5 Big Brands That Use SMS Marketing
SMS marketing has been making an impressive comeback during recent times, and it’s not surprising: effective, simple, and affordable, it’s a perfect communication channel in the age of smartphones. And many big brands took note of this potential and incorporated SMS marketing into their list of marketing channels.
To celebrate how far SMS marketing has come, in this article, we’ve taken a look at 5 big brands that have incorporated text messaging into their marketing toolbox. From sending promotional updates to improved security, some of them were pretty creative.
Let’s start with the giant, Facebook. Facebook was using SMS during many different touchpoints across user journeys. Here are a few examples of when SMS is used:
- Registering on the website through mobile number and confirming the identity of the user;
- Sending security codes as part of the two-factor authentication;
- Using SMS to recover forgotten passwords.
This is far from being an exhaustive list. The social media behemoth firmly incorporated SMS into its toolbox. And while for many brands SMS serves mainly as a promotional tool, Facebook (and the family apps Instagram and WhatsApp) use it to ensure the safety and security of their users.
Reebok
The leading sportswear and shoe brand have been using SMS marketing for some time now as a promotional tool.
As an online/offline retailer, the company has been using text messages mainly for promotional purposes, to let the customers know about sales, discounts, new arrivals, and whatnot. They start with sending out bulk SMS with shortcuts and codes, such as “Subscribe” or “Opt-In” among others. By replying, customers let the brand know that they are interested in receiving promotional SMS from them. After the confirmation, Reebok starts to send them their marketing texts with offers their audience might be interested in, as well as the latest news on the brand. Reebok also uses this strategy for all its associated brands.
This approach gives the brand numerous benefits. The opt-in option makes sure that only the people who want to hear from the brand (i.e. people who are more likely to make a purchase) will receive the notification. As a result, the marketing budget is used efficiently, and campaigns have high engagement rates and significant ROI.
Domino’s Pizza
Another big name making the best of SMS marketing is Domino’s Pizza, the international pizza chain operating in many countries. Contrary to Reebok, Domino’s uses its website to incentivize people to opt-in to their text messages. When choosing how you want to be contacted by the restaurants when ordering or otherwise, customers have an option to select email offers, text offers, and both. By simply inserting their phone number, they subscribe to receiving SMS, without any further effort.
Because of being a chain with multiple locations, SMS strategies of the restaurants may vary. Depending on the area, the chain may use discounts to attract students from the hereby campus or re-target specific customers with a discount on their favorite pizza.
Tommy Hilfiger
The premium clothing company also uses SMS marketing to provide its customers with exclusive deals and discounts. Similar to Reebok, customers can opt-in to receiving promotional texts by sending a keyword to the company and receiving instructions. By simply texting “Yes,” customers confirm their subscription.
After this, the program Tommy Texts gets into action by sending out the most relevant and up-to-date offers of the brand. To avoid spamming the users, however, the company sends out 2-3 text messages per week at most, but not more than 10 messages per month.
In this case, again, the opt-in option filters out the people who are not interested in the brand, leaving only those who want to connect with the brand and are ready to invest their time and resources into it, saving the retailer their time and the marketing budget.
IKEA
Last on our list is IKEA, a brand we believe needs no introduction. The Swedish household goods and furniture retailer uses SMS and their loyalty program to grow sales and establish trusting relations with their customers.
Because of being a chain with hundreds of locations across many countries, the SMS marketing efforts of the chain are carefully segmented. The company uses text messages to promote offers, deals, and new arrivals to the customers specific to their location. Because not many customers usually follow updates on the company on their website or social media pages, SMS is a great way to make sure they know that their favorite products are back in stock or that there is a discount at a specific section. The company also uses SMS for real-time feedback, making it a two-way channel rather than a one-way communication method.
Wrapping Up
Considering the simplicity of use and the cheapness, it’s no wonder that SMS marketing is rapidly making its way to the top list of marketing channels. The five brands discussed above are far from being the only ones that have recognized the effectiveness of SMS marketing. As it becomes increasingly apparent, more and more brands are joining the movement.
The good news is, SMS marketing is not reserved for big-name companies only. Whether you are a local restaurant or an online retailer making your first steps in business, SMS marketing can be equally as effective and affordable for you. Use it to keep your customers updated on your latest offers and all other ways they can benefit from your company, or simply remind them of your brand.
