Tag Archives: customer engagement

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The Best Marketing Strategies to Improve Customer Engagement in 2021

With substantial competition across every industry, it has never been more important for businesses to improve their customer engagement strategy. 

And as a business, what better way to engage with your customers than through your various marketing channels? 

What is Customer Engagement?

Customer engagement involves more than responding to complaint emails or simply creating an Instagram poll from time to time. In its essence, customer engagement involves the various interactions your business has with your existing and prospective clients.

The purpose is to establish a lasting relationship with your consumers. Effective customer engagement means higher customer retention – something every business fights for.

With nearly 2/3’s of businesses profiting on effective customer engagement, you can take part in that as well. Below we’ve compiled a list of the best marketing strategies you can do in 2021 to improve your customer engagement. 

Eight Effective Marketing Strategies

Did you know that buyers value customer experience/engagement more than the price or product? Find out how you can enhance your marketing tactics to create a better engagement experience for your customers.

Survey Texting

Businesses focus too much on analytics, they forget about how convenient, simple and useful a customer survey can be. It’s probably why 39% of companies don’t ask for customer feedback on their experience. 

Customer surveys are a great way to engage with your existing clients – it shows that you care about their opinions. If you find it exhausting to create an email survey, there are other ways. For example, you can utilize business texting to send out customer feedback surveys.

For one, the average American spends around 4 hours on their phones. Mobile devices are also taking over by a storm. As such, there’s a greater chance these surveys reach your customers when you do it through business texting. Secondly, it makes the process a lot quicker and easy for you. 

At Text My Main Number, we offer the option of conducting survey clients over landline texting. Simply create and send out a mass survey to those in your contact lists and that’s all it takes

Interact in the Comment Section

One of the best ways to engage with customers is by personally responding to some of their comments. Scroll down to the comments on your Instagram posts, YouTube and Facebook Videos. 

Maybe they were curious about your product, perhaps they wanted to compliment the new website layout. Whatever it is, it doesn’t get more personal than responding to their comments and suggestions.

Direct responses exemplify your efforts as a business in building a genuine relationship with your existing clientele. Take the time to respond – not to all of the comments but the few that stand out to you.

Offer Relatable Content

To get customers engaged and interested in your business, they need to find value in what you have to offer. This could be your product/service or your social media content. 

To create relatable social media content you need to: 

  • Know who your target audience is
  • Understand what appeals to that demographic
  • Provide content that has an emotional or educational value: anything that resonates with that audience.

When you create content that appeals to your audience, you will see a spike in engagement levels. Your posts will get more likes, shares, and comments as a result. Naturally, more people will become aware of your business as well. 

Create Live Video

During the pandemic, businesses have witnessed an uptick in engagement with Facebook Live and Instagram Live videos. People comment ten times more on live videos than on a standard video. 

Live videos allow you to respond and interact with your clients in real-time. Questions, concerns, appreciation comments – you can reply to it all while live streaming. It’s the best outlet to engage with clients and develop a genuine relationship with them as well. These live videos give customers a sense of your brand, your values and the face behind the business.

To continue the engagement levels, use your business texting platform after the Livestream. Take this opportunity to thank those who tuned in and promote the next session. 

Business Texting

Mobile platforms are taking over with more than 5 billion people using their phones every day. So why not take a powerful medium like text messaging to interact with your customers?

Business texting is taking over by a storm. 98% of text messages are opened and read – this is drastically higher than emails which only have a 20% open rate. This is why more businesses integrate business texting into their marketing strategy. 

Use mass text messaging to remind your clients about flash sales, promotional content, or the latest updates to your website. Landline texting allows you to reach your customers quickly and efficiently.

For small business owners, there are many benefits that business texting offers for small businesses. Better yet, Text My Main Numbers gives you a plethora of templates so you can efficiently send a reminder to your clients. 

Let the Customer Journey Guide Your Marketing

Make sure that the foundation of your marketing strategy is guided by the customer journey. You can create as many customer profiles as you need. Understanding how your customer behaves helps you brainstorm relevant customer engagement strategies to target your audience. 

You will also learn how to better engage with your target audience when you’ve mapped out the customer journey. For example, gen Z and millennials rarely use Facebook in comparison to the older generation. Knowing this allows you to create content on platforms that better target your audience.

Run Contests

Your customers should be rewarded. While we emphasize establishing an emotional connection with your customers, there’s nothing wrong with holding a contest from time to time. Contests generate huge engagement. It’s a positive situation for both you as a business and your customers as well.

You can use your business texting number to send out notifications for the contest. For example, a reminder of the requirements, when it’s closing, etc. Landline texting is an efficient way to communicate with all your clients from Canada and the USA to remind them of your offerings.

Here’s how to run a simple contest on Instagram:

  • Know the rules of the contest: what exactly do customers have to do to win?
  • Make sure you have the prize ready.
  • Create an eye-catching Instagram post with the guidelines listed out.
  • Select a winner based on the requirements and announce it on your socials.

