It’s that time of year again when we’re all looking forward to a warming glass of mulled wine, and the smell of chestnuts roasting on an open fire. The holiday season is upon us, and businesses everywhere are focusing on the final push to meet campaign goals before peak trading season passes.
With an average open and response rate of 98% and 45% respectively, according to Gartner’s report, bulk SMS is a great way to work smarter and not harder this festive season. If you’re looking for more ways to reach out to customers with a higher response rate, then using SMS to broadcast compelling messages at scale could be the solution for you.
Here’s a list of the ways you can use bulk SMS strategically to maximise your campaign ROI.
Stand out with bulk SMS
Cut through the noise with instant reach
With so many brands vying for customer attention through email and social media campaigns, SMS quickly and effectively cuts through the noise and ensure that your message is seen, especially when 90% of text messages are read within seconds of receipt. This immediacy makes SMS a top choice for timely announcements or comms.
Here’s an example message (we’ve added a bit of a festive spin):
‘The elves at Toy Factory have run out of coffee, so we’ve had to close early today! We’re sorry for the inconvenience and will be back to normal hours tomorrow.’
Make low-cost and affordable announcements
With pressures from the rising cost of living looming in the background, it feels more important than ever to put in place a long-term, affordable plan for hitting those all-important sales targets. Bulk SMS is not only very effective in reaching a large audience but it’s also budget-friendly, with costs starting from as little as 2.5p per message.
Use bulk SMS to announce anything from changes to opening hours to seasonal events, activities, or limited-time sales. If you need some inspiration to get started, browse our message template library.
Strike a chord with targeted messaging
Say the right thing at the right time to your customers by targeting your SMS sends for specific industry use cases or demographics. Bulk SMS allows you to send ultra-personalised messaging at scale, which is a great way to show your customers that they’re not just a number. Whether it’s a reminder to stay warm this winter, or a gift recommendation, being able to customise your SMS sends is a handy tool for nurturing customer relationships.
Encourage two-way communication
A huge benefit of SMS is its ability to encourage two-way communication between businesses and their customers. With useful tools like SMS surveys, you can follow up on any purchase or service with a quick text for instant feedback. Not only is this helpful for making sure your customers are satisfied, but it’s also an effective way to show your audience that their opinion is welcomed and valued.
‘Hi [NAME], you have an appointment with Santa on [DATE] at [TIME]! Reply with Y to confirm or N to reschedule.’
Building a consistent outreach strategy throughout the year is a great way to boost customer loyalty ahead of peak season when loyalty really counts.
Measure campaign performance in real-time
It’s easy to forget how useful it is to be able to see exactly when customers have received and read your text message. You can track delivery rates, open rates, and click-through rates, all of which provide a clear insight into how well your messages are hitting the mark with your audience.
Let’s harness bulk SMS for success
The bottom line is that bulk SMS is a very handy tool for its ability to reach customers quickly, and effectively, at an affordable cost. The holiday season is an apt time to start building on your customer relations by reaching out with season greetings, important information reminders, or gift recommendations.
It’s the time of the year when everyone wants to feel a little more seen and a little more heard, so the ability to customise messaging and reach your audience at scale makes bulk SMS the perfect choice for going a step further this holiday season.
If you’re looking for new ways to share the holiday spirit this year, start a free trial with Text Marketer to start sending SMS campaigns today.