The eCommerce industry, especially mobile commerce, is growing at a rapid pace. Today, when almost everyone has a smartphone, businesses can leverage various marketing strategies to reach their target audience. One such strategy is SMS marketing!
Over the past few years, SMS marketing for eCommerce has gained significant traction. It provides a cost-effective and efficient means for businesses to engage with their customers and advertise their offerings directly.
So, are you an owner of a growing eCommerce business looking for some effective but budget-friendly ways to reach out to your target customers? Do you want to send personalized text messages to your audience and encourage them to purchase from you?
Read on to learn all you need to know about SMS marketing for eCommerce businesses, some surprising stats, and how to get started.
Table of Contents
What Is SMS Marketing in eCommerce?
Simply put, SMS marketing is a marketing strategy involving sending texts, like promotional messages, offers, etc., to your target audience.
With SMS marketing, you can add links to your website or product pages, discounts, etc., to create more interest in your business and up your sales.
Additionally, you can also develop a closer connection with your audience. You can reach them in real-time, provide personalized recommendations, and reduce cart abandonment issues by giving them special discounts and deals.
Some Surprising Stats for SMS Marketing in eCommerce
Now that we have talked about the basics of SMS marketing for eCommerce businesses, let’s look at some major statistics that highlight the growing importance of SMS marketing in the industry:
- Did you know 92% of smartphone users still prefer text messaging and using SMS? Yes, you read it correctly! Thus, SMS marketing can give you an excellent reach and help you get your message across to a wider audience.
- A whopping 5 billion people around the globe send and receive SMS texts every day – that is about 65% of the world’s total population!
- An SMS comes with an open rate of 99% as compared to the open rate of 12% to 25% for email.
- By 2025, 77% of the global population will own a smartphone. This means that SMS marketing will become one of the top choices for businesses to reach out to their audience.
- People between 18-24 of age send and receive an average of 3,000 text messages each month.
- In 2022, 70% of customers agreed that they prefer receiving SMS text from a business. On the other hand, 61% said they would like to text a business back. These numbers are expected to increase in 2023 and beyond!
- In 2022, 70% of consumers chose SMS texts from businesses as their preferred method of communication. Even more impressive is that an even higher percentage – 61% – said they would be up for sending a text back to a business. We can only expect these numbers to keep growing in 2023 and beyond!
So, we can say that SMS marketing can be a great tool for eCommerce businesses to increase sales. However, it’s important to remember to use it strategically. Bombarding customers with too many messages can lead to them opting out and damaging your brand’s reputation.
Read also: SMS Marketing – A Beginner’s Guide (Tips, Benefits, Examples)
5 Benefits of SMS Marketing in eCommerce
In this section, we’ll quickly go over why you must make the most of SMS marketing to grow your eCommerce business.
1. SMS messages have high open rates
SMS marketing offers a huge benefit in the form of high open rates. Research shows SMS messages have an open rate of 99%, compared to emails which have a much lower open rate of between 12% – 25%.
That means your customers are way more likely to read your text messages than your eCommerce business emails.
2. You can personalize your message
SMS marketing is a great way to show your customers that you care! You can use customer data, like their name, past purchases, and preferences, to craft messages that are tailored just for them.
Not only does this make them feel appreciated, but it can also help to strengthen your bond with them and boost their loyalty to your business.
3. SMS marketing is incredibly cost-effective
SMS marketing is a great way to get your message out there without breaking the bank. It’s much cheaper than other marketing channels and options like paid ads or video marketing.
This is because you only pay for what you send. No extra costs like design or production either! It’s the perfect marketing solution for small and medium-sized eCommerce businesses.
4. Higher customer engagement
SMS messages have an impressive engagement rate compared to emails. A study showed that SMS messages have click-through rates – as high as 46%! On the other hand, emails only range between 2-3%.
This means that customers are more likely to interact with SMS messages and take the desired action, like making a purchase, than with emails.
5. They help you build trust
SMS marketing is a great way to build trust between you and your customers. Show them you care by sending them helpful information, order confirmation, order updates, and personalized messages.
By doing so, you can make your customers feel important and listened to. It can strengthen your relationship with them and keep them coming back for more!
SMS gateways are a reliable and efficient way for businesses to send and receive SMS messages in bulk, regardless of their size or location.
Read also: Texting 101: Your Complete Guide to SMS Short Codes
How to Get Started With eCommerce SMS Marketing?
Beginning your journey with eCommerce SMS marketing is quite easy. Here are some steps you can take to get the ball rolling.
1. Identify your goals
Figuring out what you want to get out of your eCommerce SMS marketing efforts is the first step. Are you looking to boost sales, create more brand recognition, or drive more visitors to your website?
