How do you feel when your customers face a bad experience with online buying?
Frustrated right? Yes, we know how it gets.
What if we told you there’s a seamless way to improve your customers’ buying experience? One that keeps them returning.
In this blog, we’ll show you how to use SMS to provide customers with the best shopping experience.
Get ready to change how your customers perceive your business.
Let’s dive in.
Note: You can also use this approach on WhatsApp. Check out our WhatsApp Messaging Solution for e-commerce businesses.
Why providing a great e-commerce buying experience is important?
Since more of your consumers now prefer online shopping, the experience your e-commerce space provides can make or break your business.
Let’s explain how providing customers with a good buying experience benefits your business.
1. Increases customer satisfaction
Your customers’ buying experience directly affects their purchase.
When they have a great buying experience, they are likely to buy your products. Even more, they are going to fall in love with your business.
A survey by Salesforce says that 80% of customers admit that a company’s experience is as important as its products and services.
2. Boosts customer loyalty
When customers are happy with their buying experience, they’ll return.
A study by Adobe found that returning customers makeup 40% of online revenue.
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3. Improves conversion rates
An excellent buying experience can lead to more conversions.
According to a study by Baymard Institute, 17% of online shoppers abandon their carts. This is because of the complex checkout process.
Providing an easy checkout process can increase your conversion rates.
4. Enhances brand image
Providing an excellent buying experience can also enhance your business’s brand image.
Your customers will most likely recommend you to their friends and family when they feel good.
A study by Nielsen found that 92% of consumers trust referrals from people they know.
5. Drives revenue growth
A good buying experience can increase your revenue growth.
According to a study by Forrester, companies providing good customer experience grow faster.
They see a growth rate of 5.1 times more than those that provide a poor customer experience.
What are the benefits of using SMS for customer communication?
How does SMS help you provide the best online buying experience for your e-commerce business?
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SMS messaging is a common and easy way to communicate with your customers. Here is how you can benefit from using SMS for e-commerce customer communication:
- Quick and direct communication: SMS helps you connect with your customers quickly. They can receive reminders and notifications. Especially for time-sensitive information. For example, order updates or appointment reminders.
- High open rates: Using SMS for e-commerce is excellent. SMS has a high open rate. Studies show that customers open as many as 98% of SMSes and read them within 3 minutes.
- Improved customer engagement: Using SMS for e-commerce can improve your customer engagement. Send personalised messages for exclusive offers or promotions.
- Cost-effective: Using SMS for your online business is a cost-effective way to communicate with your customers. Unlike traditional channels like email, SMS doesn’t need a large budget.
- Convenience: SMS is a convenient way for customers to receive updates. They don’t need to be at their computer or have an internet connection. Your customers can receive messages on their mobile devices wherever they are.
Now that you know the benefits, let’s learn how to use SMS to create a fantastic customer experience.
How to use SMS to create a VIP experience for customers
Here are some easy ways to use SMS for e-commerce and create a VIP experience for your customers.
1. Send personalised messages with exclusive discounts
Who doesn’t love a good deal?
Sending SMS with exclusive discounts is a way to make your customers happy.
You can send them a birthday message with a discount code. Or, you can congratulate them on a recent purchase with a special offer.
Such SMS messages build a connection with your customers. It also encourages them to buy next time.
2. Offer early access to new products
We all love to be the first to know something.
Offer early access to new products. That’s a surefire way to make your customers feel like VIPs.
You can let them be the first to buy a new product. Or give them access to a new service before the general public.
This can build excitement and anticipation among your customers. It also encourages them to make a purchase.
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3. Provide instant customer service through SMS
Good customer service is critical.
What is even better? Providing instant customer service.
With SMS, you can provide your customers with instant customer service.
Customers can send a text message to your business with a question. Then, you respond quickly.
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This way, you get known for being responsive to your customers’ needs.
4. Offer exclusive content or insider information through SMS
Everybody wants to be in the know.
Offering exclusive content is an excellent way to create a VIP experience for your customers. You can send SMS messages with exclusive content.
