Customer engagement is a measure of how users interact with your brand. Engaged customers are not only more likely to respond to marketing messages, but also to make purchases. Gaining high levels of engagement can be a challenge. However, a Bond Insights survey found that 95 percent of customers who sign up for loyalty programs want to interact with brands via emerging technology such as mobile and other integrated technologies.
To enhance your brand's customer engagement rates, your interactions need to be transparent, non-intrusive and relevant to user needs. Here are four tips to get you started:
1. Offer exclusive deals
In Canada and the U.S., customers must opt in to receive marketing messages via SMS. To encourage participation, your brand can offer deals exclusive to SMS subscribers. Depending on the nature of the business, these incentives could include coupon codes, subscriber-only sales or early access to new products, features or services.
After sign up, a steady drip of exclusive offers can keep existing customers engaged and loyal to your brand. These incentives can encourage shoppers to return to your brand during slow phases of the sales calendar.
2. Implement automated replies
One of the reasons high customer engagement levels are difficult to achieve is the time and resources necessary to keep in contact with users. Enticing customers to sign up for your SMS mailing list is just the beginning of the relationship – and the work. As a marketer, you need to develop content to send out to various sub-groups within the mailing list.
To keep subscribers engaged, consider using automated tools to send replies and timed messages to the buyer personas on your mailing list. Employing a chatbot can make these interactions even more natural.
3. Use calls to action
When you want your customers to take a specific action, sometimes you just need to ask. Understanding how and when to implement calls to action (CTAs) can improve your response rates.
For example, rather than writing "Here's a 10 percent off coupon for your next purchase!" you could better engage customers by saying "Tap here to use your 10 percent off coupon!"
In the first option, users are informed they have a deal waiting for them, but there's not necessarily a clear way for them to take advantage of it. In the second, the user is encouraged to take an action: tap on a link that will take them to the store page.
4. Run a contest
Contests can be a quick and simple way to engage your subscriber list. People love the chance to win something, and you'll gain an opportunity to talk about a new product or service. For instance, instead of sending an SMS blast telling customers you have a new product for sale, you could tell them about the exciting chance to win one of your new products. The effect is the same – everyone learns about your new product – but the reaction is different, because you're offering the chance to win.
SMS is an ideal channel for engaging your customers because text messages are more likely to be read than emails. To optimize your SMS marketing strategy, connect with a consultant from Swift SMS Gateway today.
