Fall is officially here. And with autumn bringing crisp air and warm beverages back into our daily lives, the feeling of holiday excitement (and panic) starts to set in, too.  

Because the holiday shopping season is already underway, it’s critical to make the most of your existing marketing channels to reach consumers. Mobile marketing is an important part of this strategy: with 7.10 billion mobile phone users today, leveraging mobile marketing is one of the best ways to reach shoppers. 

While mobile push and SMS are both important tactics, here, we’ll focus specifically on SMS marketing for those who don’t have a mobile app strategy in place. A powerful tool for real-time communications, 90% of SMS messages are read within three minutes. You can use SMS for a number of use cases, including: 

• Supporting a “buy online, pickup in store” (BOPIS) strategy, which is increasingly important for retailers amid supply chain challenges. 
• Answering customer service questions such as what your store hours are or what your return policy is. 
• Sending real-time order confirmations and shipping updates. 
• Providing information on special holiday services or sales. 
• Requesting online product reviews once customers receive their purchases.  

Ready to get started? Below is a brief guide to help you make the most of SMS this holiday season. 

Building community  

The first part of any winning mobile strategy is to have a mobile audience large enough to realize your goals. You can’t market to people who aren’t there! To build your mobile marketing list, employ the following strategies.  

• Market your SMS program everywhere. In-store signs with a QR code, a reminder from the salesperson when a customer is checking out, and a prompt to sign-up for text updates when a customer completes an online purchase are a few ways to encourage customers to join your SMS program. You can also market your program via email, mobile apps, and social media, reaching consumers on each channel they engage with.  
• Give consumers a good reason to sign up. Let them know the benefits of signing up: promotions and discounts, personalized recommendations, and loyalty program bonuses may be a few. Clearly communicate these benefits with your sign-up message. You could even offer a bonus promotion just for signing up.  
• Ensure you gain consent. Many view phone numbers as a much more personal piece of information than an email address. Beyond perceptions, it’s legally required. Be aware of the local laws in the areas you operate to ensure compliance. 

Once you have an SMS audience, you can begin reaching your audience on one of the channels they use most.  

Marketing to your community for the holiday season 

Once you have a sizable list, you can begin seeing higher ROI on your SMS campaigns. There are a few basic best practices to be aware of as you begin implementing this strategy.  

• Keep it concise. One or two sentences to get your message across is plenty. The best texts are those that are simple and easy to scan, particularly when shoppers are so busy this time of year. 
• Focus your audience by only using one link or CTA. Clickability is an asset in SMS messaging and accidentally tapping the wrong link can be a frustrating experience. Similarly, because SMS messages are typically short, you don’t want to confuse your audience by asking them to take multiple actions. Do you want them to click on a promotion or mention the SMS message in-store to activate savings? Decide your primary goal and keep it simple. 
• Timing is everything. Since text messages are typically read within minutes, you’ll want the message to coincide with the action you’re hoping the recipient will take. For example, if there’s time running out on a Black Friday sale, you may send a promotion to customers with a reminder to shop before the sale runs out.  
• Leverage automation. Using SMS messages that are triggered based on a time sequence, account change, or behavioral event are critical to creating highly relevant, efficient mobile marketing campaigns. For example, you may automatically send a notification once an online order has been shipped that includes a link to tracking details. Customers will appreciate this convenience and the real-time update you’re providing, especially when shipping delays are already wreaking havoc this year. 
• Don’t overuse SMS. It’s important to not bombard your customers with marketing text messages. A safe rule of thumb is between two and four texts per month. With text messaging, it’s easy to opt out quickly – usually it only takes one “STOP” response from a consumer. You don’t want to over-text your customers, prompting them to opt out of your program.  

While there are many ways to make SMS marketing a success, start with these strategies to connect with customers throughout the holiday season and start realizing ROI. If you’d like to learn more about how to win holiday shoppers this season, download our Acoustic Guide to SMS.