Just like how one sale will not give you profit, one message will also not convince your readers to make the purchase.
For that you need SMS flows: a series of planned text messages.
In this blog, learn about the 10 best SMS flows that will not only drive higher engagement from your customers but will also contribute to making your marketing strategy more dynamic.
Best SMS flows to boost your Shopify store sales
Creating effective SMS flows involves keeping people interested and making them do what you want. Here are 10 SMS flows ideas that can be effective in various scenarios:
1. Welcome flow
A welcome flow is a series of automated SMS messages to greet and engage new subscribers. The main purpose of these messages is to create a positive first impression while introducing your brand.
While creating a welcome SMS campaign, make sure to,
- Address the recipient by their name.
- Don’t use spammy words in your subject line.
- Your message should sound just like a friendly human.
- Tell them what they can expect from you as a brand
- Create a relevant CTA, and only add one. As too much will overwhelm them and will only push them away
- Offer an engaging welcome discount.
💡Pro Tip: Personalize each SMS message as per customer’s data to increase the relevance of the message and the offering.
2. Cart abandonment reminders
Cart abandonment texts are messages that are sent to users who have visited your website but did not complete their purchase. The goal of sending these messages is to remind them about their incomplete purchase and push customers to complete the transaction.
Some of the best practices to follow for these message campaigns are:
- Address the recipient by their name.
- Include the product name in the message
- Use a custom link with your store or domain name
- Include images and details of the viewed products.
- Offer free shipping or a limited-time offer to prompt action
- Create a FOMO with your CTA
💡Pro Tip: To catch the exact working element for your business or with your customers, experiment with different message formats, discounts/ offers, and A.M. vs P.M.
3. Transactional SMS Messages
Transactional SMS Messages are real-time, automated messages sent to customers after a specific transaction, such as order confirmation, shipping updates, or account-related notifications.
Your transactional SMS should include
- Brand name
- Customer’s first name
- Tracking number or link
- Shipping information
- Customer support
- Opt-out option (most important)
Here are the best practices to follow:
- Mention the reason behind sending this text message
- Include every information a customer is supposed to have about the order
- Give them a tracking link
- Offers a way to report delivery issues.
💡Pro Tip: Use transactional messages as an opportunity to subtly cross-sell or promote related products or services.
4. Post-purchase follow-up messages
Post-purchase messages are important to keep the connection after the purchase is made. They are used for order updates, user feedback, loyalty programs, future sales, etc.
Here are some best practices to follow:
- Start the message by expressing gratitude for their purchase. A simple “Thank you” can go a long way.
- Suggest related products or complementary items.
- Do include an opt-out option
- Optimize messages for mobile devices
- Provide contact information for customer support
💡Pro Tip: Businesses should maintain a balance between sending the appropriate frequency of these messages as too many of these can annoy your customers.
5. Replenishment reminder texts
These are SMS messages sent to customers who have purchased consumable products from your brand, and you have to remind them to repurchase as they might be running out of the product. The aim is to make them repurchase the product from your brand only.
Some of the best practices to follow are:
- Remind SMS subscribers before your customers completely run out of the product
- Add the product name
- Include a direct link to the product page.
- Add a discount
💡Pro Tip: Do not send many messages, 1-2 messages per customer is enough. Send one text (maybe two) and then follow up with an email.
6. Back-in-stock texts
These texts notify customers about the products that previously went unavailable. These messages are for re-engaging the potential customers as they have shown interest in the particular product but couldn’t make a purchase due to product unavailability.
Some of the best practices to follow are:
- Keep the message simple
- Create some hype by announcing the restock before it’s there.
- Highlighting its popularity to create FOMO
- Offer an incentive
💡Pro Tip: Take the help of SMS segmentation to know what product will appeal to which customers.
7. Winback SMS Messages
These SMS messages are for inactive customers. These messages help convince these customers to make a purchase again from your brand. The goal of these messages is to regain the customers. Most brands do it by offering incentives or promotions.
Some of the best practices to follow are:
- Create a win-back series instead of a single message
- Add your win-back campaigns to your post-purchase flow
- Customize your win-back messages to target different audience segments
- Include a clear call-to-action
- Offer limited-time deals to prompt actions
💡Pro Tip: Include positive memories of your shoppers in your SMS, like anniversary or birthday to celebrate your shoppers, and resonate with them.
8. Collect reviews
This SMS flow asks customers to tell if they had a good or bad experience with your brand. These reviews help you figure out what they’re doing right and what needs to improve. You can also use the good reviews to promote your brand in marketing.
Some of the best practices to follow are:
- Make the feedback form simple and with fewer questions.
- To encourage more and more customers to leave genuine feedback, consider offering rewards.
💡Pro Tip: Send your review requests shortly after the customer receives their order.
9. Collect email addresses
These SMS flows are for encouraging readers to share their email with your brand. Collecting email is important for reaching out to your customers with promotional campaigns. It opens up different channels for marketing.
Some of the best practices to follow are:
- Include the value your customers will get in exchange for an email address.
- The process to submit the email should be simple, so your customers won’t back out in the process.
💡Pro Tip: Include a double opt-in process for verifying the collected email addresses. It is also important to maintain compliance with privacy regulations.
10. Notify customers you’re away
These SMS flows are important to make sure that your customers know that your customer support won’t be available for the mentioned timeline.
Some of the best practices to follow are:
- Tell them about the dates of unavailability
- Also include the timings in these messages
- Inform your customers about the alternative contact methods or resources.
- Customize messages with a touch of personality,
- Apologize in advance for any inconvenience they may experience and also express gratitude for their understanding.
Recommended read: Generative AI for SMS Marketing (2024)
Create SMS Flows with TxtCart!
With TxtCart, you can send 1-time targeted and personalized campaigns to your customers as we have everything you’ll need to succeed with SMS marketing on Shopify from customer SMS opt-in data, templates, revenue vs text count data, and much much more.
TxtCart also provides you with some pre-built segments, but if you require further segmentation, we give you that ability.
TxtCart also gives you an easy-to-use reporting dashboard. You can view the current status of the campaign(s), the number of recipients it sent to as well as campaign-specific reply rate, CTR (click-through rate), revenue generated as well as approx ROI (Return on Investment).
Install the TxtCart app today and reach out to our team of experts for better results.
