Boost Sales with Shopify SMS Marketing

Boost Sales with Shopify SMS Marketing

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why SMS Marketing is Important for E-commerce Brands
3. The Minimum Viable Setup for SMS Marketing
   • Setting Up Sign Up Forms
   • Growing Your SMS List
   • Designing an Aesthetic Sign Up Form
4. Basic Flows for Maximizing Revenue
   • Setting Up SMS Subscription Flow
   • Configuring the Flow Trigger
   • Conditional Split for New and Returning Customers
5. The Abandoned Checkout Flow
   • Triggering the Flow
   • Splitting the Flow Based on SMS Subscribers
   • Configuring Delays and Messaging
6. The Abandoned Click Flow
   • Triggering the Flow Based on SMS Clickers
   • Importance of Quiet Hours
   • Limiting the Number of SMS Messages
7. Setting Up SMS Campaigns
   • Creating an SMS Campaign
   • Selecting Target Audience
   • Crafting Effective SMS Messages
   • Understanding the Value of a Strong CTA
8. Best Practices for SMS Marketing
   • Sending Frequency
   • Leveraging Major Sales and Holidays
9. Conclusion

The Ultimate Guide to Setting Up SMS Marketing for Your Shopify Brand

Are you looking to boost the success of your Shopify brand through SMS marketing? In this guide, we will take you through the step-by-step process of setting up your SMS marketing within Klaviyo, a powerful marketing automation platform. With our years of experience in running an email and SMS marketing agency, we have helped numerous e-commerce brands achieve incredible results. Whether you're a brand generating eight figures or just starting out, we'll show you how to implement the minimum viable setup for maximum results.

Introduction

SMS marketing has become an essential tool for e-commerce brands to engage with their customers and drive revenue. With open rates of over 95% and high customer response rates, SMS is a powerful channel to reach your audience. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of setting up your SMS marketing strategy, from growing your SMS list to creating effective campaigns.

Why SMS Marketing is Important for E-commerce Brands

Before diving into the setup process, let's understand why SMS marketing is crucial for e-commerce brands. SMS allows you to communicate directly with your customers, delivering personalized messages and promotional offers straight to their phones. Unlike email marketing, SMS has a significantly higher open rate, ensuring that your message gets seen by your audience. SMS marketing also allows you to reach customers instantly, making it ideal for time-sensitive campaigns and promotions.

The Minimum Viable Setup for SMS Marketing

To start your SMS marketing strategy, you need to set up sign-up forms to grow your SMS list. By capturing both email and phone numbers, you ensure maximum reach and engagement. In this section, we will show you how to design and optimize your sign-up forms for the best results. We will also cover the basic flows that you need to generate a ton of revenue for your brand.

Setting Up Sign Up Forms

To grow your SMS list, navigate to the sign-up forms section in Klaviyo and create a new sign-up form. Make sure to include both email and phone number fields to capture all necessary information. Design a visually appealing form that matches your brand's aesthetics. Connect the form to dedicated lists for email and SMS subscribers to ensure effective segmentation.

Growing Your SMS List

Once your sign-up form is set up, you need to focus on growing your SMS list. Implement a two-step pop-up form that prompts visitors to enter their email and phone number for subscription. Offer enticing incentives, ensuring that the SMS offer is greater than the email offer to maximize subscriptions. Customize the confirmation message to prompt users to reply with a confirmation keyword, further solidifying their subscription.

Designing an Aesthetic Sign Up Form

For optimal results, it's crucial to design an aesthetically pleasing sign-up form that attracts visitors and encourages them to subscribe. Check out our tutorial on designing a visually appealing pop-up form that perfectly aligns with your brand. Enhance the user experience and increase conversions with engaging visuals, compelling copy, and a clear call-to-action.

Basic Flows for Maximizing Revenue

Now that you have successfully grown your SMS list, it's time to set up the basic flows that will generate significant revenue for your brand. In this section, we will guide you through configuring the SMS subscription flow, splitting the flow for new and returning customers, and setting up the abandoned checkout flow.

Setting Up SMS Subscription Flow

The SMS subscription flow is essential for welcoming new subscribers and delivering the promised incentives. Configure the flow trigger to initiate when a customer subscribes to SMS marketing. Use a conditional split based on their purchasing behavior to differentiate between new and returning customers. Create personalized SMS messages and set appropriate delays to maximize engagement.

Configuring the Flow Trigger

To ensure the SMS subscription flow works effectively, set the flow trigger to activate when a customer subscribes to SMS marketing. By selecting the correct trigger, you guarantee that your subscribers receive the relevant messages based on their action. Customize the flow filter to place orders zero times overall or for a specific time frame.

Conditional Split for New and Returning Customers

Differentiate between new and returning customers within the SMS subscription flow for better targeting. Split the flow based on whether a customer has placed an order zero times overall or within a specific time frame. Tailor your messaging and offers accordingly, ensuring that new customers receive exclusive incentives.

