Skipio has been committed to helping businesses stay in touch with all of their customers throughout the pandemic. That’s not stopping anytime soon. As you look for and find new ways to connect with your customers during COVID-19, don’t forget about the power of texting.
With the right platform, you enjoy the privilege of engaging in many 1-on-1 conversations at the same time. In this post, we compiled a number of different business texting use cases. All with authentic communication and conversations as the end goal. This is about so much more than your normal customer retention strategy.
And though this post highlights four specific industries and the specific ways those types of businesses can connect, we encourage all professionals to learn from each other. Take these use cases and apply them to your team and business! You won’t regret improving your customer outreach and communication now or ever.
Health & Fitness
With gyms and fitness studios being so hard hit by the lockdowns and stay-at-home restrictions, they’ve been embracing many changes to virtually stay in touch with members.
For example, Champagne Martial Arts has been using Skipio to inform and remind students about weekly online classes and to schedule virtual belt tests. Continuing to serve their community has been so beneficial for the students, who have loved hearing from their instructors.
Here are 3 more ways you can use texting to talk with people and keep them excited about moving their bodies.
- Create and send workout calendars and exercise plans. And though it will take a little more work, design these as graphics instead of sending a plain doc. That will make the plans easier to use and still convenient to send through text. If there’s an “exercise of the day,” text a short video demonstration or diagram to ensure everyone knows what to do.
- Send nutrition check-ins and reminders to increase accountability. Even texting links to new recipes is a simple way to stay in touch and provide valuable help. To go above and beyond, create and design a meal planning guide complete with grocery lists.
- Plan an at-home challenge that you can announce and promote through texting for members to sign up. Add those people to a group and schedule daily accountability and motivational texts. Have members report their participation to you via text.
Real Estate
With mortgage rates being so low but COVID cases rising across the country, it’s both an exciting and stressful time for real estate agents. And buyers and sellers are feeling similarly.
Fortunately, there are many ways that real estate agents cant take advantage of texting during these odd circumstances.
When working with sellers:
- Schedule virtual meetings with new clients to get to know them and send reminder texts to ensure they show up. These reminders are incredibly valuable right now when many people may feel unsure about selling. Use them as an opportunity to reassure the people you’re working with.
- Arrange open houses and viewings with sellers over text. Make sure they don’t forget when they’ll have to be out of the house. Educate them on how, as a team, you’ll keep the house clean and safe with prospective buyers visiting.
When working with buyers:
- Send get-to-know-you questions to new clients or link to a similar survey. When before you may have done in-person meetings to talk about price points, wish list items, and more, you can schedule virtual meetings or even just get the information you need through text.
- Text listings to your clients and then schedule and confirm viewing times and locations. Send reminder texts an hour or more before a showing to re-confirm the time and place. Remind them of any health and safety guidelines as well as to bring a mask.
Religious Congregations
No, members of a religious congregation aren’t customers. But they are people you care about staying in touch with.
Believers Fellowship in Arkansas has used Skipio to send their congregation a link to weekly online services. Even their older members who may not be considered tech savvy have found this to be a convenient solution that makes church services more accessible.
Leaders within many other congregations across the country text their respective members to check in and set up video calls for more time to talk. This personal outreach allows the congregation leaders to stay in touch with everyone and make sure people’s needs are taken care of.
Here are others ideas you can start implementing right now:
- –Send weekly texts with scripture verses or mini-sermons. Or daily if your congregation appreciates that!
- Share inspirational and “good news” stories and videos. We recommend focusing specifically on stories from your area. Show and remind people of the good in the world.
- Announce and share service opportunities in the surrounding community. Make it easy for people to help others in the community by sharing info on specific events. There are still so many ways to serve others, even with social distancing and the like.
- Reach out to specific members of the congregation to check up on other members. When you know someone might need a little extra help or love, call on your congregation. Whether you create assignments or simply text individuals you feel would be able to help, you empower the members to take care of each other.
Direct Sales
When before you spent a lot of time interacting with prospects and customers in person at get-togethers, now you likely spend your time putting on virtual events. Without as many opportunities to connect and sell face to face, texting will help you keep those relationships growing and strong.
- Ask long-time supporters for referrals and reward them and the person they refer with small gifts. It’s easy to text a group of customers requesting referrals and then have a conversation about the people they refer. Find out what those referrals might like! This could really brighten someone’s day as you give them something special on behalf of a friend.
- Reach out “just because” with no specific motive or reason. Include a fun video, uplifting photo, or inspiring quote and show someone that you’re thinking of them. Don’t think of this as a chance to make a sale or promote a product. This is about your relationship and connection as people!
- Announce and run a virtual contest all through texting. This could be a giveaway or a raffle of some kind. It’s probably not the best time to run a contest based around how much money people spend or what products they order. But they could easily earn points by posting on social media, giving referrals, or performing another simple action.
Start connecting with Skipio
Our platform is built for all the conversations businesses have with prospects and customers. With automated features designed specifically to help you personalize every message, Skipio is the tool you need to stay in touch with everyone in your address book.
