By Katie Wilson, TapOnIt
At the end of 2018, mobile commerce hit $208.29 billion, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total retail e-commerce sales. Making it clear that consumers are moving away from their laptops and going to their mobile device to shop.
Additionally, consumers are relying on their mobile device to plan their spending - from researching gift ideas to making purchases and finding the best deals and offers. In fact, 77 percent of Americans own a smartphone, yet many local businesses struggle to leverage the marketing opportunity that mobile messaging has to offer.
With 90 percent of all text messages being read within three minutes of delivery, mobile is the perfect opportunity for local retailers to harness the power of direct messaging. More specifically, with the average customer always preferring the easiest solution, sending mobile deals directly to them always on-hand device can drive in-store foot traffic and sales. And, in actuality, it is imperative that retailers evolve their approach in customer relationship and marketing to survive in today’s competitive, diminishing brick and mortar market.
As retailers adjust their marketing strategies to deliver deals via text, the customer’s purchasing journey will change forever. Here’s how:
Reach Customers Where It Matters Most, Locally
With media channels continuously evolving, one thing remains constant: accessibility determines customers’ shopping behavior. To meet their demand for convenience, mobile offers are the answer. By sending customers deals through mobile messaging, retailers can easily connect with them no matter where they are - in-store, at home, or on the go. And, 65 percent of shoppers said that they are more likely to shop at a retailer that offers location-based mobile offers.
This is a creative solution for retailers to engage with local customers and attract new ones. On a greater scale, this approach helps local retailers compete against big brands and the Amazons of the world. Additionally, by taking this approach, local businesses can stay afloat and be of benefit to local economies by having a recirculation of revenue back to the community.
Get Personal To Deepen Your Bond With Customers
Customers’ expectations are rapidly increasing and by providing a personalized experience, retailers can rise to the top. In fact, 50 percent of customers said that they would be more attracted to personalized offers that are tailored to loyalty, purchase or real-time browsing data.
Retailers must eliminate the generic content that is often perceived as spam, and instead form a personalized customer relationship. By using mobile messaging, retail businesses can break through communication barriers and directly offer their customers personal deals that are in line with their interests and values. This helps to foster customer loyalty, as retailers are showing that they’re aware of their interests and are trying to find ways to help them save money. Additionally, this can minimize unwanted communication because who wants to receive messages that have no relevance to them?
Use Real-Time Data Insights To Drive Performance
Today, the data analytics process is much easier for retailers to navigate, as there’s no need to result to a data scientist. Instead, retailers can use third party platforms to analyze their own data and uncover customer insights. This simplifies the data analytics process so that retailers can quickly discover actionable customer insights that can help them improve their marketing process. Furthermore, by understanding when local deals are redeemed and used, and at what cadence, retail businesses can gather data to enhance their overall reach - and determine when changes need to be made.
Retailers are able to use this opportunity to have a deeper grasp of their target market and improve on satisfying customers’ interest with surprise offers. As 25 percent of customers agree that their in-store shopping experience would be better with real-time, personalized offers, retailers should learn how to delightfully engage with their core audience, appropriately.
The power of mobile deals via text messaging is having a greater impact on a business than one may have expected. With the opportunity to enhance customer relationship and future ones, retail businesses need to be ready to transform their marketing efforts.
About The Author
Digital advertising veteran Katie Wilson cofounded TapOnIt with her sister, Sara Castillo, in their home state of Iowa to help drive in-store foot traffic to local businesses by revolutionizing the use of mobile coupons to local customers through text messaging. With the digital landscape evolving, Katie realized the importance of preserving local-business culture in cities across America, especially as e-commerce platforms and big brands continue to outpace traditional retail.