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If you’re still sleeping on SMS marketing, wake up. ⏰ Unlike emails that can sit unopened or social media posts that get buried in feeds, texts are a VIP pass to your customer’s attention. 

A recent report showed that “80.5% of consumers check their text notifications within just five minutes of hearing their phone buzz.” 👀

SMS is quick, direct, and actually gets read. But how do you go from merely sending texts to crafting a killer SMS strategy that maximizes engagement, conversions, and ROI? 

Let’s unpack our 5 most effective strategies.

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🎯 Target your existing email subscribers

Your existing email subscribers' willingness to share their email is a testament to their trust in your brand. And since they've chosen to stay connected, they're probably more open to sharing their phone numbers too.

However, people often need a little nudge to take that next step. Why not throw them some deals? Every few months, send out an email highlighting exclusive discounts, VIP sale previews, or other enticing perks available exclusively to your SMS subscribers. 

Once they've taken the plunge, the mission is clear: keep delivering value-packed SMS messages that reinforce their decision to subscribe was a smart one.

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🛒 Recover abandoned carts

Commitment issues aren't just for relationships; they're alive and well in ecommerce too. On average, 70% of shoppers leave their carts behind without making a purchase.

However, a thoughtfully designed SMS campaign can help lure potential customers to their abandoned loves. Here's your game plan:

• Reminders. Send a light nudge about the items they left behind.
• Discounts. Entice them with a small price cut, making their abandoned items more appealing.
• Limited time offer. Create a sense of urgency around the items in their cart, prompting them to act quickly.

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Peel’s abandoned cart email evokes urgency and includes an incentive for buyers to purchase more items.

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📣 Diversify your messaging mix

Bombarding subscribers with the same old texts is a fast way to become background noise. 

A dynamic SMS marketing strategy boasts a varied range of messages, each designed to meet a specific customer need. Here are a few examples:

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Triggered messages: Think of these as automated responses to users’ actions, be it a friendly "Hello!" upon sign-up or an alert about their recent shopping activities.

Campaign messages: The scoop on the latest and greatest — whether it's an SMS-exclusive promotion, an event heads-up, or a new product drop. It's all about keeping your subscribers clued in.

Transactional messages: These are the nitty-gritty texts linked to specific transactions. They cover everything from subscription reminders, order progress, and (our favorite text to receive), product delivery.

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🤓 A/B test your SMS campaigns

A/B testing is crucial for ramping up engagement and conversions in future campaigns.

How to play this game? Easy. 

Mix and match your content's elements. For example, the call-to-action, the send time, or even the tone. Slice your subscriber list down the middle and pitch version A to one half and version B to the other.

From here, pay close attention to these metrics: 

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Delivery rate: How many messages were delivered to your subscribers’ phones. If it's on the lower side, you might be dealing with invalid numbers. 

Open rate: How many people actually opened your text. If this is low, it might be time to switch up your content or change how you've segmented your audience.

Click rate: This tracks the folks who couldn't resist tapping on your links. Find the CTAs with high-click through rates and hammer them home.

Conversion rate: People who not only read your message but took concrete steps like buying or subscribing. 

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Remember, this isn't a one-and-done game. Experiment, find what works, and double down. 

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📱 Allow for one-text purchasing

Reducing friction throughout the customer journey is a surefire way to boost your conversion rate. 📈

That’s why OneText is taking the DTC world by storm.

Here’s how it works: Businesses blast out product offers via text. All the customer has to do is shoot back a 'YES' and boom, the deal's done. No PDPs or landing pages. Just a single text. This simplicity leads to more frequent purchases, increased customer loyalty, and an overall better shopping experience.

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Using OneText’s service, Create Wellness streamlined their SMS marketing transactions.

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What are your best SMS strategies? Shoot us an email and let us know.