There are numerous ways for pet retail stores to reach consumers. In order to maximize customer engagement, it is critical to take advantage of the proper communication channels. Now, the preferred form of communication with customers has become text messaging. Even though a lot of businesses take advantage of email, the open rate for text messages is significantly higher. How can your pet retail store take advantage of SMS messaging as a part of its marketing strategy? This tool is a powerful way to increase customer engagement.

Understand the Areas of Text Messaging: More Than Marketing

Even though you can certainly use SMS messaging as a form of marketing, there are other uses as well. These include:

• Operations Management: Text messaging is very helpful for operations management. For example, you can text a customer to let them know that their order is on the way.
• Security: Next, you can also use text messaging as a security metric. You can use text messaging as part of two-factor authentication, ensuring that you protect your customers’ accounts. For example, if a customer makes a pet product purchase using his or her online account, you can send a text message with a code, asking the customer to verify it.
• Promotion: Of course, you can also use text messaging to share promotions with your customers. If there is a deal going on that you feel the customer may be interested in, you can let them know with a text message. For example, you may have a new pet toy that the customer might want.

Ultimately, text messaging is an omnichannel marketing strategy. Instead of having to worry about your marketing emails going unread or unopened, you can increase engagement rates with text messaging.

Implement Text Messaging Appropriately

You must implement text messaging appropriately. If you bombard your customers with non-stop text messages, they are going to start ignoring them. Try to keep your text messages short and sweet. If they are too long, customers are not going to read them.

Consider where your customers are at the buying process. Text messaging can be an important part of your sales funnel. Tailor your messages to wherever your customer is in the sales funnel. This will generate the most return on your investment.

Keep in mind that your text message provider may have character limits. In some cases, you may be limited to 160 characters.

Finally, be careful if you are using images or videos. Remember that customers have different phones. Not every customer uses a smartphone. If you send messages with images or videos, customers may not be able to see them. Make sure that your message effectively conveys the point without relying on these additional graphics.

Take Advantage of SMS Messaging in Your Pet Retail Store with NextPaw

Text messaging is one of the most important marketing tools for pet retail stores. NextPaw technology allows you to easily communicate with pet parents while integrating all messaging platforms on one dashboard. We would be happy to help you take advantage of SMS messaging. Contact us today for a free tour!