Why Do You Need To Send SMS And E-mail?
Simply put, people prefer email and SMS text messages. It is as simple as that.
This phenomenon covers all borders, genders, and even generations from young to old. Can you afford not to have this tool in your marketing arsenal? When you offer your clients a choice of various channels of communication, they will have a positive experience with your company because they can decide which channels of communication they prefer to use and feel more comfortable with. This promotes consumer confidence and trust.
How to Leverage SMS With Email?
Alerts
SMS is an excellent way to notify your customers instantly of important updates, events, or security-related issues with their accounts. You can even send scheduled account balances if required via SMS API.
Reminders
Enhance your existing relationships with your clients with thoughtful reminders. An email reminder of an appointment scheduled might not be seen in time, but one sent by SMS is a sure-fire prompt that can prevent lost revenue from a no-show.
Confirmations
Confirmations sent by email are often lost due to outdated email addresses or wind up in spam folders never to be seen at all. Your customers appreciate the immediate notification an SMS provides that their order has been received or processed.
Notifications
As a reminder, a notification is an ideal email enhancement. These real-time updates are the perfect way to communicate with your client base and promote customer loyalty.
Marketing
SMS inspires a sense of urgency and thus is an excellent form of marketing. Your target market will be highly receptive. It has been proven that 90% of all SMS messages are read within 3 seconds. That is hard to beat in any other marketing format.
When should you use Email v SMS text messages?
Transactions
Transactional messages inform a customer of updates and transactions. They act as digital receipts so customers want them in email format. These include things from password resets, ticket reservations, and ordering status.
Engagements
Open up with your clients and tell a story. Email marketing can help to build a stronger relationship with your clients by solidifying brand recognition in their minds and converting the browsers into buyers. Tell them about your mission statement and introduce them to product highlights, promotions, and special offers. Be the first choice in their minds when they are ready to purchase a similar product.
Pick Up Clients On The Way Out.
Like any good host or hostess, you want to be at the door when your guest leaves your house with a friendly farewell and a reminder to “pop by anytime”! In the business world, this takes place with targeted emails to re-engage your customers that ditched your website and did not complete an order. Send an abandoned cart email reminding them that they really want the product that they didn’t purchase and entice them with a discount or special offer.
Reviews and Surveys
Asking your customer to share their thoughts is a smart way to get feedback. Reach out to your customers with automated triggers each time they get a receipt for their order or any other activity of your choosing. Feedback is important for your company because they serve three fundamental purposes.
- Identifying areas of weakness in your business that could use improvements. Any business that does not constantly strive to improve is doomed for failure. Listen to your audience and what they want and expect from you.
2. Developing your brand recognition. Sending out well-planned surveys increases your brand recognition placing you ahead of the pack with your competition.
3. Accountability. Asking a client for their honest opinion shows that you care about them and the service you provide. This subconsciously increases credibility and brand loyalty. A priceless commodity in today’s cut-throat business world.
SMS should enhance and not substitute an Email.
Your customer wants both because an email tells a story and it is a digital footprint that they can go back to and refer to if needed. They might save an email for proof of purchase or booking, or they might save it for a blog or article of interest they want to read later. SMS is very different from an Email. It is like the alarm or timer set on your phone and reminds your client to take action.
Getting started with SMS is easy. WinSMS has a helpful support team that can show you exactly how to send and receive SMS. WinSMS also provides extensive support and documents for integrations with HTML, XML, REST, and FTP for the more technically minded developers.