While everyone loves a deal, not every text message you send to customers has to include a promotion. There’s a lot more brands can do with a text channel than discount codes and special offers, and pushing your product or service via a one-time discount is unlikely to inspire customer loyalty.

The immediacy and familiarity of text messaging make it easier to build a loyal and engaged community, while also collecting zero-party data that lets brands provide a more personalized customer experience. At Wizard, we help our merchants use the power of real-time, two-way conversations to get to know their customers better, increase sales, and support them throughout the entire customer journey. In fact, 58% of a brand's text subscribers engage in active conversations in Wizard.

Here are some other types of messages that not only drive revenue, but also provide more long-term value and a better customer experience than a promotional text blast.

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58% of a brand's text subscribers engage in active conversations in Wizard

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Surveys and engagement campaigns

SMS helps take the guesswork out of understanding your customers’ preferences and needs. When you want to know more about your customers, just text them. If you’re not quite sure where to start, interactive surveys are a great way to get to know your customers, get them engaged in your text channel, and gather valuable data and insight. 

If you’re a food or beverage brand, ask them which flavor they’d like to see next, or ask them to help decide on new packaging.

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Or take a page out of MYOS Pet’s book and create a compelling interactive campaign aimed at driving engagement and collecting zero-party data.

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Product launches

Providing your text subscribers value and incentives in exchange for their loyalty is key to keeping them engaged. The next time you launch a new product, give your text subscribers early access, or at least give them an exclusive first look. Exclusive access is a great way to build anticipation, reward loyalty, and increase opt-ins to your text channel.

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Abandoned cart reminders

Not all customers who abandon their carts are a lost cause. Sometimes consumers simply forget they added an item to their cart, or just need a nudge to complete the purchase. SMS not only gives brands an immediate and effective way to reach customers—it removes barriers to purchase by letting them check out without leaving their texts.

Sending a timely cart reminder text is an effective way to re-engage high-intent shoppers. And thanks to Wizard’s abandoned cart prompts feature, our merchants can follow up on potential sales that might otherwise be lost.

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Back in stock alerts

The only thing more disappointing than finding out the product you had your heart set on is out of stock is opening the back in stock email too late. The fact is, most consumers don’t check their email inbox with anywhere near the same frequency as their text messages.

The open rate for emails from brands is just 21%, but for texts it’s a whopping 98%. And 95% of texts get read within 3 minutes. Thanks to SMS, customers can instantly find out when something is available again and brands can recapture lost sales.

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