Foot traffic is the ultimate prize for any store. Even better? Attracting foot traffic that’s primed and ready to buy. That’s where SMS shines for retailers—turning browsers into buyers before they even step onto the sales floor. Need proof?
- Marketing text messages achieve open rates of 90-98%, compared to email’s 37-45%
- Text-delivered coupons are 10 times more likely to be redeemed than those sent through other channels
- 77% of survey participants reported attending a sale they wouldn’t have known about without receiving a text from a retail brand
However, success in SMS marketing is not guaranteed. To maximize results, retailers must develop and test various text message strategies while continuously expanding their subscriber base—easier said than done, right? To help you refine your approach, this guide will explore effective SMS marketing strategies specifically designed for retail stores.
How Retail Stores Can Grow Their SMS Subscriber List
Many retail stores effectively expand their SMS subscriber lists by integrating a loyalty program built to encourage repeat purchases by offering rewards, discounts, or exclusive benefits. This is typically powered by a system where customers earn points or incentives based on their spending, ultimately fostering engagement and higher retention.
By their very nature, loyalty programs are a win-win scenario in which customers receive significant discounts over the course of their relationship with your store. Yet the promise of great savings, alone won’t automatically lead to an immediate rise in SMS subscribers; it requires promotion and strategic marketing efforts.
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Offer in-store discounts for subscribing to a loyalty program
Checkout is the prime opportunity to inform shoppers about your loyalty program—right as they’re making a purchase, the temptation of instant savings becomes hard to ignore. For customers in a rush, provide printouts that cashiers can easily add to their bags to spread the word.
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Train staff on how to best represent the loyalty program
Equip your team with the necessary training to effectively communicate the loyalty program’s benefits and encourage sign-ups. Ensure they’re ready to address common questions, like “How will you use my contact information?”
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Use signage throughout your store
Strategically place signs promoting the loyalty program in high-traffic areas to capture customer attention and interest. For example, leave a promotion with a QR code in the checkout queue to build interest while customers wait.
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Promote your loyalty program on social media
Leverage your social media platforms to create posts and stories highlighting the benefits of joining your loyalty program. Share updates when new redeemable gifts are available or spotlight user-generated content featuring customers with their recently won prizes.
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Send an email campaign targeted toward retail customers who aren’t yet enrolled in text message communications and your loyalty program
Proper segmentation of your contact lists is crucial, enabling you to specifically reach email subscribers who haven’t joined your loyalty program and highlight its benefits directly to them.
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For E-commerce stores, highlight the loyalty program throughout the site
Use homepage pop-ups and mention the program during checkout to offer an immediate discount as a sign-up incentive.
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Ensure your loyalty program is competitive with industry peers
Conduct thorough research to design a loyalty program that balances consumer appeal with profitability, drawing interest from potential subscribers.
Additional Strategies for Recruiting SMS Marketing Subscribers
A loyalty program isn’t the only way retail stores can amplify their SMS subscriber list. Consider these other strategies if you’re not ready for the ongoing commitment and logistics of a formal reward points system.
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Link SMS enrollment to instant discounts
Motivate customers to join SMS programs by offering them an immediate discount along with the promise of future deals. Use in-store signage and point-of-sale materials to share this, making it easy with QR codes or simple instructions like “text this number for big savings.” Don’t forget to highlight these SMS marketing offers on your retail store’s website to maximize engagement.
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Host limited-time contests or giveaways
Organize contests or giveaways that require SMS sign-up for participation. A popular approach is to have customers text a number to enter a raffle; it takes just 5 seconds and offers the excitement of a possible win.
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Incorporate SMS sign-ups at events
At marketing events or grand openings, set up a registration booth that encourages attendees to subscribe by offering a gift or entry into a drawing. Just make sure it’s clear that participants are enrolling to receive SMS marketing from your retail brand, but will have the option to unsubscribe.
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Utilize mobile-friendly checkouts
For retail businesses with eCommerce capabilities, ensure that the sign-up process is mobile-friendly. Integrate SMS subscription options within the checkout steps, as customers are already engaged at this stage.
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Cross-promote across channels
Use your website, social media accounts, and email newsletters to promote the retail perks of subscribing to your SMS marketing. Highlight the unique incentives that subscribers receive, creating cohesive messaging across platforms.
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Implement a referral program
Inspire your current subscribers to refer friends and family by offering rewards or discounts for successful referrals, transforming them into marketing ambassadors for your SMS retail program.
SMS Marketing Use Cases to Boost Retail Stores’ Sales
Once you have acquired SMS marketing subscribers, the next step is to transform them into repeat customers, ultimately boosting your retail store’s performance.
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Promote flash sales
Increase foot traffic by sending out timely SMS alerts about exclusive, limited-time flash sales. Highlight the urgency and benefits to encourage immediate action from your customers.
