Introduction
Text messages are an excellent communication channel in a world of reduced attention spans. You can market your business with concise and personalized text messages to improve customer engagement.
If you’ve never used SMS to market your business, we’ve got your back. In this article, we share examples and tips on how you can use SMS for sales, so you can engage your customers more effectively and boost your bottom line.
What is SMS for Sales?
Using SMS for sales involves sending text messages to leads and existing customers to sell or upsell.
Given the cost-effectiveness, speed, and high open and response rates of text messages, brands can gain more visibility and acquire more customers without spending a fortune on email campaigns.
Over 50% of businesses are expected to increase investment in this marketing channel. Moreover, Gartner expects 80% of customer service businesses by 2025 to abandon native apps in favor of text messaging to improve customer experience. The reason? SMS is an effective, low-cost sales strategy.
10 Most Popular Sales Text Message Templates
You have a limited character count when writing SMS for sales. Here are some SMS for sales templates you can use as inspiration:
First Touch Sales Message
A first-touch sales message drops when you communicate with a client for the first time, which is why it is an important element of the entire customer lifecycle.
Hence, it is important to introduce yourself, encourage them to ask questions and set expectations on what benefits customers will derive from you.
Welcome to <Business name>!
Here is where you can log in to your account to pay your Monthly Fee/deposit or to view your account, invoices/payment history. Please note that all Fee payments will be due on the 1st of every month and you will have until the 5th before a $50 late fee is incurred. <Link>
Username:
Password:
Thank you!
<Business name>
Welcome to <Business name> Group texting message line!
You can now text us to make or change appointments, request refills on your medications, receive appointment reminders and other healthcare communications.
Please save this number to contact us: <number>.
We look forward to texting with you!
Welcome to <Business name>! If you have any questions or need assistance, we are here for you. You can text or call this number for any assistance. We are excited to help you start earning more!
Follow-up sales text messages
Gently nudge your lead with a text message after a sales call. Avoid sales-speak and be respectful. Make the text about them instead of asking if they’d like to move forward with the purchase.
Remind them why they should consider your product or service. This helps build a great brand and helps you win your customer’s confidence.
Hi [Name], did you know that we’re the fifth-largest manufacturer of clinical equipment in the country? Click on the link to request a quote! [Link]
Thank you for giving <Business Name> the opportunity to be of service to you. I am reaching out to you to let you know that we emailed you the estimate and want to make sure that you have received it. Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to make any changes to the estimate. Please also make sure to check your spam folder. Thank You!
Black Friday Sales Text
Black Friday is one of the busiest days. Sending your customers a Black Friday sale text is the perfect way to let them know about your offers.
Hi [Name], get ready for the biggest Black Friday Sale of the year. Buy your favorite items at 50 to 80% off. Build your cart now [Link].
Sales Promotion Message
Let customers know you’re offering attractive discounts on select items. Send an SMS including the code to use and the product category they can use the code for.
Hey [Name], enjoy special deals on all our bestsellers this month. Enter code FLAT10 to enjoy an extra 10% off sale items at checkout.
Please find the promotional code: “LOWFEE” that you can use on your next transaction.
We hope you had a wonderful experience using our services. See us again!
Thank you,
<Business Name>
Product Launch Message
Are new arrivals ready to ship? Let your customers know. Share a link where customers can view new arrivals via a text message.
Hi [Name], it’s time to refresh your wardrobe with our new summer collection. Visit your nearest store or click [Link] to shop for the latest styles.
Loyalty Program
Want to build a loyal customer base without spending much on marketing? Launch a loyalty program and text your customers each time they make a purchase.
Hi [Name], thank you for being a valued customer at [Company Name]. We’ve credited 1000 loyalty points to your account for your last purchase.
Upsell Products and Services
Use your SMS campaigns to upsell and cross-sell your products and services.
Hi [Name], upgrade your shopping experience with a membership. Get 2x loyalty points, a 10% immediate discount on all purchases, and more deals: [Link]
Abandoned Cart
Fun fact: The average cart abandonment rate is 70.19%.
Translation? Over two-thirds of your customers interested in your products will build their cart and then leave without buying anything.
Send the abandoners a text message to bring them back to the cart, potentially with an offer such as free shipping or a discount. Or you could highlight the product’s popularity and mention that the stocks might run out soon.
Hi [Name], waiting for a deal on [Product]? Use this exclusive coupon to get free shipping: [Coupon code]. Hurry! The coupon expires on Sunday, December 26.
Back in Stock
Send sales SMS to customers to inform them that an out-of-stock item they were looking for is back in stock.
Hi [Name], our best-selling aviators are back in stock. Order your favorites before they’re gone. [Link]
Flash Sale
Announce flash sales with a text message. Tell them about the duration of the sale and inform them about popular items that could go out of stock. Keep the message short and add a CTA to get people to take action.
Hi [Name], the BVM Flash Sale is LIVE! Get flat 50% OFF on select products, mystery deals, and more. Shop now to avail of the limited-period offer [Link].
Hello there! Hope everything is going well in your day 🙂 We wanted to let you know of our FLASH sale for this coming Monday 17th. To make the most of this sale, please reply to this message.
Best Regards,
<Business Name>
Personalized Offers on Special Days
Show customers you genuinely care about them with a personalized offer on occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. You can offer discounts, free shipping, or gifts to mark the occasion.
Hi [Name], wish you a very happy birthday! Celebrate this special day with us and get 20% off on our new collection and free shipping. Shop now [Link].
