How to Craft a Customised SMS Marketing Strategy for eCommerce

For a while now, the spotlight in marketing has been on SMS.

This can be attributed to the growing number of smartphone users in the world – which currently stands at a staggering 75%.

SMS enables direct and instant communication with audiences, setting it apart from other mediums.

And it does its job a lot more effectively than the rest, with an open rate close to 98%.

But there’s so much more to it than what meets the eye.

Did you know that an SMS marketing strategy can be positively transformational when integrated with the eCommerce customer experience?

From customer satisfaction and retention to growth in sales and profits – SMS is a goldmine for businesses when done right.

If you’re looking to tap into the full potential of your SMS marketing automation, you’re in the right place.

Read on as we unveil everything you need to know in this article!

Is SMS the right choice for my business over other messaging apps?

Text messages are the number one way to engage your customers and communicate with them right away.

And there now exists a world of messaging apps that enable eCommerce SMS marketing.

These offer an impressive array of tools and advantages that you can leverage to create a more rich dialogue with your customers.

Among these, WhatsApp has taken this world by storm, with over 2 billion users, outperforming all others.

It’s no wonder then that businesses prefer WhatsApp as their top choice, be it for marketing or as a customer support channel.

But not all countries report the same level of WhatsApp usage. For instance, US-based customers prefer Messenger and iMessage, and countries like China and Syria have placed a complete ban against the app.

Understanding your audiences’ use of WhatsApp is also critical here.

Take, for example, that over half of Indian WhatsApp users are between the ages of 18-25. Businesses targeting young adults are more likely to find success communicating with their audience over this channel than brands focused on older age groups.

Similarly, engaging with customers in countries with low or no WhatsApp penetration then becomes futile.

Enabling eCommerce SMS marketing through these channels must be carefully considered first on a case-to-case basis for each business and industry.

Timeless and reliable – SMS as a solution for any business

All modern cellphones across the globe support SMS.

So the good news is that you don’t really need to rely solely on WhatsApp or other messaging apps.

SMS also offers a range of other advantages aside from its accessibility.

Unlike its contemporaries, SMS doesn’t require an active Internet connection to deliver messages.

Reaching your customers right away is a true guarantee then, which can make all the difference when sending out a limited-time offer or personalized discount.

And as we saw earlier, a majority of consumers own smartphones, and this number is only growing steadily with each passing year.

Use your SMS marketing strategy to deliver an exceptional customer experience

There are a number of touchpoints where you can employ SMS to engage customers through their buying journey.

Unfortunately, most businesses make the mistake of limiting their SMS strategy to push promotional messages alone.

This can cost you potential and existing customers without your realizing it.

How?

It all boils down to drop-off rates.

Misinformation, delayed communication, and a lack of details are the common culprits.

Using SMS to increase engagement and refine communication can help you prevent this from happening.

What’s more is that you can add links, short SMS codes, and dedicated helpline numbers to track various metrics and parameters.

Here’s a look at all the places you should implement different eCommerce SMS templates to offer an enhanced shopping experience.

(Bonus: we illustrate every point with an example of what each corresponding SMS might look like!)

Customer service

As a support medium, SMS is extremely powerful – more than you’d think.

Which is why we’re placing it here at the top of this list.

Customers dislike raising requests for support over an email or call because of how time-consuming both mediums usually are.

By enabling support over SMS, customers can raise a request as they carry on with other tasks.

SMS marketing automation can also help speed up resolution, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

SMS sample:

Text us the corresponding number from the menu below to help us best resolve your issue:

1. Schedule a call back
2. Speak to an agent now
3. Chat with customer support
4. Where is my order?
5. Others – my concern is not listed here

Engage new leads

Customers often want to know more about you and might request information to have these questions answered.

Using SMS to tackle this can enable them to act on their interest at once.

It also provides you with the unique opportunity of personalizing your response to communicate how well your brand meets their needs.

Otherwise, customers usually have to put in the work to answer that question themselves – by combing through your website, product catalogues, and more.

SMS sample:

Hi <insert name>! Thank you for your interest in us. To learn more about <insert enquiry>, follow this link: <insert relevant link>. If you need any further assistance, you can reach out to our team on <insert phone number>.

Answer FAQs

Most queries fall within a handful of common, recurring issues.

