Looking for a way to boost sales this Black Friday? SMS is the perfect supplement to your marketing efforts. Text message marketing has a 95% open rate within three minutes. So you can reach shoppers almost instantly while they're making purchase decisions quickly on the biggest shopping day of the year. And only 55% of brands text their customers, so you have a better chance of standing out than you do in a crowded email inbox.
Plus, texting allows for two-way communication. With the right SMS marketing platform, you can automate conversations to encourage engagement, make product recommendations, and help customers place orders right in the SMS message thread.
In other words, SMS can be more than a channel to announce your Black Friday sales. It can be a powerful tool to increase engagement and sales.
Here are seven tips to take full advantage of your SMS marketing campaigns this Black Friday.
1. Use customer engagement data to inform your Black Friday campaigns
SMS isn't something you want to pull out of your hat just for Black Friday. You'll want to integrate it into your marketing strategy throughout the year so that your customers get used to hearing from you -- and you can understand how they interact with your text messages.
Gather data from your SMS campaigns throughout the year to understand what kinds of copy resonates with your subscribers and what causes them to click and buy. Then when the big day comes, you'll be able to maximize your profits because you'll know exactly what works.
2. Update your signup form with special Black Friday deals
You can encourage more signups to your SMS subscriber list by updating your opt-in form with an exclusive Black Friday offer.
It should be different than your standard offer. For example, if you typically offer 10% off a subscriber's first purchase, consider bumping it up to 20% if they sign up before Black Friday. Or maybe you provide early access to your sales or a free gift if they purchase during BFCM weekend.
Promote this offer to your email list, too. It's a great chance to nudge them over the line if the initial incentive didn't motivate them to sign up for texts.
3. Create a sense of urgency with your marketing messages
Over the last few years, Black Friday has become a whole month-long event. Many brands are starting their Black Friday Cyber Monday deals at the beginning of November and continuing all the way until Giving Tuesday. So it's become far less clear when a deal will go away.
Make sure your customers know if you have deals that will only be available on Black Friday. Or, if you are offering specials throughout the month, promote your best deals on Black Friday and tell your subscribers that the offer isn't going to get any better.
Tell customers what time the deals will end or if there's a limited supply. For example, you might say something like, "Act now before supplies run out." or "Our big Black Friday bash ends at midnight." By carefully crafting your message, you can create a sense of urgency that helps you achieve your goals.
Looking for Black Friday SMS marketing examples? Check out our text templates library to create your own successful SMS campaigns in minutes.
4. Personalize your Black Friday SMS messages
When you're vying for attention in a flooded market, it's essential to personalize your messages and segment your SMS subscriber list. Then, you won't be sending a batch-and-blast that will only resonate with part of your list. Instead, you'll be able to send Black Friday campaigns that each customer will likely act on.
So use your first-party data. Segment subscribers based on demographics, previous purchases, buying behavior, or interests. Then you can send targeted offers that increase the odds for conversion.
5. Change your behavioral flows for Black Friday
Because shoppers are comparing products and making purchase decisions quickly, you'll want to update your behavioral flows to match.
Consider adding browse and cart abandonment flows for customers who have shown interest in certain products before the big event. You can text them in the morning that the products they were interested in are now on sale or come with another special offer.
And for shoppers browsing and adding items to their cart on Black Friday, reduce your browse and cart abandonment automation window to an hour or less. Update the copy to remind shoppers that the deals are limited and consider offering an additional incentive for those who haven't converted.
6. Stand out with MMS
While text-only messages can still help you reach customers on Black Friday, consider using MMS to stand out in the inbox.
Eye-catching images and GIFs can help grab customers' attention and provide a better way to showcase your products. Seeing a product image in their inbox can make them more excited to shop your site.
7. Optimize campaigns all day
Even if you've been gathering data on your customers all year, their behavior will likely change on Black Friday. They're in the shopping mood and looking for amazing Black Friday deals. So don't just schedule your campaigns and call it a day. Keep an eye on how they're performing and adjust them accordingly.
Check the click rates and conversions of your text messages. If an SMS campaign isn't performing well, try switching up the copy or altering the offer. And don't forget to A/B test different options to see what works best.
Use anecdotal data, too. Issues with campaigns or understanding your offer may surface through your customer service emails or social media. Or if you gather feedback from customers on your checkout page, there may also be valuable insights.
Level up your SMS program with a platform made for ecommerce
With every brand competing for attention during the holiday shopping season, texting has become an essential component of any Black Friday marketing strategy. With these SMS tips, you're ready for a stellar BFCM weekend that will engage your customers and increase sales.
Emotive is an SMS platform designed especially for ecommerce brands. Use the platform to send personalized campaigns, gather first-party data, and automate two-way conversations that drive conversions. Plus, Emotive's team of SMS experts can help you craft your SMS marketing strategy and write campaign copy. So you can launch a successful text marketing program to grow your business on Black Friday and beyond.
Book a demo to discover how Emotive can enhance your Black Friday strategy.