Retail stores depend on customers, and what better way to bring in customers than through marketing? Text marketing provides retail stores the ability to communicate to their customers in real-time and instantly send offers, information, specials, and more to their consumers' cell phones. Retail stores can use many different approaches to build their text compliant database. Some of the most used approaches are keywords and QR code opt-in processes. Some businesses go even further and integrate the text opt-in as part of their checkout process at their locations. Below are some ways that text marketing can work for you.
Keywords are an easy way to get customers to opt-in quick and seamlessly. You can select keywords that represent your business, and they can be as short as a few letters to as long as a phrase. These unique keywords allow you to promote your brand and drive customer interaction.
For example, you own a sandwich shop right outside of a city. You currently experience most of your store traffic during the week due to drive-by traffic. You decide to use text marketing to help try and drive more traffic on your slower times and days. You start by setting up the keyword “Sandwich” to begin building your text database. You add an offer to drive customers to come in during the lunch hour and receive a free drink with any purchase. The customers who opted in from this keyword to receive the special offer are now in your database and you can market them with different offers anytime. This is one way to build your text marketing list and is often referred to as an “opt-in process”.
QR codes are a simple, yet powerful, tool that can be used in so many ways. QR codes can direct a customer to a call-to-action of your choice, like an opt-in form that collections customer information. You can direct customers to just about anything, both online and offline. QR codes provide an error-free way for your customers to obtain information without the need to type out a URL. You can print a QR code on menus, posters, or even display them on instore TV’s. Almost everyone’s smartphone is already equipped to direct them to your content. All your customer needs to do is use the camera on their smartphone and the link will pop to the top for them to open.
Here are some excellent ways to reach out to your customers using QR codes: Add a QR code on your packaging. If you have a sandwich shop, you can add a QR code sticker to your sandwiches when you wrap them. The QR code could be directed to a survey about the food or even an offer for their next visit.
Another way you can use a QR code would be to provide details about products. A cell phone store could add a QR code to the display that takes customers to information pages. The page can have a form to capture the customer’s information and provide them current specials. You can also direct the QR code to an offer page to provide your customers a way to get an instant coupon to use while they are in the store.
Text marketing is a customer-based marketing option. That means customers must perform an action to join your marketing. This is one of the main reasons the ROI in text marketing is more than 75% higher than any other marketing. What companies do is tie in the use of keywords and QR codes into the business process they already use. Customers are then directed to the option to get special offers or detailed information on product and services. Once the customer completes the opt-in, the customer will receive an auto reply message. These messages are customized by you, and they provide the customer the details of what they are joining. An auto reply from ABC Sandwich shop would look like this:
“Thank you for signing up to receive monthly deals from ABC Sandwich Shop! Present the coupon on your next visit and watch for future savings!”
Now you have customers subscribing to your marketing, and over the next few weeks you can witness your database growing and people joining your marketing list. Now what should you do next? First, you need to honor what you offered to your customers in the first place to join your marketing. Second, you can set up your marketing and begin reaching out to your customers. We always enjoy seeing all the innovative ways our clients use their marketing to communicate with their customers and employees. Some of the most common things we see are the use of our scratch off coupons, VIP events, product releases, menu changes, hiring needs, and so much more. These are all considered offers and you can really build a following by tailoring these offers to your customers on a normal basis.
Justin has a new wireless location he just purchased. He is new to the industry and has a small budget to really build his business. His mother recommended he do a grand opening to drive traffic to his new store. Justin has been receiving text marketing from his local gas station through text and thought this could be a way he could get in front of his customers. He did some research and found that there are rules that he must follow so this limited him from using a company cell phone to communicate to his customers. He learned that communicating through text requires permission-based services that are monitored and offer customers the ability to stop receiving messages anytime.
Justin looked online and found several options for him to use for his marketing service. After comparing costs and platform options, he decided to go with ChatterText and sign up on ChatterText.com for the free plan to try it out. The next day, he created some cards and put a keyword on them with his long code number so he can hand them out to customers and offer discounts on accessories. He created a scratch off coupon that customers receive after opting into his marketing. The coupon was for $5 off the purchase of any accessory.
In the first days, he found that that almost 50 people joined from just walking into his store. He was excited and thought maybe we can use some other options to get even more exposure. Justin then decided to create a few different promotions using both keywords and QR codes. He then printed a few flyers and even added the QR code to the entrance of his store. He started to see from the promotions on Facebook and Instagram that he increased his opt-ins by nearly triple the walk-in traffic.
After seeing the physical results, he started looking at the data. He found that nearly 75% of every person that received his offers clicked the activate button. Justin then looked at taking it even further and started a loyalty program for his customers that come in and use the coupons. He sends out updates and information on new products, and special offers on accessories for their specific devices. Justin is now using text marketing in everything he does.
First, the main areas that are most common about people.
Justin found that text marketing at his location provided him the following.
What makes text marketing with ChatterText excellent for your retail stores?
ChatterText offers so many benefits, we cannot cover them all here. Our platform provides you the tools to communicate, and stay connected, with the people that matter the most to you: your customers. The tools and options you have within our platform are endless. Just take the first step and sign up to use ChatterText today and see for yourself.
ChatterText is a 100% opt-in texting service. We do not provide cell phone numbers or lists of numbers for you to access and use. ChatterText does not share any client lists or information. Standard message and data rates may apply in the US & Canada. For help, text HELP to 41260. To opt-out of any service, text STOP to 41260.
