Loyalty programs through mobile messaging are an effective way to increase your restaurant’s customer retention rate. The increasing use of mobile in placing orders is unlikely to change. That trend is here to stay. SMS marketing is the best possible way to utilize this opportunity to get your customer’s attention.
However, SMS marketing is only effective when done correctly. If your promotional messages annoy your customers rather than help them, they can unsubscribe, wasting a perfect opportunity.
You don’t have to worry about going wrong if you carefully follow our guidelines to build loyalty with mobile messaging and the rules we discuss.
What is Text Message Marketing?
SMS marketing or text message marketing means communicating with your customers through text messages on various deals, updates, offers, or reward programs.
Build Loyalty with Mobile Messaging – Strategies to Follow for an Effective Marketing Program
There are a few strategies at the heart of successful text message marketing campaigns. Let me discuss them here and, you too can drive sales and reap the benefits of this marketing tool.
Reach Out at The Right Time
The first thing to keep in mind is that there is a window of time when your customers decide where to dine. If you are visible to them during their time of decision-making, there’s a good chance they’ll pick you.
83% of consumers decide where they’ll dine within three hours of having their next meal. That is why timing is crucial. If you are offering a combo meal of soup, salad, and sandwiches at a discount rate, your chances of getting your customers to eat at your restaurant are higher if you send them a promotional text before lunchtime.
On the other hand, a 2 a.m. text about the same deal is likely to annoy your customer and hit unsubscribe.
Analyze Data for Personalized Marketing
The great thing about the increasing use of mobile for ordering food is that you can easily track your customers’ preferences. If a customer tends to order food at a specific time, make use of that information and send them eye-catching deals and offers around that time.
If your customer always orders two items together, maybe add a discount on that combo. Your customer is much more likely to purchase if you are responsive to their consumption patterns.
Focus on Providing Value
You can introduce different loyalty programs to increase customer loyalty. Promoting these programs through text messages is a good way to go. It is important to be clear about the benefits your customers will receive. Customers don’t want to know about your business if there isn’t something in it for them. Keeping all your promotional content customer-oriented and relevant is necessary.
Rewarding customers on their birthdays, giving special discounts on repeat purchases, and, other such tactics are good ways to retain customers.
You can also give them special discounts if they place an order through your restaurant’s app. Incentivizing your customers to download your app like this is a clever strategy that many businesses follow.
Have a Clear Call To Action
A call to action is a message that induces a customer to perform a specific task. Make it clear in your promotional texts what you want your customers to do and reward them for that behavior. To make this even more effective, create a sense of urgency. It is an age-old trick in marketing but, it still works.
People have a fear of missing out on incredible opportunities. Creating that sense of urgency will drive in that fear and make your customers respond. The end date to an offer makes that offer far more tempting. Use this strategy and, you’ll surely see some results.
How To Create Restaurant Text Coupons
Here are some guidelines that will help you compose the perfect test coupons.
Say More with Fewer Words
A text message is limited to 160 characters. This can be restricting if you’re not making sure to cut down on unnecessary words. Stick to the point as much as you can and get creative to come up with captivating taglines.
Proofread
A spelling mistake can be disastrous as customers may see your messages as spammy and unsubscribe to your text message marketing campaign.
Include Opt-Out Option
If you are not required to add an opt-out option to your promotional text messages by-law, I’ll still recommend you to do it. Having an opt-out option makes your customers feel secure as they are in control. Nobody likes feeling trapped and hassled. Your customers will probably disengage from your brand completely if you give them that feeling.
I once had an entrepreneur send me an email about how I wasn’t interacting with his emails as I used to. He even sent me a link to unsubscribe if I wanted to do that. It made me feel that he aimed to provide value to his subscribers. I found myself paying more attention to his content. This reverse psychology gimmick worked on me. You could give it a try as well if you see your customers not interacting with your campaign at all.
For Higher Engagement- Send MMS Instead of SMS
Visual messages are more effective than text messages. There is a whole science on making MMS more impactful. Through MMS you can send attention-grabbing bold headlines, short videos or, colorful pictures to hold your customer’s attention.
Some services help businesses connect to their customers through text messages and MMS. They make your work much easier and know what needs to be done to help your business grow.
Conclusion
Mobile marketing is a must to grow a business in today’s fast-paced world. Starting from text message marketing to launching apps and partnering up with third-party delivery apps, businesses now have to tackle a lot just to stay relevant and thrive. Without doing these, your restaurant may find it hard to grow.
Businesses that adapt fast to the shifting trends are the ones that stay strong. Following these tricks will help you start a successful text message marketing campaign and keep you in the game.
