As e-commerce continues flourishing, finding effective ways to connect with customers and drive revenue is essential for online merchants. One strategy that has proven to be highly successful for Shopify stores is short message service (SMS) marketing. Let’s explore how SMS marketing works on Shopify, its benefits, and how it can help businesses foster stronger customer relationships and boost their bottom line.
How SMS Marketing Works on Shopify
SMS marketing on Shopify involves leveraging SMS to communicate directly with customers via mobile phones. By integrating SMS marketing tools like Postscript into the Shopify platform, merchants can effortlessly send personalized, time-sensitive messages to their subscribers, informing them about promotions, product launches, and other relevant updates.
The Benefits of SMS Marketing on Shopify
- High Deliverability and Engagement: SMS messages have a significantly higher delivery rate than emails, making it more likely that your customers will see and read your messages promptly.
- Immediate Reach and Action: SMS messages are delivered instantly, perfect for time-sensitive promotions and urgent updates. Customers can act on your messages promptly, driving faster conversions.
- Personalized Customer Experiences: With the ability to segment and target your audience, SMS marketing enables you to deliver personalized messages tailored to each customer’s preferences and behavior, fostering stronger customer relationships.
- Increased Customer Loyalty: Regular communication through SMS helps keep your brand top-of-mind, leading to increased customer loyalty and repeat purchases.
- Enhanced Abandoned Cart Recovery: SMS reminders for abandoned carts have proven to be highly effective, encouraging customers to complete their purchases and recover potentially lost revenue.
- Cost-Effective Marketing: SMS marketing offers an impressive ROI, making it a cost-effective channel to drive revenue and engagement for Shopify merchants.
Postscript SMS Revenue Platform for Shopify Stores
While SMS marketing holds tremendous potential, choosing the right platform to execute your campaigns is crucial. One platform that stands out for Shopify merchants is Postscript. As the only SMS revenue platform exclusively built for Shopify, Postscript offers seamless integration, allowing merchants to leverage the full power of SMS marketing within their existing Shopify setup.
Postscript’s features, including comprehensive SMS marketing and SMS sales solutions, impressive ROI, and access to SMS experts, make it a reliable choice for businesses looking to take advantage of SMS marketing’s benefits on Shopify.
How To Set Up SMS Marketing on Shopify
After you sign up for Postscript and add Shopify app designed specifically for SMS marketing:
- Opt-In and Build Your Subscriber List: Customers voluntarily opt-in to receive SMS notifications from your store by providing their phone numbers during checkout or through dedicated sign-up and pop-up forms. As you grow your subscriber list, you gain a highly engaged audience ready to receive your SMS campaigns.
- Create Engaging SMS Content: Craft compelling and concise SMS messages that resonate with your audience. Due to the limited character count in SMS, delivering clear and actionable content is essential.
- Segment and Target Your Audience: Utilize the data collected from your customers to segment your audience based on preferences, purchase history, and behavior. This allows you to send highly targeted and relevant SMS campaigns, increasing the chances of conversion.
- Schedule and Automate Campaigns: Plan your SMS campaigns strategically and schedule them for optimal delivery times. Automation features offered by SMS marketing platforms like Postscript enable you to set up triggers for specific actions, such as cart abandonment reminders or post-purchase thank-you messages.
- Measure and Optimize Performance: Monitor the performance of your SMS campaigns using analytics provided by your SMS marketing platform. Analyze delivery rates, click-through rates (for links included in the message), and conversion rates to refine your strategy and achieve better results.
Example SMS Campaigns for Ecommerce
Here are some examples of SMS campaigns that work well with ecommerce, along with sample messages for each type:
- Promotional Campaigns: These campaigns promote special offers, discounts, or sales events to drive immediate customer purchases.
🎉 Super Sale Alert! Get 20% off all items today only! Use code: FLASH20 at checkout. Shop now at [Short URL]. Limited stock, don't miss out! 🛍️
- Abandoned Cart Recovery Campaigns: Aimed at re-engaging customers who abandoned their shopping carts, these campaigns remind customers about their pending purchases and often include incentives to complete the transaction.
Hi [Customer Name], you left something behind! Complete your purchase now and get 10% off. Click here to return to your cart: [Cart URL]. Offer expires in 1 hour. Happy Shopping! 🛒
- Order Updates and Shipment Notifications: These campaigns give customers real-time updates about their orders, including order confirmations, shipment tracking details, and delivery notifications.
Your order #12345 is on its way! 🚚 Estimated delivery: [Date]. Track your package here: [Tracking URL]. If you have any questions, reply to this message. Thanks for shopping with us! 😊
- Personalized Recommendations and Upsells: Using customer data and purchase history, personalized campaigns recommend products that align with a customer’s preferences, encouraging additional purchases.
Hi [Customer Name], we thought you'd love these new arrivals! 👗👠 Check them out now: [Short URL]. Plus, get free shipping on orders over $50. Happy Shopping! 🛍️
- Flash Sales and Limited-Time Offers: These time-sensitive campaigns create a sense of urgency by offering exclusive discounts or deals for a short period, compelling customers to act quickly.
🚨 3-Hour Flash Sale! Save 25% on all electronics. Shop now at www.examplestore.com. Hurry, sale ends at 3 PM PT. Use code: FLASH25 at checkout. Don't miss out! ⏰
- Customer Loyalty and Rewards Campaigns: These campaigns acknowledge and reward loyal customers with special offers, discounts, or points as a gesture of appreciation for their continued support.
Hey [Customer Name], you've earned a special reward! 🎁 Use code: LOYALTY10 to get $10 off your next purchase. Redeem now at [Short URL]. Thanks for being a loyal customer! ❤️
- Survey and Feedback Requests: Seeking valuable insights, these campaigns encourage customers to provide feedback through surveys, helping businesses gather feedback and improve their products or services.
Hi [Customer Name], we value your feedback! 📝 Take a quick survey and get a chance to win a $50 gift card. Your opinion matters to us! Click here: [Survey URL]
- Event and Product Launch Invitations: Invitations to exclusive events or product launches generate excitement and interest, encouraging customers to participate and explore new offerings.
🎉 Join us for our exclusive product launch event on [Date/Time]. Be the first to see our latest collection! RSVP now at [Event URL]. Limited spots available!
Remember, when crafting SMS messages, keep them concise, engaging, and relevant to your audience. Always include a clear call-to-action (CTA) and, if applicable, a link to your website or a specific landing page utilizing campaign tracking (UTM). Additionally, ensure compliance with SMS regulations and always provide an opt-out option for recipients who no longer wish to receive SMS notifications. Notice the use of emojis?
🚨 SMS messages containing emojis had a 63% higher open rate compared to plain text messages.
By incorporating SMS marketing into their Shopify stores and choosing the right platform like Postscript, merchants can unlock the full potential of SMS marketing and witness tangible results in customer engagement, loyalty, and revenue. Embrace the power of SMS marketing on Shopify today and watch your e-commerce business thrive in a competitive market.