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Exclusive offers for SMS subscribers
Create a sense of exclusivity by rewarding your SMS subscribers with special discounts or unique offers.
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Announce new products
Build excitement and keep your retail customers informed by sending marketing texts about new product launches. Share details on features, availability, and how they can be among the first to try these new offerings. Take this promotional idea one step further by offering SMS subscribers early access to your most coveted retail goods!
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Send important announcements
Use SMS as a rapid communication channel to deliver important updates or changes to your customers. This can include alterations in store hours, policy changes, or unexpected events that may affect their shopping experience.
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Remind customers about abandoned carts
Send personalized follow-up SMS reminders to customers who have left items in their online shopping carts. Include enticing details and perhaps an incentive to encourage them to complete their purchases, reducing cart abandonment rates.
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Seasonal and holiday promotions
Few things excite the average customer more than celebrating the changing seasons, like pumpkin-scented candles in autumn or glittering ensembles around New Year’s. For inspiration on how to best leverage holidays within your retail store’s text message marketing, read Father’s Day SMS Marketing Strategies for Franchises and Perfect Your Valentine’s Day Marketing Using Text Messaging Tactics.
SMS Marketing Use Cases to Boost a Retail Store’s Brand
Your loyal customers are arguably your brand’s most under-utilized marketing asset. Social proof is undeniably powerful, whether it appears as Google My Business reviews, product reviews, or social media content. Smart retail businesses can capitalize on this by leveraging text message marketing to gather social proof from those who hold your brand in the highest regard—your SMS subscribers.
Utilizing SMS to Acquire Feedback for Your Retail Store
- Request online reviews post-purchase - Following a customer’s retail purchase, send a polite text message requesting online reviews, including a link to your preferred platform. This facilitates easy access for customers to share their positive experiences.
- Check-in on customer satisfaction - After an appropriate period post-purchase, send a text to inquire if they’re satisfied with the product they bought. This not only helps in gathering feedback but also shows customers you care about their experience.
- Distribute surveys for insight - Send out surveys, emphasizing that recipients’ feedback is invaluable in improving the in-store shopping experience. This engagement encourages customers to share their thoughts, allowing you to enhance your retail strategy effectively.
Bonus Strategy for Leveraging Text Message Marketing to Acquire Social Proof
Phones serve as all-in-one devices—people text, take photos, and browse the web, all from the palm of their hand. Why not create a contest that leverages these features? Invite your SMS subscribers to participate by texting a photo of your retail products in action. It takes just 30 seconds of their time and provides you with valuable user-generated content that can benefit other elements of your retail marketing strategy.
SMS Use Cases to Boost Retail Customer Satisfaction
If there’s one thing that spreads quickly, it’s the stories of negative customer experiences. Often, a dissatisfied customer is more likely to leave a review online than a customer who had a positive experience. Even a mediocre interaction can damage your bottom line, as that customer is more likely to take their business to another retailer. Luckily, SMS is uniquely positioned to improve customer communications and disseminate time-sensitive information, improving their overall satisfaction.
Two-way conversations for interactive customer support
Implementing platforms like Voxie allows retailers to automate interactions, creating a swift and engaging customer support experience. You can use text messages to answer commonly asked product questions, schedule service appointments, and provide store-specific details, no matter the time of day. To learn more about the full marketing potential of this text capability, read our guide to 2-Way SMS.
”Back-in-stock” SMS notifications
Customers can easily sign up to receive text alerts when desired retail products are available again, saving them the headache of circling back to your store or forgetting about the item altogether.
Post-purchase satisfaction surveys
Use SMS to gather feedback after purchases, allowing for quick assessment and improvement of customer service.
Loyalty program notifications
Inform customers about their loyalty points status, including expiration dates, and opportunities to earn double points within certain time frames.
Emergency notifications
Send urgent updates, such as being non-operational for a week due to a fire. Emergency notifications should be texted semi-sparingly or else you risk annoying customers.
Strategic customer support
When friction arises, permitting customers to send SMS messages is the most straightforward approach to addressing their grievances immediately and trying to provide a solution. Simple inquiries can be handled via AI-powered SMS systems, while high-priority support cases can be escalated for human intervention.
Read 8 Creative Marketing Text Message (SMS) Ideas & Examples for additional inspiration for your retail store campaigns.
Text Message Outreach Best Practices for Retail Stores
Let’s be clear—there are right ways and wrong ways to craft a retail marketing text message. While a winning message can drum up sales, a misguided strategy can lead to an upswell of unsubscribes.
Check out our top tips to make the most of this powerful retail marketing tool:
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Embrace images
The right visuals can ignite the imagination and make your retail text messages pop. While compelling imagery enhances marketing across many industries, it’s particularly powerful for retail SMS campaigns. Announcing 25% off all outerwear? Pair this text offer with snapshots of your most stylish coats to show recipients exactly what they’re missing out on!
