As you’ve probably already noticed, much of the argument in favor of SMS marketing centers on comparisons to email marketing. More specifically, how SMS marketing outperforms email in today’s world.
- The average response time to a text message is 90 seconds, whereas the average response time to an email is about 90 minutes.
- The open rate of text messages is 98% compared to 20% of emails.
- Engagement rates for SMS marketing are six-to-eight times higher than emails when used for redemption, data collection and brand awareness.
However, that doesn’t mean that you should throw email marketing out the window forever! In fact, quite the opposite is true.
Email marketing is not going anywhere. For best results, your business should try using both email and SMS marketing. And don’t stop there! Use both tools to support and enhance the experience of the other.
This is what’s often referred to as omnichannel marketing- not to be confused with multi-channel marketing. Omnichannel marketing is the approach that interrelates content across channels to ensure the best possible experience for customers. Businesses that successfully employ omnichannel marketing experience a 91% higher year-over-year increase in customer retention, compared to businesses that don’t.
Instead of comparing email and SMS marketing, in this article we will discuss how they can work as a team.
How To Use Email and SMS Marketing Together
Use your email list to gain SMS subscribers and vice versa.
Assuming that you already have an email list, you can use that to promote your SMS marketing. Add instructions at the end of each email blast or newsletter for how subscribers can opt-in to your SMS marketing list, as well.
To sweeten the pot a bit, make sure you’re offering at least some promotions that are exclusive to your text subscribers. That way, email subscribers have a clear incentive for joining your text list, as well.
The same concept works in reverse. Eventually, you will have SMS subscribers that you’ve gained from in-store displays, social media, etc. that you want on your email list. Send them an incentive! Inform them of the additional value they will get from your email newsletters that they can’t get otherwise, as well as how to subscribe.
Repurpose marketing campaigns.
If you have a killer marketing campaign in development, try to figure out how you can use it in both email and SMS. 88% of consumers say that they are more likely to buy from a retailer that delivers a personalized and connected cross-channel experience.
How would a particular marketing campaign look different across these two channels? How does it look the same? Although SMS marketing campaigns have to be much shorter, your branding and value proposition should be clear in both.
Personalization
Since you have customers that subscribe to both your email and SMS marketing, you can get to know them a little better. Capture data about email subscribers and use it to send them personalized SMS marketing campaigns, as well.
For instance, capture the information of the customers who clicked through your email campaign that showcased storage solutions for small apartments. If all or some of those people are also subscribed to your SMS marketing list, you can send them an alert about your limited-time furniture sale, too. You already know that they are looking to make purchases for their home, and you can use that information to suggest some more items that they might like!
Remind subscribers via text to check their email.
After you’ve sent out an email newsletter, follow up a few days later with SMS subscribers who haven’t yet opened your email. This method can actually increase email open rates by 20%-30%.
One of the reasons email open rates can be less-than-impressive in the first place is simply that people are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of email messages they receive. Chances are some of your customers didn’t open your last email because they simply didn’t see it.
However, best practices dictate that you use this method sparingly. You never want to appear pushy in your marketing tactics. Don’t text customers every single time you send an email.
Customers will appreciate a reminder text such as, “Have you read our latest email? There’s a deal in there that we know you wouldn’t want to miss!” It would also be appropriate to text reminders to customers about vital business announcements or security breaches.
Thoughtful text reminders like these can ensure that your SMS marketing is complimenting your email marketing and will therefore boost conversions.
Now that we’ve covered different ways in which you can use both email and SMS marketing, what about when you should focus on one or the other?
How do I know when to use email and when to use SMS?
A good rule of thumb when debating whether to use email or SMS to contact customers is to ask yourself how long the message needsto be and how quickly customers need to receive it.
For short, time-sensitive messages, turn to SMS. For long-form or informational content, email is the way to go. Here are a few examples.
Email is good for:
- Newsletters
- Educational content
- Media-heavy blasts, such as product launches
- Press releases
Use SMS for:
- Customer feedback (although you can always ask customers to fill out longer form surveys via email, SMS is great for short surveys)
- Appointment/Payment reminders
- Coupons/Deals (“For a limited time only!”)
- Purchase confirmation
- Urgent notifications/alerts
Although your creative marketing team may even find ways to repurpose some of the items on these lists across both platforms, you do want to be mindful of how often you are texting customers. Email frequency is important too, but sending texts too frequently might start to feel especially invasive to customers, resulting in a high rate of unsubscriptions.
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Even though we’re always singing the praises of SMS marketing, it is important to remember that an omnichannel marketing strategy such as we laid out here is truly the most effective way to boost conversions and customer loyalty. If you’re ready to harness the power of SMS marketing alongside your email marketing, start your free trial with us today!
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