If you’re developing your e-commerce strategy, using the tools that will make it most effective is key.
Although there are a number of tactics and techniques being used to attract and engage your audience, SMS is still one of the most reliable ways to understand customer expectations and deliver the best customer experience that is quick and efficient.
You can easily send your audience to your site with great content. Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates about three times as many leads.
Using SMS has a number of advantages:
It Helps You Stand Out
Using SMS texting can give you an advantage by providing additional services that are not being used by the competition. This includes product onboarding, delivery updates, instant customer service and more. This helps improve the customer experience, which keeps customers coming back for more.
Draws Interest from Customer Experience
SMS is the most immediate form of communication and customer engagement that quickly grabs attention. Today’s customers want the complete experience. According to Defaqto Research, 55% of consumers would pay more for a better customer experience, while 70% of buying experiences are solely based on how the customers feel they are being treated. SMS messages helps the purchasing process that is expected from customers, building relationships that will continue past the initial sale.
Higher Open Rates
The chances of an SMS being read is far higher than the email open rate. According to MailChimp, 17.25% of e-commerce emails are opened, with a 3% click-through rate. SMS, on the other hand, has an open rate of 98% within 90 seconds, which is a great reason to consider SMS Marketing as an effective e-commerce tool.
Time sensitive information and quick answers help immediately engage customers and resolves issues in record time, which cannot be done with other tools like email.
Multifunctional
You won’t find an alternative that is lower in cost than SMS messaging. It provides a number of functions that are useful to the e-commerce platform, such as two-way communication on a live platform without the need for internet; personalized update preferences and account information; almost guaranteed delivery; the SMS system is always on because it does not need the internet to deliver messages; it is timely for follow-up sales; and increases feedback and competition.
Already a Part of the Competition
Regardless of how long SMS messaging has been used in engaging audiences, the playing field and competition is high. Some ingenious and clever ways SMS messaging has proven to work well in e-commerce include:
- Security – SMS is a good way to keep codes and one-time PIN numbers confidential and personal between you and the customer. It is also a good way to send alerts and security messages to customers without alerting the masses.
- Preference updates – SMS allows subscribes to manage different accounts and update their preferences through a simple text. This saves time and alleviates the need for customer service.
- Promotions – You can get limited promotions, coupons and other incentives through SMS that are specific to your preferences and based on your purchase history. Incentives that are SMS only are growing in popularity and enhance the customer experience.
- Information – SMS is a perfect way to send price drop information or changes to the buying experience. It is also a good way to give instructions to a customer and can immediately be routed to a customer service agent if they need additional assistance.
The use of SMS in e-commerce can improve retention rates and enhance the customer experience in ways that will keep your audience engaged. Knowing how to do this effectively will help reap bottom-line rewards.
DISCLAIMER: The information and views set out in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the MyCity-Web collective. This is a contributed article via our Submit Post Page and should be viewed as such.