You may have seen stats like 75% of consumers want to text businesses and wondered whether texting was really worth it. It’s a motivating and thought-provoking percentage! And that was well before many businesses closed in-person operations.
This post talks about 3 reasons why people are so keen to text your business during the pandemic. With these in mind, hopefully you’ll think of new ways to incorporate texting into your sales, marketing, and customer support.
It’s the Fastest Way to Communicate
Texts are fast to write, send, and receive. So that means it’s fast to…
- Ask questions
- Receive answers
- Set appointments
- Receive reminders
- Share links
The list goes on!
Businesses are all being inundated with requests and questions from potential and current customers. People want to know what to expect in this time of all things unexpected.
By giving them the choice to text you, they have a fast and reliable way of getting help. They can send you their questions or concerns right when they’re thinking about them and receive a prompt response.
Texting also allows consumers to easily reach out to different businesses very quickly. So if someone is trying to make a purchasing decision and can’t visit each business in person, texting is perfect for their initial outreach.
Luckily, you can use this to your advantage too. By being the business that offers texting — and offers it proudly — people may be more likely to choose you, especially if you use it to immediately follow up.
The instant gratification that comes with speedy communication and customer care can’t be beat.
Conversations Can Happen Anytime, Anywhere
Texting is effective for you and convenient for customers because there’s no limit on when or where the conversations can occur. Each person involved just needs a phone.
This is always a benefit of texting, but when people are living and working under less than ideal circumstances, having an instant way to get in touch means a lot.
Customers also appreciate businesses that are willing to engage outside of normal working hours, something that may feel more necessary these days. Texting makes that possible without overwhelming you.
Prospects and customers want to avoid overwhelming communication too, which is also why they love the “anytime, anywhere” flexibility. Texting gives them the freedom to reach out and reply when it’s easiest for them.
Email Doesn’t Cut It
People have been waging war against their inboxes for many years now. They don’t want to always keep their email open on a computer or keep phone notifications on.
For real, personal connections, people want texting! For example, if a customer is used to coming into your business regularly, not being able to do that is going to be a huge change. But with texting they still get individualized attention on a regular basis.
What’s more, people are eternally tired of the impersonalized outreach so many businesses conduct via email. (And sadly, many businesses have not gotten any better at this during the past few months.)
Prospects and customers alike don’t like engaging with generic, impersonal emails. They want to have real conversations with real people! When they know they can text you instead of email, they’ll be more likely to reach out in the first place and keep conversations going.
Talk with people how they want
Ultimately, consumers prefer texting. They did before stay-at-home orders and remote work and they do now. When you communicate with people in the preferred way, you better serve them. And when it comes to lead nurturing and your customer retention strategy, your customer service must be top notch.
By giving people a way to text your business during the pandemic (and beyond) you make the connections that result in a thriving business.
