SMS marketing is an easy-to-execute and cost-effective tool that has high engagement. The majority of consumers (90%) prefer texting with businesses and vice versa. Open rates are as high as 99%, which is much higher than email. Therefore, SMS marketing has emerged as a crucial tool for building up leads and boosting ROI. Businesses can communicate interactively with their customers through SMS to increase sales and growth. Furthermore, mobile messaging earned more adoption by businesses during the pandemic. E-commerce businesses, too, have developed robust SMS marketing strategies due to strong competition in this space.
More companies adopt SMS marketing to reach users increasingly inclined to engage with mobile outreach. In 2022, we see further growth in SMS marketing trends. Let’s find out here what will emerge in 2022:
1. Bulk SMS Automation
Trigger-based messages, also known as automated messages, provide SMS marketers with a similar benefit to email automation. For example, you can use triggers to notify customers when a milestone is achieved, notify them when a product is added to the cart but not purchased, and give them an alert if an out-of-stock product becomes available. As a result, customer journeys will become even more automated.
The bulk SMS automation process works like drip email campaigns in nurturing your users. Choosing the right SMS automation strategy can let you send customised automatically, timely, and relevant SMS to consumers to handle everything from notification of abandoned cart alerts, appointments, reminders of upcoming payments, and renewal reminders.Â
2. SMS as Customer Service Channel
Customer service plays a major role in marketing departments by delivering on a brand’s promise. Consumers expect quick responses to their inquiries, and they’re not afraid of talking about their negative experiences on social media. Studies show that over 50% of users prefer texting customer support reps than phone calls, becoming more mainstream. As a result, companies use SMS marketing to engage in numerous customer service activities such as:
- Verifying order confirmations.
- Monitoring shipments and providing delivery tracking information.
- Appointment scheduling and confirmation.
- Replying to Frequently Asked Questions.
- Handling support tickets.
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Getting feedback on products and services.
3. Demand for Personalisation
If your vanilla SMS marketing has missed the mark, crafting personalised messages makes your customers feel valued. Adding a personal touch to automated SMSes makes it more likely for the audience to connect and take action. As one of the most intimate and direct communication channels, SMS will play a definitive role in helping brands create personalised journeys that help them create deeper connections with their customers and offer them what they want – an enjoyable experience.
4. Integrating AI and Automation
Chatbots are already part of many bulk SMS services. However, it’s also proving to be an effective way to have conversations that are like human conversations via SMS. For example, when an incoming SMS text includes a specific keyword, the business can use automation to send the client a preliminary written SMS. In addition, you can design recurring campaigns that contain the text engine and message schedule.Â
5. SMS Marketing with B2B Companies
B2B marketers have been slow to adopt SMS trends in their marketing campaigns than B2C companies. But the popularity of SMS also applies to individuals working in the B2B industry. B2B companies rely on relationship building and targeted marketing campaigns to draw and convert the right customers. B2B marketers also use SMS as a business productivity tool. For example, scheduling product demos and webinars, answering FAQs and providing limited-time offers can increase customer lifetime value (LTV).
Final Thoughts
The popularity and capabilities of SMS are rising. Brands are getting more innovative with their SMS marketing strategies. If you’re not hooked on these trends yet, you might get left behind. To get your bulk SMS marketing campaigns started, you can partner with Mtalkz. It is a one-stop shop for your business. For an immediate rise in sales and increased customer satisfaction with intelligent SMS marketing campaigns, get in touch with Mtalkz team.
