Is driving local holiday traffic your number one goal right now? SMS (or text messaging) is the only marketing channel with a 97% open rate, according to research from messaging platform Podium. And now, you can use it this holiday season to drive foot traffic and online sales. In this webinar, you’ll get eight actionable tips and tricks to create effective SMS campaigns and improve the ROI of your marketing this holiday season. Watch this webinar to learn how to: Grow your SMS opt-in list for the holidays. Optimize conversions for the holiday shopping season. Create effective SMS messaging that converts recipients of texts into customers. Holiday sales are anticipated to skyrocket this holiday season due to people seeing friends and family for the first time in a while. More than a third of consumers plan to increase their spending in 2021. Don’t overlook the power of text messages as a holiday marketing strategy. Join Matt Boyce, Senior Director of Partner Marketing at Podium, as he shares practical and effective tips for SMS marketing this holiday season.

2. The SMS Holiday
Marketing Guide
Webinar

3. Presenter
Matt Boyce
Marketing Director, Podium

4. Nearly 30% of U.S. consumers
plan to spend more on holiday
shopping than they did last year.

5. 1. Done or nearly done
2. I’ve dabbled, but have a way to go
3. I wait until the last second
4. What’s shopping?
Poll: How is your holiday shopping

6. And consumers plan to start their
holiday shopping earlier in the
seasons than the year before.

7. Grow your SMS
subscriber list this
holiday season

8. 1. It’s a key channel in our business
2. We use it, but only a little
3. Not at all
Poll: How much are you using email
marketing?

9. Here are 10 ways to drive traffic
(and sales) this holiday season

10. Utilize effective
opt-in touchpoints
01

11. Point of sale or transaction
Website chat
Online sign-up pages and forms
Website banners, pop-ups, and prompts
Reviews
Take advantage of every
opt-in opportunity:

12. Leverage your online
presence to capture opt-ins
02

13. Convert your email marketing contacts into SMS
marketing opt-ins—send an email blast prompting
opt-ins for promotional texts
Create social posts with a URL, QR code, or keyword
to capture opt-ins through social media
Use current marketing
channels to reach customers:

14. Be prepared to capture opt-ins
from in-store holiday shoppers
03

15. Set up a sign-up station or kiosk
Utilize QR codes and signage
Create a textable keyword to make it easier to opt-in
Use the in-store shopper
journey to capture more opt-ins:

16. Optimize conversions for the
holiday shopping season
04

17. Offer VIP status for opting into text messages
Provide a specific discount, offer, or free gift to
consumers who choose to opt-in to SMS messages
Run a contest or giveaway to boost opt-in engagement
Create enticing offers
to boost opt-ins:

18. Now it’s time to drive traffic to your store
and website with promotional messages

19. Invite shoppers to special in-
store events or consultations
05

20. Set up a family movie night or a night with Santa
Partner with a local organization to throw a fundraiser
Post about events on social media and send an invite
to your opt-in list
Create opportunities
for customers to come
to your store in person:

21. Offer an
in-store coupon
06

22. Plan a Black Friday or holiday warehouse sale with
special discounts for in-person shoppers only
Advertise a specific event or time period to use the
special in-person offer
Boost in-person sales
with a special offer:

23. Advertise seasonal
promotions
07

24. Don’t wait until the holiday season begins to let
customers know about holiday marketing campaigns
Send SMS marketing messages to your opt-in list to
let them know about upcoming sales
Capitalize on holidays and
other seasonal opportunities
to reach your audience:

25. Advertise BOPIS,
curbside pickup, and
other in-store services
08

26. Remind your customers (via text!) that they can utilize
BOPIS, curbside pickup, and other in-store services
Integrate your mobile marketing strategy with your
overall marketing plan—use it as an amplifier to your
current efforts
Convert planned holiday promotions into short,
textable messages
Use SMS campaigns to
educate your audience:

27. Personalize your SMS
marketing campaigns
09

28. Use purchase or review recency as an indicator of
positive engagement with your brand
Note responses to past sales or specific items or
services as indicator of interest in similar sales, items, or
services
Track key behaviors to
create better segmentation:

29. Close the deal conveniently
with SMS payments
10

30. Send a purchase link to collect payments
directly through an SMS campaign
Get paid faster as customers capitalize
on a convenient checkout process
Create a better
checkout process:

31. 1. Yes
2. No, not yet
3. No, never will
4. I’m not even sure where to start
Poll: Is your business text-capable?

32. Find the right SMS marketing
campaign platform for your business:
01 Stay compliant
02 Integrate with your existing tech stack
03 Assist with opt-in collection
04 Build targeted/segmented campaigns
05 Offer two-way conversations
06 Get started quickly

33. START THE
CONVERSATION
RETAIN & GROW
Podium is your platform to power customer
engagement with convenient conversations.
CONVERT & TRANSACT
Get found online and then instantly start
working leads through messaging.
Use modern, convenient interactions to
drive conversions.
Keep customers engaged and leverage
conversations to grow your business.
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35. Q&A