Knowing what you want to do will help you create campaigns that really speak to your audience and get you the results you want.
2. Start building your SMS subscribers’ list
After sorting out your goals, you should start growing your subscriber list. Some effective ways to do this include:
- Having a sign-up option on your website or at the checkout
- Advertising your SMS program on social media
- Running a specific ad campaign
Ensure your subscribers have given you their permission to contact them through SMS.
3. Select a great SMS marketing platform
You can find a large number of SMS marketing platforms out there. Thus, it is important to analyze your choices and budget before picking one. Look for a platform with features like automation, personalization, segmentation, and reporting.
Some examples of popular SMS marketing platforms include EZ Texting, Twilio, and Textedly.
4. Create your SMS marketing campaigns
Once you have selected a platform, you can start designing your effective SMS marketing campaigns. Think about the types of messages you want to send – like promotional deals, order updates, or order confirmations.
You can also personalize your messages to make them more relevant for your subscribers. Keep in mind, though, to abide by best practices, like keeping your messages brief, adding a clear call-to-action, and including an opt-out option.
5. Consider automation
Using automation for SMS marketing can give your customer service a boost! You can set up automated replies for common questions like shipping updates and product availability, and you’ll be able to give your customers quick and helpful answers.
This will not only make their experience better, but it’ll also help build up trust in your brand. Automation also helps you send bulk SMS messages quickly.
Read also: 25 Top eCommerce Marketing Tools Sure to Boost Sales in 2023
Top 3 Effective SMS Marketing Automation Recipes
Looking to streamline your marketing efforts and engage more with customers? Try using SMS marketing automation!
It’s a great way to make the most of your marketing efforts.
Read on.
1. Series of Welcome texts
Welcome new subscribers to your brand with an SMS marketing automation welcome series! Introduce them to your products, highlight your offers, and provide special deals.
Here’s an example:
Welcome to [your brand]! We’re delighted to have you join us. Check out our new arrivals and enjoy a special 15% discount with code WELCOME15. We look forward to building a great relationship with you. Enjoy your shopping!
2. Post-purchase follow-up
Thanking customers for their purchases and encouraging repeat business has never been easier! With SMS marketing automation, you can send automated messages to customers after they’ve purchased to solicit feedback and offer promotions on future purchases.
For example:
Hey [customer name]! We hope you’re loving your new [product]! If you have a minute, we’d really appreciate it if you rated your experience with us. As a thank you, we’re offering you a coupon code “THANKS10” to get 10% off your next purchase!
3. Personalized birthday promotions
Making your customers feel special on their birthdays is easy and effective with SMS marketing automation. Send personalized promotions and discounts to customers on their special day to boost engagement.
For example:
Hey [customer name]! Today’s your special day, so let’s celebrate! Use the code BDAY20 to get 20% off your purchase – but hurry, it’s only valid today!
Read also: SMS Character Limit – Will Your Message Fit?
The Best SMS Marketing Ideas for eCommerce Businesses
Now that you know how to get started with SMS marketing and set up your SMS marketing campaigns, you might be wondering how to use SMS to your advantage.
Well, to make it simple for you, here are some of the best eCommerce SMS marketing ideas.
1. Send cart abandonment reminders
Sending abandoned cart reminders is a great way to get customers back to your website and encourage them to finish their orders.
For example, you can send them a cart abandonment SMS saying something like this:
“Hey, you left something in your cart! Think you want to go back to it again? We have a surprise discount code to use if you complete the purchase.”
Such an SMS will help you encourage the customers to revisit their carts and click the checkout button.
2. Tell your customer about new product launches
SMS marketing offers an excellent way to create some buzz about your new product launch and excite your customers.
For example, you can send out a text letting everyone know about your new products, with a link to where they can buy them on your website.
3. Announce flash sales and limited-time offers
Creating a sense of urgency and motivation to buy is easy with flash sales and limited-time offers. Try sending a text announcing a 24-hour sale on a specific item or group of items, complete with a discount code that’s only valid for that time.
It’s a great way to get customers to act fast!
4. Offer loyalty program rewards
SMS marketing is a great way to boost your loyalty program and show appreciation to your most loyal customers. You could send a text letting them know they earned a reward, like free delivery or a special deal on their next order!
Read also: 45 Business Text Message Templates For Busy Bees
Wrapping Up
To wrap it up, SMS marketing is a great way for eCommerce businesses to connect with their customers, increase sales, and foster loyalty.
You can personalize messages, automate processes and use targeted promotional campaigns to reach out to customers and create memorable experiences effectively.
By adding SMS marketing to their marketing strategies, eCommerce businesses like yours can benefit from this rapidly growing channel and keep customers engaged.