Addressing these each time can become cumbersome, and can delay your team from getting to more pressing tickets and enquiries.

You can cut short the time spent on this by using eCommerce SMS templates to answer these or redirect customers to an existing FAQ bank.

SMS sample:

Hi <insert name>!

Text us the corresponding number from the menu below to see if your query is listed already:

1. Products
2. Orders
3. Tracking and delivery
4. Shipping and returns
5. Cancellation
6. My query isn’t listed here

Communicate purchase-related notices

A purchase is a momentous occasion for both you and your customer.

It marks the true start to your relationship.

So dropping the ball on communication at this point would be unfortunate.

At this stage, customers are at the edge of their seats anticipating their order.

This is why SMS trumps all other messaging channels here.

Instant, speedy, and attention-grabbing, it’s the perfect way to communicate at every stage –

• Order placement
• Purchase confirmation
• Order confirmation
• Order status – packaged, shipped
• Tracking method
• Estimated date of arrival

And in case there are any hiccups along the way – payment failure, delay, etc. – be sure to send out an update right away.

SMS sample:

Hi <insert name>!Your order [Order ID:xxxx] has successfully been placed. We will send you a tracking link once it’s been shipped.

In the meantime, take a look at our <insert product name>, and get flat 30% off on your next purchase!

Convey reminders and service alerts

We’ve all missed important emails.

It’s hard not to when so much of it tends to be spammy or delivered to the wrong tab in your inbox.

Using your SMS marketing strategy to keep customers well-informed can help avoid this.

And it’s ideal to keep them in the loop regarding any information that will affect them directly.

Whether it’s maintenance timings, a subscription ending or requiring renewal, or a reminder for an appointment, SMS can be that shock of a reminder everyone actually appreciates.  

SMS sample:

Hi <insert name>! Just a gentle reminder that your spa appointment is scheduled for tomorrow at 1:30 pm. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Psst! You can avail 10% off at the health bar. Offer available till 5 pm tomorrow!

Level 3 AI – Staying one step ahead in the eCommerce game

Wouldn’t it be great if you could tailor the buying journey for each unique customer?

By this, we mean personalizing every step of the journey with faultless precision.

This would involve collecting, analysing, and storing data to then target and engage with the user at hand – every user, every time.

Would you believe us if we told you that you can?!

These innovations are made possible with LimeChat’s Level 3 AI chatbot, the first of its kind in the world.

Our state-of-the-art technology is equipped with the ability to:

• Pick up on a user’s intent – regardless of typos or clarity
• Pick up on the user’s emotions – are they flustered? Happy? How curious are they about a product?
• Craft human-like responses – highly personalised and precise
• Learn, retain, and adapt according to the user’s inputs – helping to craft experiences that buyers respond to

Fed by data, this smart engagement ensures that your business hits the mark each time.

The unrivalled power of SMS combined with machine learning

Two-way conversations that engage the customer is where brands strike success.

But SMS marketing is typically employed for company communications.

This leaves little to no scope for a customer’s response.

We look to turn this around to ensure your business can use SMS as an open line to communicate with your customers.

Our helpdesk works as a singular dashboard from which you can set up and run essential processes.

This includes SMS marketing for Shopify.

Here, you can integrate our chatbot with SMS automation.

With this powerful system, your brand can accomplish the best of SMS – an engaging discussion involving both parties, tailored and automated to guarantee successful responses!

How much of an impact does SMS marketing really have?

Building a long-standing relationship with your customers requires trust.

And studies have shown that customers prefer SMS as a means of communication compared to other channels.

Emails promoting daily deals have the lowest open rate of all. In comparison, 60% of customers read an SMS within the first 5 minutes of receiving it.

It’s a no brainer then that SMS is a powerful tool to leverage.

And given that close to 60% of marketers still don’t use SMS for their business, growing your brand’s SMS marketing strategy will give you an edge over your competitors!

But it’s important to draw the line at the number of texts you send to avoid becoming spammy. This will only turn customers in the other direction.

Some of the best SMS marketing apps for Shopify help you automate and limit the delivery of these texts to avoid such grave errors.

At LimeChat, we deliver all of this and more – guaranteeing your sales will skyrocket and your business will thrive.

Book a demo with us to learn more!