What are the top SMS marketing best practices for independent retailers?

In today's competitive landscape, SMS marketing is an increasingly powerful tool for engaging customers and driving sales. It’s no wonder that SMS marketing is popular, as the average person spends over 4 hours per day on their phone. Not only does SMS messaging give retailers direct access to customers via smartphones, but marketers enjoy the fact that SMS content is concise and action-driven. 

To harness the full potential of SMS campaigns, it's essential to implement SMS marketing best practices. Just as each form of digital marketing has its tips and tricks for success, SMS messaging also takes a special touch. One of the keys to SMS marketing is to deliver compelling messages that don’t intrude on people’s daily lives. 

In this article, RareCircles explores top SMS marketing strategies for independent retailers. By following these tactics, you will grow your customer base and increase engagement with established clientele.

Educate Yourself on Compliance Standards

Successful SMS marketing requires more than simply gathering a list of phone numbers and sending bulk text messages. In fact, there are federal laws in place that protect consumers against spam SMS and emails. As such, you are well-advised to educate yourself on marketing compliance laws in the regions where you plan on sending SMS messages. 

In Canada, it's necessary to obtain explicit permission before sending an SMS to any US or Canadian phone number. This permission must be directly given for SMS and cannot be assumed from consent to other marketing messages or platforms. According to the FTC website, any electronic message sent “in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act is subject to penalties of up to $51,744, so non-compliance can be costly.” 

The United States regulates SMS messaging via the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Created in 1991, the TCPA prohibits businesses from contacting individuals on a list of numbers without prior consent. However, if someone has given consent to be contacted through automated means, the law permits it.

Always Get Customer Consent  

While there are potential legal ramifications for poor SMS practices, failing to follow the proper avenues likely won’t be good for business either. As such, a successful SMS marketing strategy always begins by getting people’s consent to receive marketing communications from your organization. 

Failure to obtain consent from customers by marketing teams poses the threat of surprising consumers with unsolicited texts that might result in recipients labeling your company's SMS campaign as spam. Be sure to get customers to sign up for SMS marketing at key touchpoints such as your website and mobile app, or when they purchase items at your store. 

Use a Content Calendar  

A content calendar is vital for SMS marketing as it ensures consistent messaging, timely campaigns, and organized content distribution. Moreover, an SMS content calendar will help your retail store maintain relevance with customers, while also not overwhelming them with excessive texts. Simply put, good planning is essential to a successful campaign. 

Especially for independent retailers, a content calendar is critical for taking advantage of seasonal trends, while also staying organized for important happenings. With SMS, keep your customers up-to-date on seasonal sales throughout the year, while also ensuring they are informed on relevant updates like new product releases. 

Segment Lists and Personalize Messages  

Segmented lists are pivotal in SMS marketing for precise targeting and personalized communication. By categorizing subscribers based on demographics, behavior, or preferences, marketers can create highly personalized and targeted SMS lists. With segments in place, you can then craft SMS messages that cater specifically to customers in different parts of the sales funnel. 

It can’t be denied that customers who receive personalized marketing messages feel more connected to your brand. For example, established customers are more likely to respond to SMS messages regarding upcoming events or important surveys on past purchases. In many instances, personalized marketing also reflects positively on your overall customer service. 

Make SMS Messages Short & Concise  

Besides off-target, spammy content and an over-excessive frequency of texts, there is no better way to annoy readers than with extremely long text messages. Since one of the most beautiful things about SMS marketing is the short, direct nature of the messaging, you should remember to keep everything concise. 

When crafting messages for your subscribers, prioritize brevity and relevance tailored to your audience. It’s important to recognize the intimate nature of people’s smartphones and to deliver valuable content that is easy to digest. When it comes time to write the SMS, clearly outline the product, service, sale, or event being promoted, as well as an obvious CTA. 

Be Strategic with Timing  

Whenever designing a marketing campaign, it's always a good idea to put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Asking questions like “How would I react to his message?” or “Is this campaign tasteful?” is a powerful practice. Especially with SMS campaigns, you need to be strategic and smart about exactly when you send the text messages.  

Nobody enjoys being disturbed while they are relaxing at home or sleeping. If you decide to implement SMS marketing, pay careful attention to the time zones where your customers live, as well as what day of the week you intend to send messages. Most organizations try to conduct SMS marketing campaigns during business hours. 

Don’t Redirect Customers with Links  

Especially in today’s world where people are bombarded with fraudulent emails and text messages daily, adding links to your SMS campaign could be a mistake. There is a good chance your customers will mistake the text for a scam, which would likely result in them unsubscribing or even blocking your number. 

Internet fraudsters regularly use SMS messaging as part of phishing scams where they prompt people to divulge sensitive info or download malware. Obviously, you don’t want your retail business associated with any type of activity that might be mistaken as fraud. 

Include a Compelling Call to Action (CTA)    

In the realm of SMS marketing, a compelling call-to-action (CTA) serves as the linchpin for driving the desired responses from recipients. As the Semrush website explains, when a consumer receives “your content, you'll likely want them to take action afterward, like reading another blog post, making a purchase, or downloading something.” 

Whether urging them to make a purchase, redeem an offer, or visit a website, a well-crafted CTA elicits a sense of urgency and excitement, compelling recipients to act swiftly. In SMS marketing, the CTA often prompts some to respond with “Yes” if interested. At that point, the customer moves further down the sales funnel and should likely be contacted directly by a team member.