For example, send news about a new product. This can make your customers feel like they are part of an exclusive club. When that happens, they’ll want to stay engaged with your business.
5. Use SMS to create a gamified experience
Who says using SMS for e-commerce can’t be fun?
Use SMS to create a gamified customer experience and keep your customers engaged.
You can create a scavenger hunt or a trivia game and use SMS to deliver clues or questions.
By doing this, you keep your customers coming back for more.
Best practices for using SMS to enhance customer experience
When using SMS to serve your e-commerce customers, follow these practices to ensure your SMS messages engage your customers.
1. Get consent before sending an SMS
The first step to using SMS for e-commerce is obtaining customers’ permission.
This means getting their permission before you send them SMS messages. You can add an opt-in message on your website or in-store signage.
You can also get your customers to text a keyword to a number to opt in.
Not only is this legal, but it ensures that your customers will reply to your message.
2. Personalise messages to make them relevant
Personalisation is vital in using SMS for your e-commerce customer experience.
One way to do this is by adding your customers’ names or other personal information in your messages.
It makes them feel that they are part of your brand. So they are more likely to react to your messages.
You can also use personalisation to tailor your messages to your customer’s interests. This makes your messages more relevant and engaging.
3. Keep messages short and to the point
SMS messages are, by nature, brief.
This is because your receiver can lose interest when SMSes get too long.
Also, an SMS message supports only 160 characters. It supports 70 characters when the message contains at least one emoji or Chinese character.
So, it’s essential to keep them short and to the point. Stick to one primary message per text, and make sure it’s easy to understand at a glance.
Avoid using jargon or complex language. Also, be sure to proofread your messages before sending them.
4. Segment customers based on purchase history or loyalty
Split your customers based on their purchase history or loyalty. It is a great way to send more targeted and relevant SMS.
For example, consider the message you’ll send to customers who made many purchases. And then the one you’ll send to first-time buyers.
Let your messages be for specific customers. That way, you can increase the likelihood of engagement and conversion.
5. Provide easy instructions on how to opt out of receiving SMS
Provide simple instructions on how to opt out of receiving your SMS. Customers who do not want to receive your messages can unsubscribe.
Including an opt-out option in every SMS message is a best practice. It is a requirement by law in many countries.
What are the different tools for managing SMS communication with customers?
You must know various tools to manage SMS communication with your customers.
Below are some of the various options you can consider.
1. SMS marketing platforms and their features
These platforms often have cool features. For example, bulk messaging, message scheduling, and message personalisation.
Some popular SMS marketing platforms include SMSCountry, EZ Texting, and SMSBump.
2. Integration of SMS with e-commerce platforms
If you’re running an online store, integrate SMS with your e-commerce platform.
This lets you send your customers order confirmations or shipping updates via SMS.
Some popular e-commerce platforms that offer SMS integration include Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce.
Some SMS solutions also make APIs available. You can integrate these APIs with your website to send bulk SMS to your customers.
3. Automated SMS workflows for customer communication
Automated SMS workflows are a great way to streamline your customer communication.
You can set up triggers that send messages to your customers. Automated workflows do this based on your customers’ behaviour.
For example, you could set up a workflow that sends a follow-up message. You can do this after a customer makes a purchase. You can also send a reminder when a customer abandons their cart.
Popular tools for creating automated SMS workflows include Zapier, ActiveCampaign, and HubSpot. You can also integrate SMSCountry SMS and WhatsApp API into your existing solutions.
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You now know how using SMS for your e-commerce e-commerce business can add a VIP touch to your customer experience.
You also learned the best practices and tools to run effective SMS marketing.
Want to add a professional touch to your business?
Take this up a notch with SMSCountry.
SMSCountry is a bulk SMS marketing solution. With SMSCountry, you can also send SMS and WhatsApp messages from with our messaging platforms or APIs.
Schedule a free demo today and see how our bulk SMS and SMS API can transform your customers’ experience.