Team up with Other Businesses

You can grow your audience by so much more when you team up with like-minded businesses. This increases your business exposure as your partner’s customers gain awareness of who you are and vice versa. You can partner together to hold a contest, Livestream a behind the scenes and so much more. 

While you don’t have to work on a particular project together, you can use the other business’s platform to promote your products.

The emphasis and importance of customer engagement are not going anywhere any time soon. Thankfully, there are many routes you can take to strengthen your current marketing strategy to better engage with your customers. Once you integrate the tips and strategies mentioned above into your business, your customers will stick around for the long haul. 

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The Rise of Text Messaging is Improving the Hospitality Business

Corporations are improving communication approaches with their customer base by using a business texting service that accommodates the fast-paced world we live in. It seems like everyone is always on the go and with the rise of smartphone use, everyone expects instantaneous results in just about anything they do. People are using their mobile devices more than ever to shop, book a trip, and search for answers. That’s where using a business texting service for the hospitality industry is becoming opportune. There are presently 3.6 billion people utilizing text messaging all around the globe. This year, that figure is anticipated to rise by another 1.1 billion. That means that almost 5 billion people around the world will be using text messaging as their main form of communicating.

Business texting services for hotels is the new industry trend

We’re not just using text messaging as a form of communicating socially. Businesses in industries like pharmaceuticals and fashion have already applied business texting services and have seen the benefits of being able to instantly message their customers and prospects to streamline customer service. In cases where a customer wants a quick response on availability or pricing, it is simpler and faster to send a text message to get answers. Using a business texting service to communicate with guests is the next big trend in the hospitality industry. Research has demonstrated that over 90% of respondents in the country are saying that replying to hotel guests via text message is either very or somewhat useful. People prefer fast and direct responses over making a phone call to the front desk or asking questions by sending an email and awaiting a response. Plus, the fact that you can have discussions stored on your mobile device means you can access the information if you need to revisit it. The fact that business texting services are being used by major social platforms such as Whatsapp, and Facebook Messenger has made it easy to implement this communication technology with hotels who can make excellent use of this efficient use of engaging and servicing guests. Here are some practical examples of how the hospitality industry is using text messaging.

When you should use a business texting service

  1. Confirm reservations.

Yes it’s true, this is probably the most logical use of text messaging for guests. All you’ll have to do is click a button to send your guests a quick reminder regarding their stay the day prior to check-in. It’s also an excellent opportunity for you to ask what time they’ll be arriving and find out if they’ll need any special arrangements or transport to the hotel. This type of personalized service not only sets their expectations, but it will go a long way when they’re contemplating what to say in a review about your services. So make sure you impress them before they arrive.

  1. Share important info about your property.

Instant messaging is probably the most popular medium for exchanging information and inquiring about additional services that your facility may have to offer. You can let guests know about their parking options or what time breakfast will be served. By letting them know where to find everything before they arrive, you are helping them prepare for their stay while avoiding any misconceptions of what you have to offer. This is also a great way to make sure they know about any events or situations that would affect their stay, like a local parade that would cause unwanted traffic on their way to the hotel.

  1. Offer special promotions just for guests.

Who doesn’t love a good Happy Hour? Use text messaging to let your hotel guests know what time and where Happy Hour will be held, along with any special discounts you offer on cocktails during that time. You can also use this business texting service to notify people about your on-site amenities, seasonal discounts, or spa packages to boost their excitement and convert them from being satisfied guests to ecstatic guests. Customized promotions encourage people to spend their money at your place of business and will deliver the “wow factor” that will later encourage them to write a positive review regarding their stay at your hotel.

  1. Send an in-stay welcome message.

There is something to be said about how a guest will perceive a short welcome message upon arrival. This is a good way to build rapport and develop a relationship with your guests that opens up communication. When a guest feels comfortable with asking any questions they may have or voicing concerns where needed, you’re building loyalty and increasing the likelihood of that guest staying at your hotel the next time they’re in town.

  1. Ask for feedback and special requests during their stay.

When you use a business texting service to ask guests to provide feedback on their experience, it allows you the chance to fix anything that may not be working for them. People are more likely to provide honest critique when they can do it quickly and without having to call or approach management to do so. This is also a convenient way to keep track of items that are often reported to be malfunctioning like TVs, irons, blow dryers, etc. Using this form of open communication will also allow guests to notify you of any special requests they may have such as their dietary requirements or let you know if they’ll be arriving later than expected.

  1. Send a request for a review.

You will be able to stack up more reviews by text messaging your guests a direct link to their mobile device after they have checked out. Businesses often miss out on getting positive reviews listed online because people don’t necessarily want to take the time out of their day to write them. With providing a direct link, you’re increasing the chance of them clicking on the link immediately to write a positive review.

