Trends 2021: Invest in the power of SMS and enhance your sales!

You say it’s old fashioned. We say you are wrong. No offense.

As we explored in our previous post, Covid-19 has brought about significant changes in customer behavior. Businesses are looking for ways to connect and build direct and deeper relationships with their customers by updating their strategy. SMS which has been historically reserved for close friends and family members, is the perfect medium to use in order to build those connections. Wall Street Journal was probably one of the first to spot this shift. In its article back in April titled  “Texting Customers Is No Longer Taboo When Everyone Is Stuck at Home.”, it reported that the average daily number of people signing up for texts from March 30 through April 12 was 53% higher than the average for both January and February.

There is no doubt SMS will continue its growth in digital marketing in 2021, as more businesses plan to increase their SMS marketing budget. With only 39% of businesses using text message marketing to speak with customers, this is the time for you to adopt this medium. As you set out to update your marketing strategy to grow the popularity of your business and boost its sales, here are some SMS trends you should watch out for.

SMS is great, but omnichannel is better

We won’t stop saying it, but omnichannel is the way to go as you set out to establish a strong customer experience. This broader trend will influence SMS marketing strategies too.

In the past, businesses have approached SMS as a standalone direct marketing channel. They collected phone numbers, one or another and then sent one-off campaigns to those numbers. This is fast changing and in the next year we expect businesses to use the flexibility of SMS and its incredible open rate (98%), so as to integrate it with other marketing channels.

In the coming year, we expect to see:

• Sharing blog posts or other company news through text messages
• Combining email and SMS promotions 
• Combining of social media marketing and SMS

It is certain that with an omnichannel strategy you can do way more! So, don’t leave your SMS marketing alone. Provide your customers a seamless customer experience by integrating it with other channels, using our powerful marketing automation software.

SMS as customer care service channel

It may have escaped your notice, but your customers don’t like waiting and waiting for their calls to be connected with customer service operators. Customers expect quick and accurate responses to their inquiries, and they’re not afraid of sharing their negative experiences. Customer service plays a supporting role in marketing departments by delivering on your brand promise, and you definitely shouldn’t leave it to luck.  

Businesses are already using SMS to help their clients in tackling difficulties and we are observing a general shift in customer care service strategy towards text messaging, with studies showing that over 50% of consumers prefer texting customer support reps over phone calls.

So, if you are not yet using SMS, this year might be the time to do so. Here a just some of the ways in which SMS can facilitate customer service functions: 

• Sending order confirmations 
• Providing delivery tracking information
• Confirming and rescheduling appointments
• Responding to frequently asked questions
• Texting with customer support allows for shorter resolution times

In 2021, we can expect and hope to see better customer service. SMS platforms will come in handy, so go Routee and explore how our transactional SMS,and two-way SMS can help your business and its customer service.

Β2B SMS marketing on the rise

B2B communication traditionally considered texting as an informal form of communication. Over the last couple of years, B2B companies have started incorporating SMS into their marketing and sales strategy, as they rely heavily on building relationships and targeted marketing campaigns to attract and convert the right customers. 

Although B2B marketers have been slower to adopt SMS trends in their marketing campaigns compared to B2C companies, 61% of people last year recommended they be contacted by text message at work—an increase of 56.4% from 2014, as reports suggest.

2021 is the year that this trend will grow even stronger, as more businesses turn to SMS for lead generation, and to send valuable content and communicate with clients.

However to win with B2B texting starts by establishing communication and providing value. Here are some way which can help you: 

• Sending personalized messages keeps customers informed of their order status and expected delivery times.
• Letting customers know about product upgrades and improved service offerings, keeping them in the loop.
• Nurturing client relationships via personal text communications keeps potential clients engaged. 
• Getting timely feedback about your company’s products and services in order to improve your offerings.
• Scheduling product demos and webinars, answering FAQs and providing limited-time offers can increase customer LTV.

If you are looking for ways to start a text message marketing campaign for your B2B customers, Routee’s SMS services are here to help you navigate the SMS world. 

User reviews on the rise

In our previous post about the trends which will dominate email marketing in 2021, we mentioned the rise of UGC content. The same holds for SMS, and how could it not, as user reviews weigh heavily on a consumer’s purchase decision. 82% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, but only 53% would consider visiting a business with less than four stars.

As reviews play such a critical role in marketing and sales, more companies are taking advantage of text marketing’s high engagement to collect them from customers in order to build trust. Using SMS to generate customer polls and surveys is a great way to gain customer feedback and monitor satisfaction with your products and services. This way you give your customers the chance to voice their opinion about your products and services, before you see it on social media.

With our SMS surveys, you will be able to quickly set-up your surveys and obtain the necessary insights.

Leverage Transactional SMS Updates for Cross Selling

Transactional SMS messages keep customers updated on their purchases and any interactions with your business, so it is essential to communicate everything a customer needs to know. This type of communication ensures that your customer is not left wondering about when they will receive their order or if it was successfully placed.

Sending text messages to potential customers creates a positive impact on them, with a study from MediaPost indicating that 77% of consumers have a positive perception of companies that keep them informed through texts. 

With increasingly crowded email inboxes, more customers are opting in to SMS to receive these updates, giving companies a way to cross-sell or provide discounts for future orders while customers are already engaged. 

Don’t miss this opportunity. Leverage your transactional SMS updates and cross-sell to your customers at the right time using Routee.

Elevate your business growth in 2021 with SMS message marketing

SMS marketing is not new, yet the time is ideal for us to appreciate its benefits. In 2021 we expect to see companies adapt their marketing strategy and include SMS in the mix. However, the success of their strategy considerably depends on the quality of services used for sending text messages to customers and potential clients. It is therefore advised that businesses invest in a platform that can guide them through the process! Routee’s SMS platform and its team of experts are here to guide you through it all, so you can launch your campaigns and uplift your sales!