SMS

A pullback on consumer spending, high inflation, and an uncertain holiday season. Toss in paid social’s cost and targeting effectiveness being in a state of perpetual fluctuation and retailers find themselves faced with a myriad of challenges in trying to increase sales and maximize return on investment. To maximize sales and profits, brands need to…

Planning for Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) is already top of mind for many e-commerce brands, and includes the usual channels like email marketing, paid search, paid social, and marketplace ads. But as the cost and effectiveness of channels like paid social continue to fluctuate, brands are continuously searching for ways to maximize return…

This episode was recorded live at CRMC 2022 in Chicago. In episode 364 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Isabelle Darby, director of marketing at Paper Source, the premier paper store for unique gifts, crafts, stationery and more. Darby discusses her current role and career background (0:47), why Paper Source is investing in…

Cross-channel marketing enables online brands and retailers to blend different communication channels to reach customers and create cohesive shopping experiences. In this article, we’ll look at the role of SMS in cross-channel marketing, and why it’s important in a holistic e-commerce strategy. Cross-Channel Marketing and the Use of SMS in E-Commerce From email inboxes to…

In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Joe Keenan and Marie Albiges discuss an article recently published by Total Retail titled, “Not Prioritizing SMS Marketing? One Metric Will Change Your Mind,” authored by Jeff Haws, senior manager at MessageGears. SMS is a powerful tool for marketers as virtually every message gets opened (and quickly).…

SMS messaging is indelibly woven into the fabric of everyday life for many people. Which makes sense because we’ve been texting — the more commonly used term for SMS — since long before the iPhone even existed. In fact, the first SMS message was sent 30 years ago. (Seriously.) If you’re a marketer in your…

The COVID-fueled e-commerce party couldn’t last forever. Businesses knew that it was only a matter of time before consumers reverted to their pre-pandemic shopping habits of mixing online and in-person shopping. That time appears to be upon us. A recently released Mastercard SpendingPulse report showed a year-over-year (YoY) retail sales increase of 7.2 percent in…

While the COVID pandemic brought dramatic shifts in employment that disrupted many lives, it also created a record-breaking number of entrepreneurs — driving the largest increase in new business applications in history. But as many of these new retailers adjusted to a “click to brick” economy, finding the time to build their brand in a…

While many industries have embraced short message service (SMS, or more commonly referred to as texting) as a meaningful way to communicate with customers, many retail brands still haven't adopted the practice with regularity. As retailers consider changes in marketing tactics, increasing text message campaigns should be part of the discussion. People are on their…

Bringing in new customers to your business is a challenge itself, but retaining them and building a meaningful relationship is a whole other feat. Brands often struggle to find the right communication channel and messaging to grow customer engagement. With so many new small businesses booming following The Great Resignation, building customer loyalty is paramount…