Maximizing Effectiveness of Text Message Campaigns

August 3, 2022
Annette Maggi
CommunicationsBusiness Skills

By RDBA Executive Director Annette Maggi, MS, RDN, LD, FAND

Last week’s article Should You Add Text Messaging Campaigns to Your Programs and Services addressed the addition of text messaging campaigns to omni-channel shopper engagement. Today’s article extends the discussion to how to maximize effectiveness of text messaging campaigns. These campaigns can be an effective bridge between e-commerce and in-store visits because, after all, a shopper’s phone goes everywhere he/she goes.

A key element of driving successful text campaigns is using retail data to understand details of your shoppers -- how they’re engaging with your retailer and your health and well-being programs, where, when, and how they’re shopping, products most frequently purchased, etc. Understanding these shopper insights allows you to personalize the text campaigns. After all, when you’re texting for personal reasons, you don’t typically send generic content. If you do, you’re not likely to get a response or even a “read” on the message. The same holds true for your shoppers. Using shopper data, you can text shoppers personalized product recommendations based on health and well-being programs they’ve participated in or products they routinely buy. Based on supplements in their most recent shopping cart, you can suggest they attend specific classes you offer, texting them a link to the registration.

Data can also help you understand consumer shopping patterns so you can hit the timing of your text messages perfectly. Text messages that hit shoppers when they are in store or within the time frame when they most often place online orders are more likely to drive them to the better-for-you purchases you recommend. Text campaigns tied to the release of your weekly circular, highlighting healthy items or linking to recipes for on sale foods, are more likely to get read. A message that features a seasonal produce item that just arrived in stores can drive shoppers to add a trip to their regular routine.

While it’s a fine line, it’s important to text shoppers often enough but not too often. Too much information, especially if it isn’t personalized and relevant, can cause them to put a pause on reading and reacting to your texts. It’s about be intentional, strategic, and relevant in your text content to fully engage that shopper across all their touchpoints with retail RDs.