SMS marketing: 8 programs to get started

Text message marketing allows brands to connect with customers on the go, wherever they are, whenever you need. You can set up SMS automations in a matter of clicks, but which programs should you focus on to get started? SMS marketing drives ROI by engaging your database with short, sharp messages, right into the palm of their hand.

Similar to email marketing, SMS marketing allows marketers to reach subscribers with personalized one-to-one communications at scale. Modern consumers always have their mobile devices close at hand. That’s what makes SMS marketing such an under-utilized channel. Marketers have access to a channel guaranteed to get the reader’s attention, but its potential remains untapped.

Mobile phones help connect users to the wider world. It’s through these devices shoppers are searching for and discovering new brands. They’re already demanding personalized experiences on well-established channels such as email and websites, but the growing dominance of mobile has led to a demand for more personalized mobile experiences.

Personalized SMS experiences

It can be daunting enough just thinking about adding SMS to your marketing channels, how are you supposed to deliver personalized experiences too?

We hear you, and the answer is simpler than you would expect.

Marketing automation allows you to send one-to-one communications on a massive scale. Using an intelligent omnichannel automation platform, you can use behavioral triggers to deliver the right messages at the right time. This means that every single recipient is receiving the same experience.

What’s more, with intelligent SMS builders, you can personalize messages the same way you would an email. Adding data fields such as first name or location empowers marketers to deliver hyper-personalized messages with next to no effort.

8 SMS marketing programs to get started

1. Subscription confirmation

When you collect phone numbers at the point of sign-up or subscription, you can trigger a subscription confirmation message to be delivered to your new contact. This is especially useful as a double opt-in tactic to reaffirm the contact’s desire to hear from your brand.

Subscription confirmation texts not only ensure your mailing lists as full of engaged contacts but also assures that the phone numbers collected are valid.

2. Welcome message

Welcome emails are a must. They help you introduce your brand while getting to know your new contact. But a welcome text message goes one step beyond to surprise and delight.

Adding a welcome SMS to your welcome program is about expressing your brand personality. It feels personal and will leave the recipient excited about connecting with your brand.

3. Announcements

Do you have quarterly product launches? Do you host events every month? Maybe you run semi-annual sales. Whatever your announcement, creating an SMS program will help your messages land with impact.

This should be a three-stage program:

1. The teaser: let customers know something exciting is coming their way.
2. The announcement: shout it from the rooftops and drive customers into action.
3. The last chance: just before the end of the sale or the event begins, offer customers a final chance to get on board.

4. Abandoned cart or browse messages

There are various reasons for cart abandonment, but distraction is one of the most common ones. Drive customers back to your website is an abandoned browse or cart text message.

Customers who are out and about, at work, or on the move are more susceptible to distraction. Using this channel to offer an exclusive discount code can be the motivation shoppers need to complete a purchase.

5. Birthday alerts

Happy birthday messages, especially those delivered via text, once again allow your brand to connect with customers on a human level. You can choose to deliver exclusive discount codes through this channel or drive them to their email inbox with a ‘keep an eye out’ message.

6. Order confirmation

Transactional emails are essential for building trust and confidence in your brand. Adding SMS order confirmation automations to your marketing strategy not only reaffirms this trust but also allows you to thank customers for choosing your brand.

Saying “thank you” in your order confirmation message is a perfect way to ensure a customer feels valued. And when a customer feels valued, they’ll become a repeat purchaser and a high spender.

7. Surveys and feedback collection

The only way your brand can grow and continue to meet the needs and demands of your customers is if you know what it is they want. The best way to discover this is to ask them directly through surveys and feedback forms.

Using SMS to collect this information helps you collect this information quickly and effectively.

8. Win-back and re-engagement campaigns

Winning back a customer when they stop engaging with your emails can be a tough job. Especially using the very channel they have stopped responding on. That’s why an SMS re-engagement campaign is a guaranteed win.

Remind subscribers about your brand and drive them back to your site as they lapse with well-timed SMS automations.

Getting started with SMS marketing

These eight SMS marketing automation programs will deliver immediate results. SMS doesn’t have to be complicated or long-winded to add to your marketing channels. You can create these as stand-alone programs, or add them as stages in your existing programs.

However you choose to integrate SMS into your marketing, there’s no better time to get started.