Mobile Messaging for Consumer Goods Businesses

Marketing for startups and small businesses in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry is challenging. Consumer goods is an extremely competitive space and customers want products which are cheap and convenient to buy, but also different and personalized. To cater to the demanding CPG consumer without breaking the bank, cost-efficient and effective marketing is a necessity. That’s where SMS marketing comes in - FMCG brands and businesses are increasingly relying on commercial text messaging as their marketing channel of choice.

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Why business messaging is the new normal

You need to go where your customers are so that you can be heard. 67% of people say that their messaging has increased over the last two years, 80% use messaging daily, and 51% say that mobile messaging has replaced other forms of communication. Clearly, SMS should be an integral part of the marketing strategy of any company, as it is an integral part of their customers' lives.

(Source: “Why messaging businesses is the new normal”, Facebook IQ, Facebook, 06/14/2018)

There are many advantages of adopting SMS marketing as one of your primary channels to communicate with customers. The medium is cost-effective, widely used, and conveniently accessible for customers. Short and direct messages are easier for consumers to digest and less intrusive, and force companies to be brief. Customers appreciate promotional messages which are short and to-the-point. This is why SMS marketing shows much greater engagement than any other marketing channel - and as a result, shows the best marketing ROI.

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The role of SMS marketing in the consumer goods space

81% of Consumer Goods businesses believe that SMS marketing plays a significant role in improving the experience of their customers and helping them stand out from the competition. The FMCG industry is crowded, fast-moving, and very unforgiving to smaller players. To justify any marketing expense, companies need high ROI, cost reduction, and a short payback period. This is where SMS marketing scores well - it allows businesses to keep in touch with their customers, to respond faster to requests for support or assistance, and to update customers on new products, upgrades, and promotions.

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How can Consumer Goods businesses benefit from SMS Marketing?

Case Study: Bulk SMS for easier customer service and lower costs

Voyage worked with a Direct-to-Consumer soap company, helping them maintain contact with their customers and establish a channel for marketing and support communications. The company is an online-first retailer of natural, chemical-free soaps which targets men from the age of 25-44, who largely buy such products on autopilot from big-box retailers. The company had a marketing campaign which was attracting traffic, but it needed to build an audience and engage/retain them.

Using Voyage, the company achieved an opt-in rate of 8%, a CTR of 69%, and an impressive audience retention rate of 97%. Using SMS to keep in touch with their customers helped them substantially increase audience engagement.

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Case Study: SMS marketing to promote mobile coupons and promotions

A UK-based specialist bathroom retailer decided to test the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and promotions distributed via bulk texts. They sent out a text offer indicating a heavy discount on purchases made the following day. The store manager was surprised to see a 32% spike in sales the day after the message was sent out.

Essentially, SMS is one of the best vehicles to boost engagement with your CPG customers, as it can spread the word about new offerings and promotions quickly and shows an immediate impact on sales.

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Case Study: Remarketing and upselling

The owner of an upscale dollar store in Texas used text marketing to promote itself to an unexpected audience: millennials and upper-income consumers. By ensuring that every receipt and every conversation with a customer or visitor to their store mentioned their SMS channel, they quickly created an SMS community. Today, the store offers superior value deals and promotions to its subscribers daily via SMS.

Thanks to text marketing, the store has built a loyal audience and boasts a pristine 5-star rating on Facebook and rave reviews on Google.