It appears Cupid’s arrow shoots straight for the purses and wallets of shoppers in the lead up to February 14th. The average consumer spend is estimated to be approximately £53.38 for the occasion which means Valentine’s Day is big business for retailers, restaurants and hotels, who look set to make a huge profit out of the day – which only seems to be growing in popularity.
Previously an average of £1.6bn has been spent on gifts and treats for the occasion and it is estimated that this will grow to £1.9bn in the UK this year.
With a huge change to give sales a boost in the second half of the financial year, how can you capitalise on the prospects Valentine’s Day offers and entice customers into choosing you over your competitors?
SMS for promotions
With the best open rates of all other marketing channels, SMS is a great way to promote. 44% of smartphone users admit to preferring SMS promotions over other forms of marketing and with the option of a dedicated short code you can even open up potential for responses. Show loyal customers that your business appreciates them by offering promotional discounts to those who text a specific keyword to your short code in time for Valentine’s.
SMS for vouchers and coupons
Vouchers and mobile coupons delivered straight to the palm of your customer’s hands can be a great way to entice new custom, and the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day. Promote your chosen keyword or dedicated SMS short code on your marketing materials, such as posters, flyers and social media in order to encourage customers to take action and gain reward.
Send them their money off coupon or voucher to be redeemed on Valentine’s Day or after.
SMS for bookings
In anticipation of the romantic holiday, orders and bookings are probably already arriving in bulk. Use SMS to send automated booking confirmations by integrating with our API or as a great opportunity to boost your customer service offering. Combine booking confirmations with the opportunity for your customers to reply to your dedicated short code enabling them to easily make changes to bookings, confirm or reject them.
Show your customers some love this Valentine’s Day and treat your business to a new type of SMS marketing with a free, shared or dedicated short code. For more information on how your business can benefit from SMS please contact our team on 0345 356 5758 or take a free trial.
