Christmas SMS Marketing for Retailers
So let’s admit it – Christmas is just around the corner. Well actually there is still the best part of a quarter of a year between now and then, but the briefest of looks around any bricks and mortar retail establishment will leave you convinced that Jingle Bells are imminent. And whatever your opinion about it, if you hang around for long enough you’ll notice something else too – people are buying into it. With customers already getting into the swing of Christmas shopping this early, the time to act and draw attention to your offerings is now – and SMS Marketing is a great way to do it.
Why does SMS Marketing matter?
It is easy to think, in a world filled with incredibly advanced computer technology, that the humble SMS is anything but relevant. You could be forgiven for writing it off as obsolete, especially when as a retailer you have likely invested some serious money into developing a stylish, modern website. The chances are you have also committed significant funds into digital and traditional marketing. So why would you ever want to start putting money into something that is so fundamentally simple and unglamorous? The answer lies in those exact attributes.
Because SMS messaging technology is built in as standard to every single mobile phone on the market, everybody can send and (more importantly) receive text messages regardless of the technology they are using – and when the percentage of the adult population in possession of a mobile phone is edging ever closer to 100%, this matters more than ever. Given that the vast majority of people have their phone on them or within reach almost all of the time, at any given moment an SMS Marketing message has an exponentially greater likelihood of being opened and read than any other marketing channel.
It is also worth noting that there is still a significant gap between possession of a mobile phone versus possession of a smartphone – approximately 1 in 5 adult phone users don’t have one – meaning that an SMS Marketing strategy can give you access to a considerably larger audience than a mobile marketing campaign that relies on handheld web browsers.
So what is the actual difference between a smartphone and a mobile phone? Here are the dictionary definitions:
Smartphone
a mobile phone that performs many of the functions of a computer, typically having a touchscreen interface, Internet access, and an operating system capable of running downloaded apps.
Mobile Phone
a telephone with access to a cellular radio system so it can be used over a wide area, without a physical connection to a network.
Another reason that SMS matters is that SMS text messages have a personal feel and create a sense of urgency that no technology has ever been able to truly recreate. Whilst the plethora of online communications apps such as Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp do also demand user’s attention, they have never been able to seize attention the same way as the text message has. Couple this with the fact that customers can only receive SMS Marketing messages from companies they have explicitly authorised and have actively chosen to hear from and the result is a channel that has massive potential for return.
How can I use SMS Marketing for my retail business this Christmas?
The only real limit to how you can use SMS Marketing to win both new and existing customers over and increase seasonal sales is your imagination. But in order to help you, here are some simple examples of how SMS Marketing can be used to get your business ahead of the game as we approach the Christmas shopping season:
- Discounts: Customers love feeling like they have special access to a bargain – especially at the most expensive (and competitive) time of the year. Beat your competitors by getting in early and sending customers a text with a simple discount code to use on their next purchase through your website or instore.
- Special Offers: Relay offers on key festive lines such as deal of the week, buy one get one free or a free gift with a purchase over a certain value. Again, all can be summed up in a short text providing a code to enter into your website’s shopping cart or present at the tills.
- Sales: Notify customers of early bird sales and discounts on your Christmas range. A simple text announcing the type and dates of sale can help to direct more customers to your store or website when they otherwise may have missed it from not checking their emails or browsing your website recently.
- Loyalty Programs: Keep customers informed of their points tally and send them rewards for being part of the club. Or just reward them for being a loyal SMS subscriber. Customers like to feel that their loyalty is being recognised and rewarded – especially if they are spending extra to please their family and friends. Consider offering bonus points to entice them to spend with you rather than competitors.
- New Lines/Products: Inform regular customers when you have new seasonal or gift items due to come in or in stock and give them the website link to view. A simple example would be: ‘’Christmas 2017 His & Hers gift range arriving 1st Nov. Click link for range preview’’ Tap into those who like to be first to have the latest items.