- Limit SMS outreach frequency. It’s important to limit your SMS marketing outreach to 1-2 times per week to prevent overwhelming subscribers. Have nothing new or exciting to text? Consider reducing the cadence even more, reserving your outreach for when you truly have something of value to convey. This approach maintains anticipation and reduces the risk of subscriber fatigue.
- Personalize text messages
Ideally, your text messages will be relevant and personalized to the recipient. Personalization can be achieved by segmenting lists based on known data, such as purchase history, and by including the recipient’s name. Tailoring retail marketing messages increases engagement and builds a stronger connection with your audience. - Vary offers and language
Change up the types of offers and language used—this not only supports testing different SMS strategies but also prevents your messages from feeling stale. SMS marketing subscribers should always be left excited about the next retail goodie or discount they’ll receive. - Plan within an omnichannel strategy
Integrate your SMS into a dynamic omnichannel marketing strategy by staggering your communications for maximum impact. Use email to build anticipation and deliver detailed retail content, like newsletters, while reserving text messages for urgent, actionable CTAs. For example, hype up Black Friday with email updates throughout November, but save the crucial “reminder” texts for the final week to drive immediate action and excitement. - Obtain explicit opt-in consent
Secure explicit opt-in consent from your subscribers to ensure compliance with regulations while building trust with your audience. Ignoring opt-in policies for SMS can result in legal penalties, damage to your retail brand’s reputation, and increased unsubscribe rates. Additionally, it may lead to spam complaints and higher costs for compliance and reputation management. - Provide easy opt-out options
Adding an opt-out option to every marketing text helps confirm that your retail store stays compliant with regulations like TCPA and GDPR. Moreover, it safeguards your brand from spam complaints and legal repercussions, ensuring your SMS campaigns are both effective and legitimate.
Ideas for Segmenting & Personalizing Your SMS Marketing
The first rule of retail SMS marketing? Know that your customers aren’t one-size-fits-all! If your messages treat a first-time buyer the same as a weekly shopper, your marketing text messages are likely not hitting the mark.
Here are some exciting strategies to spice up your SMS marketing with segmentation and personalization:
Segmenting Your Retail Customers
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Loyalty program members vs. non-members
Differentiate your texts to reward loyalty program members with exclusive offers and information, while encouraging non-members to join.
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Engagers vs. non-engagers
Identify those who have interacted with your texts and those who haven’t. Reach out to non-engagers with messaging geared specifically toward reactivation.
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Frequent vs. infrequent purchasers
Frequent purchasers might appreciate sneak peeks and early access, while non-frequent buyers could be attracted to special deals with set time limits.
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Preferred store locations
Crafting marketing texts and the calls-to-action to match the store locations your customers frequent most enhances their retail experience. This is especially important for franchise SMS efforts, as it helps steer business to the appropriate franchisee.
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Purchase behavior
Tailor offers based on the specific types of purchases your retail customers make, ensuring relevance and increasing the likelihood of SMS engagement.
Simplifying Segmentation with Voxie
Voxie streamlines the process of maintaining and scaling your segmentation efforts, making managing and expanding your customer groups easier.
- Tags and custom attributes
Utilize these powerful tools to effectively segment your audience based on a variety of factors. These can include retail location, historical purchase behavior, customer preferences, and demographic information. By doing so, you can refine your marketing strategies to address the unique needs and interests of each segment, ultimately increasing engagement and conversion rates. - Dynamic vs. static lists
Dynamic lists automatically update as customer attributes change, allowing for a more responsive and adaptable approach to your audience to ensure your SMS marketing remains relevant and timely. On the other hand, static lists maintain a consistent set of retail customers, ideal for executing targeted text message campaigns where a fixed audience is desired. Together, these lists offer a comprehensive strategy for reaching your retail marketing goals.
Personalizing Your SMS Marketing
Small, personalized touches can make your marketing text messages feel more targeted to individual recipients, ultimately nurturing greater engagement. Possible SMS personalization includes:
- Using customer names
Something as simple as starting a text with “Hey, Mark,” can give your text message extra memorability. - Birthday messages
Who doesn’t like free swag or big discounts on their birthday? Give text recipients an exclusive promo to help them celebrate their big day! - Referencing past purchases
Tailoring messages to reference previous purchases demonstrates attention to detail and enhances the customer experience. For example:
Hi Casey! We hope you like the [Insert Name] Perfume as much as we do. Knowing your appreciation of all things lovely, we wanted to share with you a 20% off code for our scented soaps, candles, and fragrances. Expires 8/30.
By effectively segmenting and personalizing your SMS marketing, you can create targeted campaigns that resonate with your audience and lead to greater engagement and success.
