Customer Experience

Customers Not Responding to Your SMS? 5 Tips to Increase Response Times

You can have the best products, services, and support, but what will ultimately propel your business forward is customer engagement!

Businesses are constantly on the lookout to connect with their customers. SMS marketing campaigns have emerged as an ideal tool to connect with your customers on a personal level. About 70% of consumers open a new text within 1-5 minutes of receiving it.

But what if your customers do not respond to your SMS? This is a prevalent problem that most businesses face.

Understanding Low Response Rates in SMS Campaigns

Low customer engagement can hurt any SMS campaign. Here are some common issues that lead to a low response rate:

1. Message Fatigue

Customers are constantly bombarded with messages, notifications, and advertisements. Over time, they are likely to fatigue from this information overload and ignore all SMS campaigns.

2. Lack of Relevance

Generic messages that don’t resonate with a customer’s interests are more likely to get disregarded.

3. SMS Overload

Excessive messaging is likely to drive customers away. If customers keep receiving the same messages too frequently, then they are likely to opt out of the SMS campaigns.

4. Ineffective Communication

A lack of clarity and unengaging CTAs in the messages can lead to low response rates. It can leave customers without a clear incentive to reply.

5. Disregarding Customer Preferences

Not considering a customer’s preferences or feedback may seem disrespectful. This can make customers feel like random recipients in a mass SMS campaign and lead them to opt-out.

Boosting SMS Campaign Response Rates

Here are 5 tips to engage with your customers efficiently and increase your response times.

1. SMS Campaign Personalization Tips

Generic message blasts are very likely to get ignored or deleted. Customers want to feel valued and understood. A great way of giving that to your customers is by personalizing the messages you send.

  • Use the Customer’s Name: A simple way of grabbing your customer’s attention is by using their name. People are more likely to open a message and reply to it when they see their name in the notifications.
  • Segment Your Audience: Categorizing your audience based on their preferences and behaviors will make it easier for you to personalize messages for them.

e.g. Sending restocking recommendations to past buyers or exclusive offers to loyal customers.

  • Timing: Sending messages at the right time can impact your chances of receiving a response. Try to schedule your messages based on your customers’ activities. Sending a dinner deal in the evening might give better results.
  • Tailored Content: Create messages that match your customer’s interests and preferences.

2. SMS Campaign Frequency Optimization

Flooding your customers with too many SMS messages is a definite way of pushing them away. Conversely, if your messages are too sporadic, then your campaign would become ineffective. Try these tips to find the right balance:

  • Monitor Customer Behaviour: Analyze how your customers respond to your messages. If they stop engaging after you send several messages, try adjusting your frequency.
  • Provide a Preference Option: Allow your customers to choose the message frequency they are comfortable with. This empowers them to decide how often they want to hear from you.
  • Automation: Automation tools can help you schedule messages at the right intervals. Some applications also allow you to set certain user action triggers. When these actions are completed, your message is automatically sent to the customer.
  • A/B Testing: One way to find the right messaging frequency is by experimenting with different intervals. Analyze these results to find the sweet spot for customer engagement.

3. SMS Campaign CTAs Optimization

The call-to-action (CTA) in your SMS message is what leads to your desired customer action. An effective CTA can increase response rates. Here are some tips to enhance your CTAs:

  • Keep It Simple: Try to use action-oriented words in your CTA, like “Shop Now,” “Order Now,” “Save Today,” or “Get Started.”
  • Create a Sense of Scarcity: Encourage prompt action from your customers. You can use phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Last 2 days for discounted prices”.

e.g. In Hydro Flask’s campaign, they enabled multimedia messaging service (MMS) with appealing product images. Paired with exemplary CTAs, they found a way to market their products without any information overload.

  • Share Contact Info: Always provide a way for your customers to get in touch with you. This engagement will help them clear their queries, and it will give you a chance to close the deal. e.g. “To know more, call us on 1234554321, or chat with us at www.customerservice.com”
  • Offer Incentives: People like receiving something extra. You could provide discounts, freebies, or rewards for customers to act.

4. SMS Campaign Segmentation Tactics

Segmentation is a method of dividing your customer base on the basis of shared characteristics. You can then create tailored SMS messages for each group. Here’s how to start:

  • Analyze Customer Data: Collect and analyze customer data such as purchase history, location, and preferences. This will help you create meaningful segments.
  • Define Segmentation Criteria: Determine the criteria for creating segments. This could be on the basis of product interests, location, or purchase frequency.
  • Tailor Messages for Segments: Create messages that would resonate with each customer segment.

e.g. If a segment of customers prefers winter clothing, then send them exclusive winter collection updates.

  • Test and Refine: Regularly monitor how your customer preferences change and refine your segmentation strategy accordingly.

5. SMS Campaign Engagement Strategies

These strategies will enhance your SMS campaign output. Try them out to improve customer engagement.

  • Seek Feedback: Always request your customers to provide feedback on your SMS campaigns. This input is invaluable for making improvements.

For e.g., PVR Cinemas always sends feedback requests to customers after their movie. This initiative helps them determine customer experiences and how they may improve them.

  • Opt-In and Opt-Out Choice: Provide a clear and simple way for your customers to opt in or out of your SMS campaigns. This choice will increase customer satisfaction and may impact brand reliability.
  • Comply with Regulations: Make sure that your SMS campaigns adhere to local regulations, such as those set by the TRAI in India.
  • Monitor, Analyze, and Refine: Regularly monitor the performance of your SMS campaigns. Track response rates, conversion rates, and customer patterns and collect feedback to understand customer preferences. This data will help enhance your future campaigns.

Revamp Your SMS Strategy Today

When it comes to driving any business forward, customer engagement is king. 58% of marketers saw a measurable impact on customer engagement and retention after using SMS campaigns. These 5 tips will help you improve your campaigns and customer experience.

A personalized SMS message with effective CTAs can prompt your customers to reply sooner. SMS marketing is a dynamic field. Stay adaptable and refine your strategies with tools like JustCall to meet your customers’ evolving needs.

Anushree is a seasoned business leader with nearly two decades of experience in the SaaS industry, specializing in customer-facing roles across the globe. As the driving force behind our Customer Success division, she is committed to fostering a culture of customer-centricity within her team. Dedicated to maintaining a high-impact Customer Success function, Anushree serves as a vital conduit for open communication channels for customers, capturing invaluable customer feedback and aligning it with our product vision. Her focus on seamless customer experience ensures that customers enjoy a rewarding journey from start to finish.

How useful was this post?

0/5

-

( 0 votes)