Every dropshipping store faces a big hurdle in finding the right marketing channel, especially with the ever-changing landscape of online commerce.
As an online seller, I find that the quest for strategies like SMS marketing for dropshipping has become more important. You want to use proven methods that give fast results and high ROI and also build a loyal customer base for long-term business success and growth
According to research conducted by Twilio, SMS marketing is an effective way to engage with your current and potential customers.
The research suggests that 9 out of 10 customers globally want to use messaging to communicate with brands.
Billions of people use text messages, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp these days. So if you're not leveraging the real power of messaging and SMS marketing, you must be missing out on an opportunity to communicate with the huge portion of the target audience that can eventually become your loyal clients.
This ultimate guide to eCommerce SMS Marketing for your dropshipping store includes everything you need to know about the importance, benefits, and right use of this profitable yet often neglected medium.
Why Use SMS Marketing For Your Dropshipping Store?
With a 98% whopping open rate and over 6 times higher engagement than ecommerce email marketing, SMS marketing has turned from an option to an essential for your dropshipping store.
One of the recent studies highlighted how eCommerce SMS marketing can help dropshipping stores overcome the issue of abandoned carts.
Let's go through some of the reasons why investing in text message marketing from the start might be one of the best decisions you'll ever make for your online store.
Wider Reach
Texting is one of the most popular mediums of communication and has a wider reach. Today, over 92% of smartphone users still prefer to text instead of using any IM apps.
In addition, SMS marketing is an affordable yet amazingly result-oriented opportunity for customer engagement. Since SMS is a much more personal medium than any other digital marketing channel, it drives customers' attention and brings more conversions.
Simple & Effective
With more than 81% of mobile phone users making use of the texting medium, it remains one of the most simple and effective dropshipping store marketing strategies available to date.
SMS Marketing for Dropshipping is Efficient
With dropshipping SMS marketing, your store cannot rely on customer service calls. SMS messages are short and to the point, and they take less time to write than emails.
SMS has 98% Open Rate
This is quite simple. Just imagine - you're busy doing something important when you hear a notification beep from your cell phone. If it's a social media notification or a low battery warning, you're more likely to ignore the message and continue with your work.
But what if it's a text message? Chances are you'll open it and read it. According to Mobile Marketing Watch, SMS has a massive 98% open rate.
Needless to say, a higher open rate equates to better conversions.
SMS Marketing has a 45% Response Rate
Getting a potential customer opens your marketing message and is just one part of the bargain. Getting them to respond to it is much more difficult.
Because the average person's concentration span is not more than 8 seconds, the 160-character limit of SMS perfectly complements the short and promotional nature of business messages.
Also, SMS has a massive 45% response rate, compared to just 3.2% when you try to get your message across through emails.
Mobile-Friendly
One of the reports published by Shopify back in 2017 stated that more than 58% of orders on Shopify come from mobile. (Source)
The Best Way To Get To Millenials
If you have a product range targeting young millennials, SMS is the best way to engage your target audience.
Millennials prefer text messages over email. Also, they're mostly found on their cell phones from the moment they wake up until they go to sleep.
A recent study also suggests that a third of millennials prefer text messaging for online orders, deliveries, and other promotional marketing activities, such as surveys.
Millennials do have a major economic impact, and they give brands a reason to connect and engage with buyers using the best SMS practices.
Builds Trust
The biggest disadvantage of having a dropshipping store is that uncertainty is always present in the minds of customers. They do not want to spend money on anything that they think isn’t trustable and familiar.
SMS marketing helps dropshipping store owners connect with their customers conversationally.
Constant communication helps build trust and extend the trust required to complete a transaction.
Over 20✕ ROI
Mobile e-commerce has advanced significantly in recent years. According to Statista, more than 72. % of all retail e-commerce is anticipated to be generated through mobile commerce by 2021.
Retail text marketing is easy. Sending SMS is much easier and more cost-effective than other digital marketing channels. This approach is particularly useful for newly launched dropshipping stores that may have a limited budget for marketing campaigns.
Helps Recovering More Carts
Understanding the core reasons why lots of people abandon their carts is critical to revamping the overall customer experience.
According to a recent Cartloop study, cart abandonment can be solved by making quick website changes. The research highlighted the case of an e-commerce store that went from $0 to a whopping $4.5k by recovering abandoned carts in just 7 days.
Low Unsubscription Rate
The same Cartloop study also highlighted another case in which a dropshipping store gained 8.358 subscribers at the checkout point, out of which only 2 unsubscribed later on.
This is another prominent reason why SMS is the next big thing in dropshipping store marketing. It helps your business reach new clients, retain them, and build long-lasting affiliations.
Improves Your Entire Dropshipping Marketing Strategy
Dropshipping SMS marketing also offers your e-commerce store a unique opportunity to direct traffic to your official website and social media accounts. Read our guide to growing your dropshipping business to learn more about this topic.
Types Of Texting With Customers
At this stage, you must have a clear understanding of why it's important to benefit from the dropshipping SMS marketing approach to drive and retain customers.
But ever wondered what types of texts you can send to your customers to increase engagement?
Welcome SMS
There is no denying the fact that automated email campaigns drive conversions. Including text messaging in this strategy can exponentially enhance your dropshipping SMS marketing efforts.
Order Updates
Informed customers are happy customers. Use SMS to send updates to your buyers about shipping timelines.
Personalized & Date-Triggered Text Messages
Keep your customers happy by sending them personalized birthday notes and alerts through texting.
Announce New Arrivals
SMS is a quick and effective way to announce seasonal updates and other important news. Also, you can share news about your trendiest products and new arrivals via text messages.
Promote Content
Use SMS to promote existing content on your website. Simply add a link in your message that can redirect traffic to your blog, and you’re good to go.
Send Reminders
Gain conversions by sending timely reminders that don't annoy.
Send Alerts
Texting is an affordable yet quick way to inform your customers about delivery timelines, order delays, payment issues, and more.
Dropshipping SMS Marketing - Getting Started
Get Permission
Customers hate spamming. Spamming can annoy your customers and impact your credibility and reputation. Instead, ask for permission and save your customers' time by sending value-driven relevant messages.
Invest In An SMS Marketing Tool
You can't type and send hundreds of messages manually as an online business owner. Invest in a reputable SMS marketing tool that lets you organize your subscriber lists and send a single message to multiple clients in a single click.
Keep It Concise
Try to keep your message as simple and concise as possible. Also, avoid sending a thread of messages as this practice can annoy the recipients.
Personalization Is The Key
Customers admire short and personalized texts. Based on demographics, such as age, gender, and buying preferences, you can send alerts that are relevant and value-driven for your buyers.
Add Value
Always send messages that include something valuable for your customers. For instance, you can send an alert about the upcoming seasonal sale, or a link back to your blog that contains something interesting to read and review.
Creating A Successful eCommerce SMS Marketing Strategy
- Define business goals
- Find a suitable SMS marketing service
- Seek permission and start expanding your subscriber list
- Segment subscribers based on age, location, gender, and buying habits
- Test your strategy and make the required changes
Conclusion
SMS marketing for dropshipping is a foolproof way to retain existing customers. It is simple, cost-effective, and above all, result-oriented. Just ensure you pay attention to the above-listed factors to make the most of your dropshipping store. We wish you all the best.
Do you have questions? Please post them in the comments section below, and we’ll respond as soon as possible.
