Temps are rising, pools are opening—all signs point to summer, and that means it’s time to bring the heat with your marketing efforts.
While brick-and-mortar stores might be banking on increased foot traffic thanks to the sunshine, e-comm retailers know there’s real money to be made with SMS messaging. Despite the beauty of the new season, everyone is still glued to their devices, with the average American spending more than 4 hours and 30 minutes on their phone each day, but that’s good news for you. Whether they’re poolside or inside, you have a direct line to ‘em via text.
So, how can you make the most of their screen time this summer? Jeanette Lofsky, Director of Lifecycle, breaks down the key messages you should send in the months ahead:
- The Summer of the Splurge There’s no shortage of reasons for a summer celebration, and every major holiday is an opportunity to drive sales. Use SMS to cash in on that, but ensure you make them an offer they can’t resist. Whether it’s the 4th of July or just a random Wednesday afternoon, this high-intent audience deserves to know about your best deals all summer long. As deep a discount as you can give, the earliest access — this is the place to pull those levers given the 1:1 nature of the channel. Layer in exclusivity and urgency too, and they’ll be hitting “Add to Cart” before you know it.
- Show Off Your Summer Swag Lazy days lounging by the pool, sipping on refreshing beverages, hiking through lush forests. Everyone has a different summer vibe, but they all have one thing in common: creating core memories. Make sure you’re promoting the products that help your subscribers soak up every moment of the season. With SMS, you can showcase their summer must-haves from outdoor gear and beachwear to travel-friendly essentials.
- Get Personal to Get Results You’re in their pocket, but don’t use their name? Awkward. Instead of generic content and offers, craft your SMS content to each customer’s identified preferences and purchase history. Recommend products based on items they’ve viewed, suggest complementary items to ones they’ve purchased, or rely on data you’ve gathered from them to tailor the content you’re sending—and yes, call them by their name if you have it. A little personalized touch goes a long way in building that connection, boosting engagement and driving customer loyalty.
- Keep It Short and Sweet Your subscribers have places to be, people to see, and though we know they’ll be on their phones, you’ll want to be a brief summer interlude, not a big long bummer. No one wants to be bombarded with a novel-length message, like the texts your mom sends. Keep your SMS messages brief, focused on one primary offer or message. Get in, get out, and get ‘em to the site to shop. Everything else is just noise.
Not sure what messages to send this summer? Slide into our DMs and chat with our Lifecycle team today to craft a winning strategy for summer and beyond.