But you don’t want to be average -- you want to drive your text response rates up as high as they can possibly go. Here’s how.
No one enjoys feeling like just another check box on your to-do list. To get your customers to respond, tailor messages to what is meaningful to them.
Don’t make your customers feel like one of the crowd. Mass marketing is dead for a reason. Focus on a personalized, one-to-one customer experience.
Listen to what your customers say. Pay attention to what they tell you about themselves, from the get go.
After you’ve listened to your customers, provide solutions, information, and texts to engage them on the topics that matter most.
People like talking about themselves -- it feels good (and is why 80% of social media posts are self-focused). To get the response you want, talk to customers about what interests them, not what interests you.
Keep it simple, salespeople. Text messaging is powerful because it is easy and convenient. Go with the grain of the medium and stick to best practices:
Simple, straightforward, clear requests and information will make it easy for customers to tap out a quick reply.
Since most texts are read within three minutes of receipt, the key to getting a response is all about timing.
Though Americans are rarely away from their cellphones, some times of day are better than others for getting a text response. The majority of mobile users are more connected at home or on public transit than at work. Immediately before and after traditional business hours are prime times for texting. Catch these upticks with a well-timed message.
Set the tone for prompt, constant communication by being responsive yourself. If it takes you more than 24 hours to respond to customers’ messages, don’t expect them to be any quicker.
By being timely, all the time, you establish trust and reliability, which will only make your customers more eager to follow suit.
Looking for more business texting tips? Check out our fundamentals of texting for business.