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SubscribeBlack Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) are right around the corner, and are poised to be more inventive than ever before this year.
Since a vast majority of people shop online, SMS marketing, with its high open rates, will be a vital factor in luring customers to online shops.
In this post, we’ll show you how to conduct a successful Black Friday SMS campaign for your company to increase engagement and revenue.
So, let’s get started!
Importance of SMS marketing for Black Friday
What’s even more effective than email marketing? SMS Marketing! A Black Friday text chain can help you reach out to more customers and spread awareness much more effectively than other forms of marketing!
Don’t believe us? Here are some supporting facts:
- 90% of SMS messages are opened and read within three minutes of being received
- SMS boasts an astonishing 98% open rate, compared to a meager 20% for emails!
- 75% of clients are happy with receiving brand SMS communications
With figures like these, it’s no surprise that SMS marketing is an effective method for Black Friday promotion. SMS campaigns may be used to advertise special offers, display new items, and urge users to make a transaction.
Now how do you go about preparing a successful Black Friday SMS Campaign? We’ve covered the steps for the same in the sections below!
How to Create an SMS Campaign for Black Friday?
Steps to Send Bulk SMS for Black Friday:
1. Head Over To The JustCall Dashboard
- Head over to the Bulk SMS/MMS section from the JustCall dashboard
- Click on the create campaign button
- Start creating your campaign on the “Create Campaign” page
2. Upload The Contact List
You can either:
- Choose an existing contact list or upload a CSV file
- Manually type the contacts’ details or
- Send out bulk SMS directly from the CRM
3. Create The Text Message Copy
Type the content or the body of the SMS/message. Set merge field values such as name, email, and other custom fields for each recipient to personalize your message.
4. Schedule The Campaign
Choose the date, time, and number you want to send the text. You can either run the campaign immediately or schedule it for a future period.
5. Manage Replies from The JustCall Inbox
Finally, you can manage all the incoming and outgoing texts directly from your JustCall inbox.
You can view the numbers and all replies from each number. It becomes very convenient for users to manage all replies. It also ensures that none of the customers go unheard.
Best Tips For Creating a Black Friday Text Campaign
Now that you know how to create a campaign yourself, let’s jump on to what are the best practices to get the maximum out of the bulk SMS campaign.
1. Schedule Your Black Friday Text Marketing Campaign Early
As per a Salesforce forecast, “digital sales are expected to hit all-time highs” leading to strained shipping capacity and shipment delays.
To ensure that all packages reach consumers on time, you should plan your SMS campaign as early as possible and schedule your texts in advance.
This is to prevent you from having to send multiple last-minute reminders to subscribers for sales.
You can schedule your campaigns at intervals of 1, 3, 5, or any number of days. After having scheduled your campaign, it will be sent out as a series of normal conversations on the previously chosen date.
2. Collect Phone Numbers In Advance
It is important to collect phone numbers ahead of time to develop an effective Black Friday SMS campaign.
Your cache of numbers will ensure that you have a wide consumer base to target with your communications.
You can begin this process of collecting numbers by:
Gathering phone numbers via your website or physical business. In return for clients’ phone numbers, provide incentives such as exclusive deals and discounts
Urging clients to sign up for your SMS campaign using social media and email. You should also check whether you have got approval from your clients to receive SMS communications as well as your adherence to any SMS marketing restrictions
The bigger the number of phone numbers you have, the wider the reach of your SMS campaign and the possibility for sales.
3. Gather Opt-ins to Multiply Your Subscribers
Gathering opt-ins should be your priority. Now that you know how you can send out a bulk text campaign, make sure to gather a lot of opt-ins before you begin.
One of the best ways to do so is by asking the prospect to reply with a keyword.
For example,
A prospect fills up the website form. An automated message gets created that responds automatically saying:
“If you want to grab our latest deals, write back BLACKFRIOFFERS to this number. or,
“SMS “hair” to 123 for free hair solutions! “
The prospect who responds becomes a subscriber and in that way, you get more subscribers for your Black Friday text campaign.
