For many years, businesses have been using email subscription lists to communicate with their potential clients and customers. Now, times are changin’. Customers are stating that they would rather receive a text message from their business instead. For pet retailers, text messaging and email messaging can actually work together, allowing you to form even stronger relationships with your clients. BUT, some messages are better sent via email and others by SMS. So, which one should you use and when?

Evaluating the Success of SMS vs. Email Marketing

When comparing the success of email marketing to SMS messaging, a few critical points to consider include:

• Customers are far more likely to open SMS messages than emails
• There is a chance that an email marketing message could be unintentionally marked as spam,
  preventing possible customers from seeing the messages
• Potential customers are far more likely to click on a link sent via SMS messaging than email
• For customers to receive SMS messaging, they have to explicitly opt-in
• Most people receive more emails than text messages, making this a saturated marketing channel
• SMS marketing can be more cost-effective, whereas email marketing costs vary dramatically depending on your provider, list size, email send frequency, and additional features.

Consider these essential points when you are trying to decide which marketing tactic is better for your pet business.

When Should You Use Email Marketing?

If you have a longer message to send, or the information you are communicating is not time-sensitive, you should use email marketing. Additionally, email marketing provides you with access to more graphics, videos, and images. A few examples include:

• You are sending out a periodic newsletter
• You are trying to share educational content
• You have product announcements that require imagery
• You have press releases to share
• You are running a B2B campaign with a significant amount of technical information

Put email marketing to work for you in these specific situations.

When Should You Use SMS Messaging?

There are several key situations where you should use text messaging as your preferred marketing tool. If you have something that is time-sensitive or requires and action from a customer, you should use SMS messaging to communicate this. A few examples of when you should use SMS messaging include:

• You have a time-sensitive discount on a product
• You are reminding a pet parent about an appointment
• You are providing pet parents with a personal alert
  You are confirming a purchase that a customer has made
• You need to have two-way communications with a potential customer

Use SMS messaging in these situations.

Use NextPaw Software to Connect with Your Pet Parents

Ultimately, both email marketing and SMS messaging can be effective in specific situations. If you would like to get the most out of both marketing options, you need to enlist the help of advanced software programs. That is where NextPaw software can help you. Using NextPaw can help you connect better with your consumers while still providing you with the time you need to grow your business. Sign up to take a tour of NextPaw software today!