How to Combine Email & SMS Marketing for Higher Conversions
Stop wasting time trying to track down your audience across the vast expanse of the digital landscape. Instead, picture a marketing strategy where your messages seamlessly reach your customers, right at their fingertips, ready to convert.
Welcome to omnichannel marketing — a powerful strategy that leverages multiple channels to create a unified brand experience. The key to success with this approach lies in connecting with your customers on their preferred platforms, at the perfect time.
In this article, we’ll explore the dynamic synergy of email and SMS marketing, uncovering how their combined strength can dramatically boost your conversion rates with Rekisa’s solutions.
Why Omnichannel Marketing is Effective
Imagine a customer browsing your online store, looking for a new pair of sneakers. They add a few options to their cart but abandon it before checking out. It’s a common story in e-commerce, right?
Now, picture sending an SMS to that same customer a few hours later, reminding them to return and complete their purchase. No response? The next day, they receive a follow-up email, letting them know their cart is about to expire but offering a limited-time discount to encourage a quick decision. With this, you increase your chances of securing the sale.
This is how omnichannel marketing works. By combining email and SMS marketing at key moments in the customer journey, you create a multi-touch strategy that subtly guides them back to your store and towards conversion.
In fact, businesses using three or more channels in a campaign see a 494% higher order rate than those relying on just one channel. This highlights the immense potential of an omnichannel approach in boosting engagement and driving sales.
Unlocking the Power Duo: Email & SMS Marketing
Let’s dive deeper into how email and SMS marketing can work hand-in-hand to create a seamless and effective omnichannel strategy.
Email Marketing
Email marketing has long been a cornerstone of digital marketing, and it remains as relevant as ever.This powerful channel allows you to showcase products, highlight special offers, and nurture leads with personalized, relevant content.
When used effectively, email marketing can be a game-changer, and here’s why:
Unbeatable ROI: Email marketing delivers an impressive return on investment—an average of $36 for every $1 spent. Plus, subscribers are already interested in your offerings,making them more likely to engage with your content compared to unsolicited ads.
Building Relationships: Today’s email marketing goes far beyond generic newsletters. With segmentation and personalization, you can tailor content to different audience segments. By delivering valuable information and exclusive offers, you’ll foster brand loyalty and encourage repeat purchases.
Creating Community:Email marketing can be interactive and engaging. You can invite responses,create conversations, and foster two-way communication. By incorporating polls,surveys, or quizzes, you can not only drive engagement but also gather valuable customer feedback to improve your offerings.
SMS Marketing
SMS marketing may be newer,but its impact is undeniable with its immediacy and impressive open rates.Almost everyone uses SMS and tends to check them right away, making it the ideal channel for instant communication. Here's why SMS marketing gives you a competitive edge:
Instant Engagement: SMS messages are delivered and opened almost immediately, making them perfect for time-sensitive offers, flash sales, or urgent updates. In fact, 54% of customers are eager to receive promotional texts from brands—provided they've opted in.
Seamless Integration: SMS can easily complement your other marketing channels, like email and social media. Use SMS for reminders or follow-up messages after cart abandonment to drive conversions.
Simple Tracking:Most SMS platforms offer in-depth analytics on delivery, open rates, and click-through rates, allowing you to monitor performance and adjust your campaigns based on real-time data.
The Power of Combining Email & SMS
Think of email and SMS as the perfect pairing—each effective on its own but even more powerful when used together. Here’s why combining these channels can be a game-changer for your eCommerce business:
Wider Reach and Engagement: While not everyone checks their email regularly,most people are constantly on their phones. By using both email and SMS, you can expand your reach and ensure your message connects with customers on their preferred platform.
Higher Conversions: Omnichannel campaigns that integrate SMS can boost conversions by up to 47.7%, demonstrating how combining these two channels can significantly drive sales.
Enhanced Customer Experience: An omnichannel strategy creates a seamless, cohesive brand experience. Customers will appreciate the convenience of receiving tailored messages across multiple touchpoints, making them feel valued and increasing their loyalty.
Strategic Integration Techniques
Now that you understand the power of this dynamic duo, let’s dive into how to strategically combine email and SMS marketing for maximum results:
Timing Is Everything
Timing your communication is key—better yet, automate it. For example, send an SMS reminder about abandoned carts just a few hours after the customer leaves items behind. Follow up the next day with an email that includes more detailed product information to gently nudge them toward completing their purchase.
Segmentation Is Key
Avoid sending generic messages to your entire audience. Instead, segment your email and SMS lists based on customer behavior, purchase history, and preferences. For instance,re-engage less active customers with a personalized offer they can’t resist.This ensures your messages are targeted and relevant to each customer group.
Pro tip: If you're selling online with Rekisa, you can easily segment your customers using the Customer dashboard in your Rekisa admin. Filter clients by order history, customer group, tax status, and more for precise targeting.
Pick the Right Platform
Choose an all-in-one omnichannel marketing platform, like Rekisa, that lets you manage both email and SMS campaigns seamlessly. This approach saves you the hassle of switching between platforms and ensures all your data is synced, making your marketing efforts more efficient.
Ideas & Best Practices
Let’s turn these strategies into actionable steps you can start using today:
Welcome New Customers with a Personal Touch: Start with a welcome email series that introduces yourbrand, highlights bestsellers, and includes a special discount. If the discount goes unused for a while, follow up with a friendly SMS reminder to encourage them to redeem it.
Re-engage Dormant Customers: Don’t let inactive email subscribers disappear. Use a win-back campaign with an irresistible offer, like a limited-time discount or early access to a new product. Later, send an SMS to gently remind them that they haven’t shopped in a while.
Create Urgency with Flash Sales: Generate excitement by announcing flash sales via email. Then, follow up with a timely SMS reminder just before the sale ends,driving last-minute conversions.
Personalize Your Messages: Go beyond a simple “Hi [First Name].” Use customer data to personalize your messages, offering product recommendations based on previous purchases or browsing history.
Track Your Success:Keep an eye on key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to assess the effectiveness of your combined email and SMS strategy. Use this data to fine-tune your approach for even better results.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
While combining email and SMS marketing is highly effective, there are a few common pitfalls to steer clear of:
Frequency Fatigue: Avoid overwhelming your customers with too many messages. Find the right balance between staying top-of-mind and being intrusive. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself: how often would you want to hear from a brand? Even if you love the brand, it's likely no more than once or twice a week. Be the kind of marketer you'd appreciate as a customer.
Irrelevant Messaging: Sending irrelevant content is a quick way to lose subscribers. Focus on delivering targeted messages that offer value and meet your customers’ specific needs. For instance, if a subscriber frequently browses without purchasing, set up an automated email with product recommendations based on their browsing history.
Neglecting Mobile Optimization: Make sure your emails are mobile-friendly and your SMS messages are clear and concise. Whether it’s email or SMS, most customers will read these messages on their smartphones, so optimization is key to engagement.
Wrap-Up
When used strategically,email and SMS marketing form a powerful combination that can elevate your business. By leveraging email's ability to provide in-depth content and SMS's immediacy, you can expand your reach, increase conversions, and deliver a seamless customer experience.
Remember to focus on segmentation, maintain the right messaging frequency, and ensure your content remains relevant. With these strategies in place, you’ll enjoy the full benefits that omnichannel marketing can offer your business.
Originally sourced from Ecwid by Lightspeed
