Despite recent events sky rocketing the success of retail SMS marketing, text strategy has steadily grown in the last decade. From time pressing promos to lapsing coupons, retail SMS marketing campaigns have proven to be a more effective marketing channel than email campaigns. You’re able to send short, to-the-point, high priority messages straight to the consumer’s preferred channel of communication. When it comes down to it, 78% of shoppers say SMS is the fastest way to reach them and they are six to eight times more likely to engage with text messages than emails.

In fact, 99% of SMS marketing campaigns are read and email marketing has failed to meet the same metrics, dropping 47% in open rate performance over the last 5 years. Through open lines of communication, like text messaging, you can make your retail shop more accessible. Social media platforms and SMS marketing allow shoppers to interact with your brand on a personal level. Sharing feedback and coming face to face with your brand’s voice in casual settings are just a couple of reasons shoppers are able to build a relationship and trust with your store.

Retail SMS marketing technique wins engagement over shoppers at every level of the marketing funnel. Whether they are prospects or existing customers, shoppers signed up for your store’s SMS marketing builds customer loyalty and fosters repeat purchases. Once you have their information, you can send new discounts or products available your shoppers might be interested in.

You can make your retail SMS marketing campaigns more successful by sending personalized and pertinent messages. Bulk text blasts are a thing of the past and are not viable in the retail industry. One-to-one messages deliver content shoppers truly want to read and have the potential to communicate your brand’s voice, values and image on a completely different level. To see how Push has helped retail stores seize their potential, check out our case studies.

So how can you push retail SMS marketing messages to drive sales? Here are four tips get shoppers back in-store.

1. Deliver discount details:

When shoppers know a sale is starting, and more importantly ending, it will drive more traffic to your store and website to purchase before the promotion is over.

2. Send can’t miss coupons:

More often than not, coupons are extremely timely. They are a simple marketing strategy to attract shoppers for saving on regular prices. But it also positively impacts your customer loyalty, therefore increasing repeat purchases.

3. Enrolled loyalty program messages:

If you don’t already have a loyalty program, you should consider setting one up for your loyal shoppers. Personalized messages are important to this audience because you are making their shopping experience quicker, easier and personal. Loyalty programs not only measure repeat purchases but connects your brand to shoppers.

4. Seasonal sale reminders:

These promos bring in big bucks and helps sustain stores during slow periods. You can also build off of these sales to increase loyalty among shoppers.

For more strategies on how to drive traffic to your retail store, check out our previous blog titled 5 Strategies to Bring Customers Back to Your Retail Shop.

Email marketing may not be completely out of the picture, but shoppers are 40% more likely to convert when they receive text marketing. If your goal is to drive in-store traffic and increase repeat purchases, retail SMS marketing is a useful resource. Short, concise and personalized text marketing, according to the voice and tone of your brand, has shown statistical success and can help your store grow in more than one aspect.