Increase seasonal sales: Use SMS for better customer experience

SMS as part of the sales cycle

Why SMS over email?

If you want to capture a lion’s share of online shoppers, you need a multi-prong approach to marketing. Nowadays, email alone isn’t enough. According to MailChimp, only around 17% of ecommerce emails are opened and only 3% enjoy click-through. Compare that to the 98% open rate of SMS, plus the fact that more than a third of visits to online stores now come from mobile devices, and you’ll see why the text message is an indispensable part of your marketing arsenal.

How to keep customers in the loop with SMS

The first great use for SMS is keeping customers informed during the purchase process, from ordering all the way through to delivery and post-delivery (i.e.: “Your item has been delivered. Need to log a return? Reply Y.”)

But even before that, you can use SMS to help your customers feel confident about shopping on your site. Many ecommerce sites send one-time PINs to authenticate a user during checkout – a valuable security measure that gives you the edge of over your competitors.

SMS is also ideal for sending time-sensitive notifications about delivery. It offers a handy real-time two-way response option, a great alternative (or companion) to live chat on your website. SMS is not dependent on internet access. What’s more, if you operate in territories where most people still own feature phones, SMS is a reliable, cost-effective mode of communication.

Next, you can confirm the order via SMS and notify a customer every step of the way: once an item has left the warehouse, if it was out of stock and is once again available, and once it has been delivered to their door. You could also invite a customer via SMS to choose a specific delivery time that is convenient for them.

Benefits of better-informed customers

Fewer delivery problems

Customers will know exactly when their order will arrive, saving you the wasted time and cost of missed deliveries. Fewer call center calls: this not only reduces businesses’ telephonic costs but also improves staff productivity, with fewer telephonic queries to be dealt with.

Creating the ultimate customer experience

Once you’ve offered a seamless customer experience from purchase all the way to after-sales support, your customers will be more receptive to SMS coupons and promotions from you in the future. Get them excited about opening your messages by setting up weekly offers – for example, 10% off every Wednesday with a coupon code sent via SMS. You could also offer a free gift if they make another purchase online, or ask for their feedback via an SMS survey, making them feel appreciated.

Festive purchasing is gearing up fast, so don’t miss out on this lucrative market. Get started now by setting up a Clickatell Platform account – perfect for marketers, including those without developer experience.