The Abandoned Checkout Flow

The abandoned checkout flow is a crucial aspect of your SMS marketing strategy. By targeting customers who have initiated the checkout process but failed to complete the purchase, you can significantly increase conversions. In this section, we will guide you through triggering the flow, splitting the flow based on SMS subscribers, and configuring delays and messaging.

Triggering the Flow

Configure the abandoned checkout flow trigger to initiate when a customer starts the checkout process but does not complete it. By capturing these potential customers, you have an opportunity to remind them to complete their order and guide them towards conversion.

Splitting the Flow Based on SMS Subscribers

Within the abandoned checkout flow, split the flow based on whether a customer is subscribed to SMS marketing. Customers who have already subscribed can receive SMS messages reminding them to complete their purchase. Customers who are not subscribed can receive an email instead, promoting the same message effectively.

Configuring Delays and Messaging

Optimize the abandoned checkout flow by setting appropriate delays and crafting compelling messages. Time plays a crucial role in engaging customers who have abandoned their carts. Adjust the delays to send reminders at the right intervals, ensuring that customers don't feel overwhelmed. Craft concise and persuasive messaging that encourages customers to return and complete their purchase.

The Abandoned Click Flow

In addition to the abandoned checkout flow, the abandoned click flow targets customers who have clicked on your SMS promotions but failed to convert. This flow allows you to remind them to complete their purchase and further drive revenue. In this section, we will discuss triggering the flow, the importance of quiet hours, and limiting the number of SMS messages.

Triggering the Flow Based on SMS Clickers

To create an effective abandoned click flow, trigger the flow based on customers who have clicked on your SMS promotions. This targeting ensures that the flow reaches the right audience and maximizes the chances of conversion. Use segments to include customers who have clicked SMS promotions at least once in the last 45 days.

Importance of Quiet Hours

While it's crucial to remind customers to complete their purchase, it's equally essential to respect their privacy and avoid disrupting their daily routine. Implement quiet hours to ensure that SMS messages are not sent during inappropriate times, such as late at night. This consideration improves customer experience and reduces the chance of unsubscribing.

Limiting the Number of SMS Messages

When it comes to SMS marketing, less is often more. Avoid bombarding customers with excessive messages, as this can lead to high churn rates. Limit your abandoned click flow to a maximum of three SMS messages, ensuring that your customers receive concise and valuable information. Remember, SMS campaigns have diminishing returns past a certain point.

Setting Up SMS Campaigns

To supplement your automated flows, you can also send targeted SMS campaigns to your subscribers. In this section, we will cover the process of creating and sending SMS campaigns, selecting the target audience, crafting effective messages, and understanding the value of a strong call-to-action (CTA).

Creating an SMS Campaign

When creating an SMS campaign, name it according to your preference and select the SMS option in Klaviyo. Save and continue to move forward with the campaign setup. Keep in mind that SMS campaigns are best suited for your entire SMS subscriber list due to the high churn rate and limited segmentation options for smaller brands.

Selecting Target Audience

To ensure maximum reach and engagement, select your entire SMS subscriber list as the target audience for your campaign. SMS subscriber lists are often significantly smaller than email lists, making segmentation less effective. For smaller brands, it's more practical to send campaigns to all subscribers to capitalize on every opportunity for revenue.

Crafting Effective SMS Messages

The key to a successful SMS campaign lies in crafting compelling and concise messages. Due to the limited characters allowed in an SMS, ensure that your message is clear and engaging. Use strong language, provide a clear CTA, and include relevant information such as time-limited offers or promotions. Avoid relying too heavily on visuals, as they can rapidly deplete your SMS credits.

Understanding the Value of a Strong CTA

A strong call-to-action (CTA) is vital for driving conversions through SMS campaigns. The CTA should clearly state the desired action, such as clicking a link or visiting your website. Shorten your links to save characters and track customer engagement effectively. Always preview your campaign for both the US and Canada to ensure optimal messaging for different regions.

Best Practices for SMS Marketing

While SMS marketing can be highly effective, it's essential to understand and implement best practices to achieve the best results. In this section, we will discuss the ideal sending frequency, leveraging major sales and holidays, and maximizing the impact of SMS campaigns.

Sending Frequency

Finding the right balance in sending frequency is crucial for SMS marketing success. For most brands, sending campaigns once a week or once every other week provides a good balance between engagement and avoiding customer fatigue. Reserve sending multiple campaigns per week for major sales and holidays when customers expect and are more receptive to promotional messages.

Leveraging Major Sales and Holidays

Leverage major sales and holidays to maximize the impact of your SMS campaigns. Customers are more likely to engage with SMS messages during these times, as they anticipate offers and promotions. Plan your campaigns accordingly, crafting compelling messages and time-sensitive promotions that align with the spirit of the occasion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, SMS marketing is a powerful tool for e-commerce brands to engage with their customers and drive revenue. By following the steps and best practices outlined in this guide, you can set up an effective SMS marketing strategy for your Shopify brand. Remember to focus on growing your SMS list, configuring automated flows, and crafting compelling SMS campaigns. Continually monitor and optimize your strategy to ensure consistent results and maximize your brand's success.