- Order & Delivery Status: As courier companies get ever more tech-savvy, customers expect more than ever to be kept informed of their order status. SMS texts can relay the information quickly wherever the customer may be and help them to relax safe in the knowledge that the right presents are arriving nice and early.
- News & Tips: Upsell and provide great customer service by sending links to relevant and interesting topics related to the products you sell. For example, if you sell cycling accessories then you could send something like “Christmas is coming. Top tips and products to make sure you and your bike are ready for the winter weather, click link (to your website)’’. You might wish to link the article to ideal gift products for the passionate cyclist, for example.
Here at Fastsms, we are passionate about helping businesses of every shape and size succeed all year round with our competitively priced business bulk SMS messaging solutions. With our easy sign-up and exceptional customer support, you can be ready to get your Christmas SMS Marketing campaign underway in no time. To find out more about how we can help you to grow, call now on 0800 945 5305.
Related Articles
What Your Customers Want From SMS Marketing
Mobile marketing offers an unprecedented access to your customers virtually any time, anywhere. This is particularly true for SMS marketing because it is “always on”. Customers don’t have to be surfing the web, or using an app to receive messages. Instead, they see the marketing messages right alongside ones from their friends and family.
How Wayne Dyer Inspired SMS Messaging
If you’re tuned into the self-help industry at all, you know who Wayne Dyer was. He spent decades writing transformational books to help people improve their lives and find happiness. He died summer 2015 at his home in Maui at the age of 75. It’s probably an understatement to say he inspired millions of people. So when I came across an article about a publisher using SMS messaging to let people know about a new book discussing his legacy I wasn’t too surprised. Not at first anyway.
Do Your Customers Trust You?
I think for much of the last decade, people used the Internet and then mobile devices, without giving too much thought about what they were doing. Or more accurately, what other people were doing with their information. But then came Edward Snowden in 2013 who revealed governments were collecting and using our personal data in ways we hadn’t imagined.
What Makes a Great Call to Action in an SMS Message?
Marketing messages, whether in print or electronic have many parts to them. In the beginning there’s the hook that entices someone to continue reading, and near the end is the call to action. That’s where you make it clear what you want someone to do after reading the message. There are many parts in between these two, but these are, arguably, the two most important.
Enhancing Two-Way SMS Messaging with Autoresponders
SMS messaging can be a one-way, or a two-way affair. Sending coupons, sale notifications, or event announcements are all one-way messaging. The recipient doesn’t need to reply in order to use the information sent. In two-way messaging though, recipients can reply to your messages. And that makes it much more interesting, engaging, and potentially a lot more work to manage.
SMS Marketing and Mobile Wallets
In one of my blogs last week, I talked about a marketing study by Vibes and what it said about SMS marketing. This week I wanted to take another look at it from the perspective of the mobile wallet industry, also covered in the report. It turns out there is a strong case for integrating your SMS marketing with mobile wallets. Let’s take a look.
Retailers Can Use SMS Marketing For More Than Just Coupons
Discount codes, limited time sales, special exclusive pricing...you may have seen, or used, all of these in a text message campaign. For retailers, it is the most obvious and direct use of SMS marketing. It works and it's cost effective. But are there other ways you can put your SMS channel to work for you?
Out-Of-The-Box Thinking in SMS Marketing
Do you know what your customer’s want? Would you ever offer something other than coupons, discounts, or other deals in your SMS marketing? At least one company is giving it a try, and differentiating themselves from the competition. Read the blog for details.
Technology And Text Messaging Support In-Store Shopping Experiences
Shoppers are very tech savvy. Even when they shop in store they are using their mobiles to do price comparisons, look up reviews or post on social media. And while your customers are busy using tech, your store needs to be using it too. SMS is one of those technologies that can really enhance the shopping experience whether your shoppers are in store, or not.
How to Increase Retail Foot Traffic with SMS Marketing
Here's a great real life example of how a retailer used text messaging to offer out a discount voucher to customers who had visited their store. Their approach is simple and intelligent and very focused on one segment of their customer base, those who had recently visited a store.