They can easily now receive your deal outlines, coupons, free services, discounts, etc.
You can also request them to opt-in via:
- An online form
- A banner on the homepage
- A website widget
- A text to a particular keyword to a specified mobile number, as shown above
4. Segment Your Subscribers List
Segmenting your subscriber list is a key step in establishing an efficient Black Friday SMS campaign.
That is because you can send customized communications to each group by segmenting your list based on their preferences and purchase history.
This approach of yours increases the possibility of people engaging with your campaign and taking advantage of your offers.
For example, you might filter your list based on:
Previous purchase history and deliver communications to clients who have previously purchased items in a given category
Geography or age, personalizing your communications to each group’s tastes and requirements etc.
Therefore, segmenting your list lowers the possibility of opt-outs or unsubscribes.
5. Take Note of SMS Campaign Timings
Timing is crucial when it comes to SMS advertising. You should send your message at a moment when your clients are most likely to be engaged and ready to purchase.
Messages sent at busy hours, such as a rush hour or dinner periods, may be disregarded or forgotten.
Assess your target audience and their availability.
For example, if you are targeting office employees, you may want to send communications during lunch breaks or soon after work hours.
If you have consumers in different time zones, change your schedule to ensure that your message is sent at a time that is convenient for them.
6. Do not forget Email Marketing
SMS campaigns outpolled emails during Black Friday, according to a 2019 report by Omnisend. However, other reports say that that reaching out to your audience via three and more marketing channels ensures a customer retention rate up to 90%.
So, consider adding email marketing to your Black Friday campaign. You can utilize emails to advertise promo codes, drive traffic, and acquire new leads, not just for Black Friday, but also for future promotions.
7. Turn the First Time Buyers Into Loyal Customers
The holiday period starting with Thanksgiving and then Black Friday brings in double or triple the number of customers. The volume of customers can prove to be a challenge, with a view to building a loyal relationship with them.
Every customer that buys one of your products will think of buying it again if your offer has satisfied them. You should send out bulk SMSes to blossom these first-time buyers into loyal customers.
These messages can either be feedback messages or a follow-up messages, depending upon the context. For instance, you can convey your thanks to the customer for buying and offer an extra coupon or deal on the second purchase in the manner seen below:
“Thanks for shopping with us! Use code SECOND# and send it to 123 to win free shipping”
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Best Templates and Examples to Boost Your Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns
It may be challenging to create an effective and engaging SMS campaign, especially during the competitive Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales periods, which is why we’ve compiled some creative campaign ideas and samples to help you get started with your promotions.
Template for a Limited-Time Offer
Your Black Friday text template should offer a clear statement about the limited-time offer, providing urgency to act immediately.
Your SMS idea should include the discount % as well as the period for which the deal is available. A call-to-action button that takes the buyer to the sale page can also be included in the template.
Here is a black friday text example to give you an idea.
Source
Free Shipping Template
By emphasizing the simplicity of free delivery, this template can help improve conversions by removing a possible barrier with regards to purchasing your product.
The statement in the template maybe something like, “Enjoy free delivery on all orders on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.”
Last Chance Reminder Template
This template is intended to instill urgency in clients by reminding them that the deal is coming to an end within a given time period.
A countdown to the conclusion of the sale and a clear call to action can be included in the message to urge customers to make their final purchases.
VIP Early Access Template
This template is intended for consumers who have enrolled in a VIP program or newsletter.
It may feature a unique offer, such as early sale access or exclusive discounts etc.
Product Highlight Template
This template is intended to highlight a single product or product category. It might feature:
- A photograph of the product
- A brief description
- A call to action to entice people to buy it
It’s vital to remember that these templates should be tailored to your business and Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing campaign as customization is essential for developing a successful SMS campaign.
Conclusion
Thus, as we’ve seen above, you need to be very careful with how your craft your Black Friday and Cyber Monday SMS campaigns to ensure that your campaign reaches a wide consumer base.
Additionally, since no two campaigns are the same, you will need to consider the intent of your campaign when you’re selecting a template from the list above.
