Using retail SMS marketing, or text messaging, to communicate with customers at every stage of their buying process is a great idea. Text messaging drives repeat business at a time when customer experience is on the minds of all marketers. SMS marketing offers a wide range of benefits, from customer service to rich media experiences that drive loyalty, repeat engagement, and sales.

Here are some ideas for using SMS marketing in retail.

The basics of text marketing are pretty straightforward for retailers. Retailers create an account with a service provider, upload their contacts, and when ready, compose and send bulk SMS promotions.

As a result of grouping customers, the retailer can send relevant marketing messages only to those who fit certain profiles. For example, if a retailer has a new location opening across town, they will save money (and increase engagement) by only announcing the store opening to local customers instead of their entire database.

As soon as the text is sent, the retailer can use their texting platform to track the campaign's success. Several platforms offer reports that provide specific metrics, such as the number of clicks, opens, and engagement spikes associated with a campaign. This information lets retailers continuously fine-tune and optimize their text marketing campaigns based on the data. You will determine the most effective SMS marketing strategy for your retail business by applying what you already know about your customers and your retail operations.

Among the most effective SMS retail strategies are:

1) To acquire new customers, you can provide shoppers with a Keyword paired with a shortcode.

2) Provide follow-up information to SMS subscribers on new products or upcoming sales and services to increase repeat business.

3) Giving customers order and delivery updates or letting them know when a popular item is back in stock is a great way to help (and delight) customers.

4) Responding in real-time to customer questions by providing two-way customer service.