campaign to maintain your brand’s image and credibility.
Avoid spammy language while crafting SMS messages. Some words or phrases may trigger spam filters and can be blocked by carriers or customers. Use words that are relevant and specific, and be honest about the offer or message. You should always endeavor to create a sense of trust between your brand and your users.
Identify your brand or business name in the messages to build brand recognition. SMS messages are sent from an SMS short code or a phone number that may not be recognized by the user. Use a branded sender ID, add the brand name at the beginning or end of the message, or use a signature line to avoid being mistaken for spam or phishing attempts.
SMS messaging is an absolute must-have for an efficient mobile marketing strategy, it’s a powerful tool that can make or break your brand. Let’s figure out how your brand can use this tool to its optimum capacity.
Forget generic, one-size-fits-all messages. Personalization is the secret sauce of successful customer engagement. With the power to collect, dig deep, and analyze customer data, brands can whip up SMS campaigns that are as unique as their customers. It’s all about making customers feel like the king, like having a one-on-one chat with each of them. And to do this, you’re going to need a comprehensive customer profile for each of your users.
Let’s talk about timing – it’s like hitting at the right moment and scoring a bullseye, it makes all the difference to how your customers engage. For instance: you are about to abandon an online shopping cart and bam! An SMS dings from the store reminding you about it with a special coupon waiting for you at check-out. Or it’s your birthday and you receive a surprise SMS with a special offer. When a message pops up right when it’s needed, it doesn’t annoy users, it converts them into buyers.
Strong customer relationships thrive on two-way communication. SMS campaigns can be used as a two-way street, users can respond, ask questions or provide feedback. SMS can turn a broadcast into a conversation. Brands can also use automated responses or chatbots to handle common queries or send customers to other channels for more complex issues.
Automation is a game-changer in SMS marketing. Brands can set up automated campaigns that trigger SMS messages based on predefined customer actions or events. This not only saves time and effort but also ensures that customers receive relevant messages precisely when they need them. The ability to automate SMS campaigns empowers businesses to maintain a consistent and ongoing dialogue with their customer base.
Respect customer privacy and adhere to regulations such as GDPR and TCPA. They are non-negotiable in SMS marketing. Such regulations not only safeguard customer trust but also enable brands to continue building positive, long-term relationships.
Data-driven insights play a pivotal role in building a long-lasting relationship between a brand and its users. With an analytical tool brands can monitor open rates, CTRs, conversion rates and more, in order to refine their messaging strategies to better resonate with their audience.
We live in the age of instant gratification. People are glued to their smartphones, it’s almost like an extension of their arm, and when they get a text, they read it. If done, right SMS messaging can prove to be a brand’s direct line into the customer’s pockets. To use SMS messaging effectively, explore CleverTap’s SMS marketing.
CleverTap is a powerful and user-friendly platform that enables marketers to craft and send SMS campaigns to their customers based on their behavior, preferences and actions, and integrate SMS with other channels such as email, push notifications and web to create omni-channel campaigns that deliver a consistent and seamless customer experience.
CleverTap also provides rich analytics and insights that help measure and optimize SMS campaigns and strengthen customer relationships. To learn more, visit our website.
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