How Did Covid-19 Influence SMS Marketing?

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Covid-19 has completely transformed the way businesses operate. During these uncertain situations, with many months of quarantine followed by different degrees of restrictions, they had to adapt to survive. And the pressure to maintain these businesses afloat was mainly on marketers. They needed new strategies to maintain the communication with customers, share with them how the business is adapting, and how they still can be part of the business.

This is where SMS marketing came in handy. With 6.6 billion people around the world owning smartphones and almost 5 times higher open rates than email, it has become the perfect communication tool for marketers. Many retail companies and brands have found creative ways to incorporate SMS into their marketing channels, with some incredible results too.

In this article, we are taking a close look at how the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of SMS marketing.

Using SMS during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The beginning of the pandemic was a hard time for many industries around the world. Many of them adjusted and learned how to continue their operations. Because of its affordability and convenience, SMS was one of the methods used extensively along the way, particularly by several industries.

Retail

The retail industry has seen incredible transformations since the beginning of the Internet. People are no longer bound to any specific physical locations to make purchases but can easily buy products from all around the world without leaving the comfort of their homes.

Because of the technologies the Internet has given to retailers, many businesses have switched online since the beginning of the pandemic. And their customers followed them. Online shopping has grown significantly during the pandemic, and SMS was one of the ways for brands to navigate through this growth. Here’s how many retailers used SMS:

• Promote sales and discounts;
• Notify of restocks;
• Offer location-based delivery services;
• Send updates on shipments;
• Updates on the delivery status;
  

This is far from being an exhaustive list of how retailers have used SMS during the pandemic. As local and international have grown, it served as a powerful tool to ensure superior customer service.

Hospitality

The hospitality industry was unarguably hit one of the hardest during the pandemic. Businesses had to close down for unspecified periods of time or adjust their operations to ever-changing regulations to stay open. Many restaurants and cafes switched to deliver-only operating options. In these conditions, when nothing was fixed, bulk or even individual text messaging helped business owners, managers, and marketers to streamline communication. Here’s how SMS was and is still being used:

• Alerting staff of latest changes and regulations;
• Promote delivery options and rates among customers;
• Offer discounts;
• Inform about the operating hours;
• Report on the delivery status, and when the order will be ready;
• Notify about re-openings and seating conditions.
  

These, and many other ways helped business owners ensure that their staff and customers were informed about the operating conditions.

Beauty and Fitness

Other industries that were significantly affected by the pandemic were the beauty and fitness industries. As much as people love to take care of themselves, it became hard when beauty salons and gyms closed down. Here’s how many of them responded to changes:

• Sending out online workout links;
• Notifying of working hours and conditions;
• Scheduling or rescheduling appointments and waiting lists;
• Restriction announcements;
• Reopening notifications.

When done effectively, SMS marketing during the Covid-19 has drastically improved the situation for many fitness and beauty centers and helped them maintain their contact with their customers, which would otherwise be harder.

Final Thoughts

The beginning of the pandemic was an unpredictable time when many companies or businesses around the world have been facing hardships. During the time when they were trying to adapt to the increasingly online world, SMS marketing came in as a tool to not only provide services but also helped to build and maintain relationships with customers, which was beneficial in the long run and could ensure their return. So, if you are thinking of new ways to adapt your business to the pandemic and post-pandemic world, incorporating SMS into your operational and promotional toolbox can be a great place to start.