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SMS for sales: signed, sealed, delivered
On an average day, customers check their text messages more than any other app on their phone. By texting people during your sales process, you’re 40% more likely to turn them into clients. It’s a sure sign that customers want to have more two-way conversations with brands – and that’s why more and more businesses are turning to SMS for sales.
1: It’s survival of the fastest
A new customer enquiry has dropped into your inbox. It’s always a great feeling. You could respond via email and wait not-so-patiently for a response. Or, you could fire off a quick text message – you’ll be in front of them even before your competitors have written out their emails.
2: Let’s be best friends
With faster response rates, you can use SMS to improve customer relationships and dig deeper into what your customers really need and want.
That might be asking a simple question, ‘Are you available on Thursday for an initial inspection?’ or an automatic message triggered by a keyword or phrase. You can follow up those answers with more relevant information like a quote, or pass them on to a sales rep who can personally respond.
The faster you can get a customer the answers they need, the more chance you have of turning that conversation into a sale. But more than that, you’re laying the foundation for a more trusted connection beyond the sale. That’s the golden ticket.
3: Avoid any sticky hitches
Ever had to go back through an email chain? Headachesville. The beauty of SMS is you can integrate it with your other platforms – CRM, marketing, eCommerce – you name it. That makes it easy for everyone involved to stay updated with a customer’s latest response. Sending and receiving messages from one place also means you never risk losing a conversation and any business that comes with it.
SMS for sales – why so shiny?
SMS is a great way to get on your customer’s radar and stay top of mind as they make their decision. But it can’t be that easy, can it?
While some might say it’s digital sorcery, SMS has proven time and time again that it can cut through the noise and close more deals.
Here’s how:
Two-way communication in a single inbox
Over 50% of people reply to a text message within 1-2 minutes. With faster response rates, two-way SMS lets you send and receive replies from one inbox. You’ll save time while building a customer profile you can fall back on every time you engage with that person.
SMS lets you be more personal
These days, customers can spot mass sales emails from a mile away. Instead, they’re looking for experiences that don’t make them feel like another number. Yes, text messaging is more casual and more conversational, but that’s exactly why it works. It allows you to be more personal and grow customer trust, all while ramping up conversion rates.
Deliver messages at the right time.
With 98% open rates and 8x the response rate of email, it’s clear that customers are more likely to hit ‘reply’ or ‘buy now’. But, to create a lasting impact, it’s all about the timing. Set messages to go in advance or use rule-based triggers to send an automatic reminder. Your message could contain an incentive to return to an abandoned cart or add urgency to promotional messages. Other smart features like socially-aware sending can ensure you only send messages within a specific window – particularly useful for overseas customers.
Ready to make beautiful connections?
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