The COVID-19 pandemic has filled the world with uncertainty and pressure on all aspects of life, from education to businesses.
The retail industry has been hugely impacted by the spread of the pandemic. A recent study reported that e-Commerce sales have spiked up, but the growth is not spread equally across industries.
There is a massive shift in consumers’ buying behavior. A COVID-19 consumer trends survey highlighted that the consumers frequently purchase products online that they usually would buy in-store, which remain closed or have limited inventories.
Although states begin to loosen restrictions, people still find the idea of going into a retail store for shopping pretty uncomfortable. Thus, it has become a necessity for retailers to adjust to the new landscape and establish long-term marketing strategies.
Many retailers are exploring new ways to get connected with the customers and provide a sense of assurance to them.
As a result, many retailers are using SMS marketing as an alternative to email. With high open rates, the online text message has become the ideal communication channel for retailers during this pandemic.
Business text messaging is used in new and unexpected ways to engage customers. Listed here are a few ways through which text marketing is used to improve e-Commerce business during this ongoing crisis.
1. Time-Sensitive Promotions
Post lockdown, the time spent by people on mobile, has increased to a great extent. Offering discounts at this time will increase the long-term purchases and loyalty of the customers towards your business.
You can send coupons, free access, discounted prices, and access to premium service directly to the customers through group texting. If you send personalized or tailor-made offers and discounts, nothing can restrain your success.
For example, you can ask your customers to leave reviews and reward the best reviews with discounts and special offers, which can be redeemed only through mobile.
2. Ensuring Safety and Reassurance of Customers
With the pandemic spreading like a bat out of hell, consumers are more concerned about purchasing anything from outside. Therefore, it’s paramount that you reassure the customers that the health and safety of them are put at the forefront.
For example, through SMS, you can also ask buyers about the issues they are facing while purchasing essentials. Then try to collaborate with an essential store to ensure that you can deliver the essentials to your customers.
Letting people know that you care for them will help you reach them in the nick of the time before your competitor does.
3. Sending Positive Content
With so much negativity and depressing news around, consider sending messages that dispel any fears among your customers.
You can ask your customers to text a keyword to a specific number to get uplifting memes and activities to do during the quarantine. Being too salesy can create a negative impact on your business.
4. Keep Customers Updated
During this uncertain time, no one exactly knows what the forthcoming day will bring. Send text messages to keep your customers informed about how you are operating, your e-Commerce process, your altered working hours, and practices followed to ensure the safety of your customers and employees. Also, schedule text messages to be sent to customers on any critical changes made to your business process.
Apart from keeping the customers updated, provide them the way to stay connected with you through SMS.
5. Take Online Orders
If your eCommerce website is not optimized for mobile, do it right away. With more and more people turning to online shopping through their smartphones, many e-Commerce brands have started accepting orders through text messages.
You can send the details of the products through text marketing and ask them to place orders through text messages. You can respond to the customers in real-time through text. This can gain customers’ trust and boost loyalty.
6. Send Reminders
A study in 2018 reported that 79% of the customers abandon their carts.
The main goal of any eCommerce business is to make the customers perform the desired action. All that a customer needs is a little push to get them to the cart and purchase the items they left behind in the shopping cart. Instead of relying on emails, you can send a text message offering a discount on the items in their shopping cart.
7. Provide Customer Support
People often prefer text messages over phone calls or emails, so consider executing an SMS customer support service. Text messages are renowned for being more instant, so ensure that you answer on the dot to your customers.
Moreover, text marketing allows you to follow up with your customers post-purchase. So, you can also send a survey text message to your customers to get the feedback or review on your product or service. If you’re planning to introduce a new product and want to know what’s on your customer’s mind, an SMS poll can help you. You can do this with the help of a mass text messaging service.
Benefits of Text Marketing For eCommerce Businesses
Text marketing helps you in delivering a message straight to the client’s pocket. With high delivery rates and higher open rates than any other communication channel, text marketing can give you fast results. The key benefits of business text messaging for eCommerce businesses are as follows
- Makes it easy to capture and engage new customers
- Reduced work hours and customer service costs
- SMS marketing is also cheaper than other marketing solutions
- Reduces cart abandonment rates
- Sending discounts and offers through online text message will significantly boost your sales
The Bottom Line
With strict lock down being followed across the globe, eCommerce businesses need to think smarter. You should utilize this opportunity to stay connected with customers and continue delivering exceptional services. SMS marketing has become the need of the hour to deepen your relationship with your customers and improve your e-Commerce sales. What you do now to connect with customers will decide your business survival after the pandemic.