Are Your SMS Strategies Working? Here’s How to Tell
Understanding whether your text messages resonate with your retail audience can significantly influence future campaigns and drive better results. Let’s explore key metrics and methods to determine the success of your SMS marketing efforts.
Digital Metrics to Track Your Retail SMS Campaign’s Success
- Open rates
Track the number of recipients who open your SMS messages to assess initial engagement. Just like with emails, only the first few words are visible before a customer views the full SMS. Therefore, the open rate serves as an excellent indicator of how effectively your preview text performs. - Click-through rates (CTR) of links
Observe the percentage of recipients who click on links in your marketing texts to gauge interest and engagement. While customers may be intrigued enough to open the message, this metric reveals how compelling your retail offer truly is. - Online Retail Purchases from Text Messages
Monitor sales that originate from SMS links to determine direct revenue impact. - Opt-Out Rates
Monitor the number of unsubscribers, as lower rates suggest higher customer satisfaction. Consider whether your marketing message seemed like clickbait or if you’re communicating too frequently. By tracking opt-out rates, you gain valuable insights into which messages fail to resonate with your audience.
Additional Indicators of SMS Campaign Success
When assessing your SMS campaign success, don’t overlook these indirect indicators. While open rates and clicks offer precise tracking, related cues give valuable directional insights.
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Same-day foot traffic
One effective way to gauge the impact of your SMS marketing texts is by monitoring whether they result in immediate visits to your retail store. An increase in same-day foot traffic can be a strong sign that your campaign is engaging and prompting action from recipients.
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In-store coupon utilization
Tracking the redemption rate of coupons sent through SMS is another important metric. By measuring how many recipients use these coupons, you can assess the effectiveness of your text message campaign in driving retail customers to make purchases and engage with your brand.
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Survey results
Gather feedback through surveys to gain insights into customer preferences and satisfaction.
Testing and Optimizing SMS Marketing Strategies
By using these metrics, you can begin to test different SMS strategies for your retail customers. Experiment with various elements such as text message timing, content, and personalization. Conduct A/B testing by sending variations of your SMS messages to different segments of your audience and analyze the results.
It’s crucial not to jump to conclusions after just one test. Instead, repeat the tests multiple times with different variations to achieve reliable data. Continuously refine your approach based on the insights gained to optimize your SMS marketing campaigns for success.
Voxie—The Ultimate Retail-Friendly SMS Platform
Retail success hinges on building meaningful, timely connections with your customers. Voxie empowers retail brands to achieve this by offering an SMS platform tailored to meet the unique needs of the industry. Here’s how Voxie can help your retail store elevate its customer communication strategy:
1. Drive In-Store and Online Sales
With Voxie, you can create hyper-targeted campaigns to drive foot traffic to your physical stores or boost online purchases. Whether it’s flash sales, exclusive discounts, or personalized product recommendations, Voxie’s platform ensures your text messages are impactful and actionable.
2. Simplify Loyalty Program Management
Retail brands can seamlessly integrate their loyalty programs into Voxie, making it easier to promote rewards, share points updates, and notify customers about special opportunities. Voxie’s dynamic segmentation tools help you engage loyalty program members with exclusive offers while encouraging non-members to sign up.
3. Personalize the Customer Experience
Voxie leverages advanced segmentation and personalization features, allowing you to tailor messages based on purchase behavior, location, or customer preferences. Send birthday messages, recommend products based on past purchases, or re-engage inactive customers with offers designed just for them.
4. Automate and Optimize Customer Engagement
With Voxie’s AI-powered capabilities, retail brands can automate routine communications like “back-in-stock” alerts, abandoned cart reminders, and satisfaction surveys, freeing up your team to focus on high-impact interactions. Built-in A/B testing and analytics ensure every message is optimized for maximum engagement.
5. Foster Two-Way Conversations
Voxie’s platform transforms SMS into a two-way communication channel, enabling customers to ask questions, provide feedback, or resolve issues instantly. This approach not only enhances customer satisfaction but also builds stronger, long-term relationships.
6. Scale Without Complexity
Whether you’re a small boutique or a national retail chain, Voxie grows with your business. Its scalable architecture, dynamic audience management, and easy-to-use interface make it simple to manage SMS campaigns across multiple locations or teams.
7. Stay Compliant and Secure
Voxie ensures all your SMS marketing efforts adhere to regulatory standards like TCPA and GDPR. With built-in opt-in and opt-out features, you can focus on growing your subscriber list while maintaining trust and transparency.
Voxie is more than an SMS platform—it’s a comprehensive solution designed to help retail brands thrive in a competitive marketplace. By combining cutting-edge technology with actionable insights, Voxie transforms your SMS campaigns into a powerful driver of revenue and customer loyalty. Ready to take your retail SMS marketing to the next level? Let Voxie show you the way.