Growing Your ECommerce Business Using Email to SMS Marketing in 2023

How frequently have you received a text message from a brand you like? If you said “none,” you should venture outside more. We can’t help but open text messages since they are so alluring. 

And for eCommerce firms, text messaging is a very effective marketing method because of this. 

 Around 98% of text messages are opened on average. 48.7 million customers are expected to have chosen to receive SMS communications from businesses. 

 Additionally, SMS response rates outperform phone call response rates by 295 percent. 

 We discuss some of the best SMS marketing techniques and resources in this manual to assist you in expanding your company. Let’s start now.

SMS marketing: What is it? 

SMS Marketing is the practice of utilising text messages for marketing reasons to send transactional or promotional campaigns (SMS). These messages are primarily used to inform customers who have opted in to receive them of time-sensitive deals, updates, and alerts.

SMS marketing strategy 

A list of subscribers is necessary before you send any text messaging campaigns. 

Compared to other businesses, eCommerce makes it simpler because clients truly want (and expect) to hear from you after making a purchase. 

You’re ready to design a sound email to SMS strategy once you’ve created a mechanism for your clients to consent to receiving text messages from you (either through checkout or a popup).

Method 1: Use SMS to automate client communications 

You require a list of subscribers before you can send any text messaging campaigns. 

Because your consumers truly want (and expect) to hear from you after the purchase, it’s simpler to achieve with eCommerce than it is with other types of businesses. 

Customers anticipate getting: 

• a confirmation of your order 
• a tracking number and a shipment confirmation 
• An acknowledgment of delivery 
• a prompt to submit a review 2–3 weeks following purchase 
• Customers adore receiving these basic touchpoints on their mobile devices, such as alerts or text messages, from any eCommerce store. 

Therefore, as the consumer is checking out, you should ask for their phone number and explain why you need it (the above-mentioned touchpoints)

Strategy 2: Start an SMS contest 

Conducting a giveaway is another excellent strategy to expand your SMS list. 

Posting about it on your different social media platforms with the invitation to join the contest by texting you or entering their number on your landing page are two options.

SMS cart abandonment strategy 

SMS marketing is another fantastic strategy for reducing cart abandonment. If you have a user’s phone number on file when they abandon their shopping cart, you may send them a customized text message with a discount or special offer. 

There is one fantastic technology that is taking this to the next level. A live sales representative actually works for you in this eCommerce software if your consumer replies to a text message about their abandoned basket. 

In other words, it physically texts a consumer who has abandoned their basket to ask if there is anything further they can do. If the client replies to this message, a real person who can answer questions starts a dialogue with them.

Less than seven brands are subscribed to by 95% of consumers 

It’s challenging to build a subscriber list for SMS. However, it is the most priceless. 

Less than seven SMS subscribers make up 95% of all SMS subscribers to a brand. 52 percent choose two to three. 

People are eager to provide their email addresses but reluctant to share their phone numbers. 

This has advantages and disadvantages for e-commerce companies. Text subscribers are more difficult to get, but once you do, they’ll be highly engaged and far more likely to make purchases. 

Simply speaking, because of selection, it has the world’s least filled inbox.

Consumers Want Two or More Weekly Texts, 57% of Them 

It might be challenging to master frequency. Each audience is distinct. 

Fortunately, this statistic offers a fantastic starting point. 

Most consumers like to hear from brands by email to SMS at least once every week. 57% desire two or more times each week. Another 18% are OK receiving one SMS a day. 

Start with two timely, relevant, and customized texts each week to strike a balance. Watch your outcomes after that, paying special attention to revenue, opt-out rates, and client engagement rates. You may rapidly and effectively optimize your approach based on those SMS marketing KPIs.

73% of consumers have used SMS marketing to make purchases

Any ecommerce marketing channel’s main objective is to increase sales. It helps to know your efforts will be successful, whether you’re increasing retention and reorders, turning new subscribers into customers, or both. 

Thankfully, we have accurate information about this (and plenty more in the last category). 

73% of customers have made a purchase following a text message from a company, and 56% of those customers have done so twice to three times.

Assemble a list of SMS recipients 

The most significant component of your SMS marketing jigsaw is your subscriber list. 

Make a list of subscribers who have chosen to participate in your marketing campaigns if you don’t already have one. In order to ensure that you are doing lawfully, start by being familiar with local regulations. 

Ensure that you are signing up for high-caliber email to SMS users who are really interested in your company. To promote sign ups at scale, you might want to employ gamified popups and a wheel of fate. Another useful kind of contact is text to join, particularly when combined with a special offer or discount.