7 Best Practices for SMS and Email Messaging Customers

Want to message customers but aren't sure where to begin? We have 7 tips to grow your business and increase customer engagement through digital marketing messages. See CityGro.com/blog for the full article.

Transcript

1. for SMS and Email Messaging Customers 7 Best Practices
2. Want to start messaging customers but are worried about sending too many? Don’t let the fear of over-sending prevent you from communicating.  
3. The following 7 key SMS and Email frequency guidelines will help you engage customers and grow your business through text and email marketing.
4. 1. How often should I contact my customers?
5. 1. How often should I contact my customers? u  The short answer: 2-4 times per month.
6. 1. How often should I contact my customers? u  The short answer: 2-4 times per month. u  More than 4 is overbearing, less than 2 isn’t consistent enough.
7. 2. Get consent prior to scheduling SMS and Email communication
8. 2. Get consent prior to scheduling SMS and Email communication u  If you’ve done your job right, your customers will already expecting communication.
9. 2. Get consent prior to scheduling SMS and Email communication u  If you’ve done your job right, your customers will already expecting communication. u  Communicate early to increase the chance that recipients will recognize your brand.
10. 3. Frequency is directly related to relevance
11. 3. Frequency is directly related to relevance u  Customers don’t hate communication, they hate spam! A relevant, timely message is often viewed as a gift.
12. 3. Frequency is directly related to relevance u  Customers don’t hate communication, they hate spam! A relevant, timely message is often viewed as a gift. u  Does the message provide value to the customer? Use segmented marketing to send promotions to the most qualified customers.
13. 4. Let data decide text and email frequency
14. 4. Let data decide text and email frequency u  Monitor open rate, opt-out rate (aim for <1-2%), bounce rate, and click- through rate. Use this data to improve your messaging.
15. 4. Let data decide text and email frequency u  Monitor open rate, opt-out rate (aim for <1-2%), bounce rate, and click- through rate. Use this data to improve your messaging. u  Use call-to-actions to improve click- through rate.
16. 5. Different marketing channels allow for more engagement
17. 5. Different marketing channels allow for more engagement u  Distribute the same amount of messages through multiple channels to prevent customers from feeling overloaded.
18. 5. Different marketing channels allow for more engagement u  Distribute the same amount of messages through multiple channels to prevent customers from feeling overloaded. u  Social media is great for awareness (and is less intrusive) whereas texting can help drive specific action from your customers.
19. 6. Communicate consistently
20. 6. Communicate consistently u  Driving customers to action takes multiple “touch points” within a given window of time to get a customer to act. With that being the case, your communication needs to be consistent.
21. 7. Actions speak louder than words
22. 7. Actions speak louder than words u  Getting content out there is better than waiting until your message is perfect. It will get easier, and you will always have another opportunity to engage with customers once the perfect message comes to mind.
23. To see the entire article, visit CityGro.com/blog.