While there are many ways to market your business, there aren't many channels as engaging and productive as SMS. In addition to the fact that around 98% of the messages sent are opened, they're also typically read within 3 minutes of receipt. What's more, it's messaging that customers are happy to receive - evidenced by a recent Yotpo that showed 87% of customers had joined the SMS mailing list for at least one of their favorite brands.
Companies looking to enjoy the many benefits of SMS marketing often turn to Yotpo - a leading eCommerce marketing platform that helps direct-to-customer (DTC) brands to grow. In this article, we'll be looking at how the platform facilitates effective SMS program management.
Why It's Wise to Consider Yotpo Managed Services
Since the advent of mobile eCommerce, businesses are able to communicate with customers where they're most active. In recent years, that's meant marketing on social media and channels like email, however, SMS has supplanted both in terms of efficacy.
The reality is that people, on average, spend upwards of 4 hours every day on their mobile devices, and since Apple's iOS 15 changes, leveraging opt-in channels are more vital than ever before.
A Wealth of Scaling Potential
Privacy policies are ever-tightening, and SMS offers a wealth of scaling potential, but many brands are yet to adopt the option. When platforms like Yotpo are used to their fullest, businesses can create loyal customers today and in the future.
The Yotpo Managed Services Program forms part of Yotpo's Global Partner Program, and it empowers the long-term success of businesses in attracting new customers and keeping them for the long term. Let's now take a look at the many features on offer.
The Many Features Yotpo Delivers
When you join Yotpo's managed services program, you get access to a whole host of features. This powerful SMS marketing solution gives you the power to fashion amazing customer experiences for modern people shopping on mobile. The many features on offer include:
- Advanced Analytics - great insight into your SMS marketing efforts can be enjoyed through Yotpo's comprehensive reporting. Delivering valuable, actionable data relating to Click-Through Rates (CTR), conversion rates (CVR) and return on investment (ROI) for every text that's sent, you'll always be up to date about how things are going.
- Multi-Channel Subscriber Collection - Yotpo makes the task of gaining new SMS subscribers much simpler with a range of tools designed to reach mobile consumers. From native-text sign-up to QR codes and Shopify POS, you get everything you need.
- Compliance Protection - it's important that businesses adhere to all current privacy relations for a number of reasons. Yotpo's subscriber collection tools are created in accordance with all GDPR, CTIA and TCPA guidelines.
- Unparalleled Deliverability - Yotpo's platform ensures every single SMS you send gets to its intended destination - all thanks to its cutting-edge deliverability engine.
- Hyper-Targeted Segmentation - users also get to send hyper-targeted messages to every subscriber. Engaging readers based on a series of advanced data points, such as customer behavior, SMS data and attributes, you can be surer than ever that your subscribers will be interested in what you have to say.
- A Leading SMS Flow Builder - extra revenue can be generated by saving customers who abandon their shopping carts and more with Yotpo's industry-leading SMS flow builder. You can also create custom conditions that generate totally unique paths to purchasing for each individual customer.
This is just a selection of the resources and tools that Yotpo makes available to those who join their managed services program. Features we haven't even covered include SMS Analyzer, A+ Texts and SMS Campaign Planner, to name but a few.
How to Create Winning SMS Campaigns With Yotpo
So, how much time do you have to dedicate to getting started with Yotpo SMS? Well, it's perhaps much less than you think - particularly when compared to setting up an email marketing campaign. Initial setup takes around 15 hours, with around 10 hours per month for ongoing optimization.
While every business is different, if you execute the deliverables we're about to cover, it gives you the best opportunity for success.
Step #1 - Initial Setup & Integration
The very necessary first step is to install and configure Yotpo. This only takes a few minutes to complete, and then you're ready for step two.
Step #2 - Creating Your Essential Flows
Your next step is to create your essential workflows that will silently and automatically interact with your customers at every step as they move through your sales pipeline. Let's have a look now at a couple of examples of what we mean by essential workflows.
- Welcome Flows - when you create engaging welcome SMS flows, you can convert new subscribers into customers. By offering discounted purchases as an incentive, along with a link for ease of engagement, you can more easily add to your customer base.
Furthermore, with the buying behavior data that's gained from their initial purchase, you have what you need to create even more personalized and target flows going forward. - Cart Abandonment Flows - almost 70% of customers abandon their shopping carts, meaning that it's a rich resource if you can tap into it. This is what cart abandonment flows are for, and they're triggered shortly after to remind the customer that they still need to complete their purchase.
As well as inviting the customer to return and finish the transaction, you can tailor the message to offer additional incentives based on the shopper's habits and preferences - something that's known to generate as much as 2x ROI.
Step #3 - Creating Elements for Subscriber Collection
The job of adding to your SMS list is an unending process, and well-placed subscriber elements offer a great way to do so. Here are a few of the most fruitful shop locations.
- Your eCommerce Checkout - this location typically offers the best success rates, as it’s the most natural time to attract new subscribers. At this point, the customer already wants to buy, and a well-timed message offering a discount on their next purchase in return for subscribing can be very impactful.
- On-Site Pop-ups - during their time in your store, you can capitalize by creating pop-ups that offer an exclusive discount for signing up to SMS. This typically results in a conversion increase in the region of 5%.
- In Your Email Marketing - if you've already got an email subscriber on board, it presents another opportunity to add to your subscribers. Many email subscribers aren't even aware of SMS subscription and its benefits and would gladly sign up.
Step #4 - Creating Your Campaign
The last part of setting up with Yotpo Managed Services is one of the most important, as it's the execution phase of the process. It starts with getting organized, which means creating a content calendar so that you know what messages are getting sent to whom and when.
In this calendar, you'll also have important elements like sales, events and product releases. The best practice is to send out 4-6 campaigns each month, and once each SMS program is set up for every customer, the task of optimization starts in earnest.
As we mentioned earlier, this doesn't take up too much of your time, with just 10 hours or so required on a monthly basis.
Let Yotpo Drive Your SMS Success
Missing out on the rich potential that SMS marketing offers is something that most eCommerce business owners just can't afford to ignore. With Yotpo's SMS Program Management power behind you, turning this potential into paying customers has never been easier or less time-consuming.
With just 15 hours required for set up (or much less if you let your digital agency take care of the job) and only 10 hours a month for maintenance, you can leverage the benefits of the platform and take your business forward. That sounds like a plan for success in anyone’s books.
