Driving Footfall and Boosting Basket Size: Why SMS Marketing Works for Retail
Why SMS Works in Retail
SMS significantly boosts open rates, with most messages read within minutes. Unlike email or social media, SMS cuts through the noise and connects with consumers directly and immediately. This makes it the ideal channel for time-sensitive promotions, flash sales, loyalty updates, and in-store incentives.
Whether you are running a national chain or managing a single store, SMS allows you to
Deliver personalised, time-sensitive offers
React in real time to customer behaviour
Drive in-store visits and higher value transactions
From Message to Visit - Driving Retail Footfall
Retailers can harness SMS to bring customers through the door in real time. Here is how:
Limited-time discounts: Create urgency with short-lived deals only redeemable in-store.
Click & collect reminders: Turn online shoppers into footfall by prompting collection with in-store-only upsell suggestions.
Event invitations: Promote product launches, VIP evenings, and exclusive in-store experiences via SMS.
Increasing Basket Size: Incentivise Bigger Spends
Once customers are in-store, SMS can guide them toward higher value purchases:
Bundle deals: Text customers offer like "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" or product bundles to encourage more items per visit.
Loyalty nudges: Remind shoppers of loyalty points or progress towards a free reward to motivate more spending.
Cross-sell alerts: Turn online shoppers into footfall by promoting collection with in-store only upsell suggestions.
Digital receipts and follow-up offer: Send an SMS receipt with a time-limited voucher for their next purchase.
SMS is the Retailer’s Secret Weapon
In today’s retail environment, attention is hard to earn, but with SMS, it doesn’t have to be. Whether you are promoting a weekend sale, driving footfall to new locations, or increasing spend per customer. SMS delivers a cost-effective, high-impact solution.
Ready to get started? Talk to our team at Phonovation (sales@phonovation.com) about how we can build SMS campaigns tailored to your retail goals!