Get on board with business texting services

Communicating directly with your guests by using a business texting service is a crucial way of structuring a connection, while making them feel appreciated and heard. So start improving your guest’s overall experience by executing text messaging services for your hotel, and get on board with the biggest trend in the hospitality industry!
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Five Reasons Why Business Texting Services Work for Clubs & Bars

bar counter
Club and bar owners often underestimate the importance of their communication approach with their party goers and regulars, but the truth is communication will make or break the venue’s success. You really have to be attentive and prompt, and while that’s not always easy, business texting services have facilitated the process. Adding business texting services to your marketing practice will streamline your day-to-day engagement with customers and help you stay connected. With 95% of adults sending text messages every day, texting is hands down the best smartphone feature for clubs and bars to promote their events. Your party goer’s favorite communication platform is clear, so why wait to use it to connect with them? Whether you own or manage a club or bar, your business can see an impressive boost in traffic with the addition of business texting services. If you are hesitant on adding this innovative marketing method to your existing strategy, we’re pretty sure the five reasons business texting services work for clubs and bars listed below will help you change your mind.  

1. Getting Started

People are bombarded daily with personal messages, newsletters, sales receipts, and everything else used to flood our inboxes each day. The never-ending methods companies are using daily to compete for the public’s attention is overwhelming. So when you send an initial email to your audience, there’s a great chance it will be ignored or quickly flagged as spam. Research proves that text messages have a much higher chance of being opened than an email, So take advantage of those stats, and push through all the noise to get on your target consumers radar faster with business texting services. You can quickly confirm their attendance to an upcoming event or themed night at your club or bar right away.

2. Develop Personalized Relationships

Developing relationships with your customers will allow you to get a better understanding of what is working (or not) at your venue. The more you know about what’s keeping them entertained, the better your planning will become for upcoming events and parties. You can use the Text My Main Number text messaging services for clubs and bars to maintain your relationship. Not only is it less invasive than reaching out to your audience by phone, but it’s more personalized than sending an email. Text My Main Number offers you the ability to humanize your method of communication with your customers by leveraging the power of a personalized connection via text messaging. Your customers will value the laid-back method of texting and will appreciate the comfort your interactions provide. You’ll be increasing the likelihood of getting a quick reply to confirm attendance to your next event.

3. Increase Ticket Sales and RSVPs

Let’s face the truth: more people are texting than making phone calls. Why not offer the option for customers to communicate using their preferred communication channel? People are busy and don’t answer calls from unknown numbers, nor do they want to go through their emails to find out about an upcoming event. But what if they had a quick text message from your club or bar manager with some quick highlights and a link to purchase a ticket or confirm their attendance? Offering the option to text instead of having to make a call will boost your ticket sales and attendance because you’re not forcing your invitees to jump through a plethora of hoops to do so. Text My Main Numbers business texting messaging services works for clubs and bars mostly because you have the ability to set up scheduled text messages such as reminders for an exclusive event (especially for your VIP customers). You can also notify your past party goers of new themed events and/or bottle specials, without ever needing to make a phone call. Within your scheduled texts you can use personalized templates, that will automatically insert data about your customers such as their first name. Personalizing your text messages will make them feel less like a customer and more like a VIP with this human-to-human approach.

4. Boost Crowd Engagement

What better time to boost crowd engagement than during an actual event? Party goers already engage live through social media, by doing things like going live on Facebook or Instagram, posting on Snapchat, and tweeting photos with specific hashtags. This is why we want clubs and bars to realize the potential that Text My Main Number business texting services offer. Since TCPA demands that businesses acquire consent from recipients, (you are obligated to do so before sending text messages to their phone numbers), we strongly recommend that you post a message on social media or perhaps a plasma screen you have on display at your venue that encourages people to subscribe to text updates. They can easily sign up by texting any keyword you choose, such as “join” to your business landline. Lastly, it’s a great opportunity for clubs and bars to ask their customers to “text or call” if they need to report any suspicious activity or unsafe behavior to which they may be witness. This is a perfect way to offer your customers a safe and anonymous method to report a problem or provide feedback regarding their experience at your venue.

5. Deals & Traffic

As a club or bar owner, it is crucial to the success of your establishment that you consistently find new customers. One of the best ways to do this is to distribute promotional flyers right outside your venue and the local community to take advantage of the foot traffic that passes nearby. On those flyers, you can offer a discount that would encourage people to attend and arrive by a specific time. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how many people show up before 10:00 PM (for example) because of the special rate you offered on the flyer. Deals like this will give you an edge over your competition and increase your traffic on any given night. Since people respond quicker to text messages, this marketing tool is also perfect to use on a slow night to increase traffic for your club or bar. Over 98 percent of texts are opened, and most are read within a few minutes. So on nights where you feel that your club or bar could use added traffic, send a text to your subscribers list with a special offer like 2 free drinks if they arrive before 11:00 p.m. People will reply right away with fear of missing out on the offer since your wording will state that the deal is only good for one night!

Business texting services work for clubs & bars

Party goers and nightlife lovers favor texting over phone calls or emails, and they’ve adopted it as a preferred method of communication. Reach them this way with Text My Main Number text messaging services. Send and receive text messages with the convenience of managing it all from your desktop or mobile devices. Sign up for fee and experience how text messaging works for clubs and bars.