Hi,
This is <Business name>. We are having an End-of-year SALE with an additional 10% off of the discounted price! Please text/call us back to place an order or with any questions. This sale lasts until 12/30/2022023. *0% financing available*
Thank you,
<Business Name>
Deals & Discounts
If you want to get the instant attention of your customers to amp up your sales numbers, then you need to send out messages offering them deals and discounts. After all, who doesn’t like discounts? The best part is that you need not hours worth of time to send these texts. You can simply schedule text messages to be sent out at different times.
Good news, {{firstName}}! Your dental discount plan has been verified and you’re entitled to a 25% discount on our fees. The discounted fee for your consultation is $220.00. This includes your visit with the doctor, two sets of radiographs, a CBCT scan, cold sensitivity test and percussion test.
Please let me know if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing back from you. Wishing you a wonderful rest of your day. Thank you kindly.
Hey, {{firstName}} Can we provide healthcare insurance options for you and your employees at 30-70% less per month? $0 Deductible! $0 Copay!
Text me your age and home zip code for a quick quote!
<Business Name>
How To Sell Through SMS?
It’s necessary to craft the best sales text messages to win over customers. So, you must understand how to use SMS for sales. Here are some top ways to use SMS for sales:
- Create a list of SMS subscribers
- Partner with an SMS marketing platform
- Formulate the SMS campaigns
- Determine an optimum texting frequency
- Analyse and optimize results
Let’s deep dive into each of these.
1. Create a list of SMS subscribers
Build and nurture a list of SMS subscribers for a successful text message sales campaign. To create your subscriber list:
Get express consent from your customers
Keep up with compliance regulations
Stay in touch and integrate with other support channels
Pay attention to acquiring quality subscribers over quantity
Give your customers the option to opt-in through your website
Make opting-out easier
2. Partner with an SMS marketing platform
Choosing the right SMS marketing platform is critical to your campaign’s success. A tool like Emittr ensures you access to the right tools at an affordable price while complying with TCPA requirements. Here’s what Emittr helps you with:
Set up text messaging campaigns to maximize ROI
Import all your contacts and lists with a few clicks
Automatically sync data from your CRM
Send tailored messages in bulk
Receive replies to your sales messages
Track delivery rate and failed messages
Monitor response rate by filtering campaign responses
Track all marketing metrics to constantly help improve your campaigns
3. Formulate SMS campaigns
Clear, concise, and direct messages get better responses than long messages. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Aim for brevity: Long-winding texts defeat the purpose of using this channel. Keep your texts short and impactful.
Follow texting etiquette: For example, send texts during business hours. When messaging international clients, check the time in their country.
Add a CTA: Keep your texts actionable by telling readers what to do next.
Be professional: Use a professional tone, address the reader by their name, and identify your brand in every message.
4. Determine an optimum texting frequency
Don’t text your customers incessantly. Sending too many messages looks spammy and you might just end up losing your customer’s trust.
Each message should offer your prospects or customers value. You can use SMS to tell them something cool about your product or service, share potential use cases, or offer a demo on how your product or service will specifically help the recipient or their business.
You can set up automated texts if you have a defined sales workflow. For example, you can offer customers a one-off new customer discount when they abandon the cart.
5. Analyze and Optimize
Experiment with your SMS for sales strategy and study the results. Determine what’s working and what’s not. Are customers responding more to discount offers or free trials? What segment of customers is more responsive to text messages?
Optimize your strategy based on these observations to maximize your ROI on text messaging. Feel free to experiment with new ideas and optimize as you go. However, make sure the experiment isn’t detrimental to your reputation.
Understanding the SMS Lifecycle
The first text you send a customer looks quite different from the 15th text. Why? Because the customer might have moved further down the sales funnel. To understand that, you first need to get familiar with the stages of the SMS lifecycle:
- Introduction
- Get attention
- Follow-up
- Upsell
- Keep in touch
Let’s explore each of these in detail.
Here are the stages of the SMS lifecycle that will help you understand the difference in text messages at each stage:
Stage one: Introduction
The first thing you need to do is Introduce your business. If you’re going to be the point of contact moving forward, identify yourself and let them know you’re the person to reach out to in case they need help. This is not the right stage to talk about selling.
Stage two: Get attention
Engage your customers and prospects with information they might find valuable. This could be a seminar, an interview, or an interesting factoid. Of course, this information should be relevant to your product or service.
At the end of the message, connect the dots between this information and your product and service. Offer to schedule a call or demo or redirect them to a landing page where they can learn more about your product or service.
Stage three: Follow up after product demo or trial
Some of these leads might request a demo or trial. After the demo or trial, follow up with these leads. Ask them if they have questions about your product or service or if they need more information.
B2B buying journeys can be complex. The lead might come to you with questions from the buying committee. If they don’t, send a text message to proactively encourage them to ask questions.
Stage four: Upsell
Once customers sign up, offer them information on relevant upsells. Explain why the product or service you’re upselling would be relevant for their business. Share social proof to instill confidence. Share case studies of how the product or service helped similar businesses.
Stage five: Keep in touch
Keep in touch with your clients. Share updates and achievements, industry news, and new product features. Remind them that they have multiple channels to seek help when they need it. Send personalized offers when you have them.
SMS for Sales is Essential to Drive Revenue
Using SMS for sales can supercharge your top line if you play your cards right. Create a well-defined strategy, follow SMS best practices, and use a platform that equips you with the capabilities needed to execute and automate an extensive SMS campaign.
While the market is crowded with SMS solutions, Emittr stands out with its extensive feature set, user-friendly interface, and cost-effective SMS solution.
Learn more about how you can drive revenue and profitability using SMS with Emittr—schedule a demo today!
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