In the age of smartphones and messaging apps, text messaging remains a dominant form of communication among consumers. More and more businesses have recognized this over the years, with 86% of businesses and marketing departments reporting using text outreach to engage customers and drive sales.
Though text marketing has been all the rage for businesses attempting to engage new and existing customers, businesses have increasingly utilized their outreach method to solicit reviews. First, however, there are some items to remember before using a text blast service to get customer reviews.
Read Up on Text Marketing Laws
Remaining compliant with text marketing laws should be top-of-mind for businesses trying to get customer reviews via text. Financial penalties are direct consequences of not following such laws, with the cost of damages ranging between $500 – $1500. These numbers do not account for the costs associated with the resulting reputational harm.
To avoid any compliance woes when sending text review requests, be sure you’re doing the following:
Get Customer Consent (TCPA): Whether through an online or paper form, text, or website popup, your recipient must agree to receive marketing texts from your businesses according to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA. You should ensure your language is clear, indicates your outreach frequency, and confirms the customer’s enrollment in your text campaign.
Send Texts at a Reasonable Time (CAN-SPAM): Like debt collection phone calls, marketing texts are subject to quiet hours. So, the best time to send an SMS or MMS review request is between 8 AM and 9 PM in local time zones. Anything outside those hours is not only a nuisance to recipients but also a breach of compliance.
Give Recipients a Clear Way to Opt Out (GDPR): Customers are liable to change their minds about text outreach at any point. The FCC’s CAN-SPAM Act requires that businesses provide a straightforward way to opt out of marketing outreach when this occurs, and businesses must honor this within ten business days.
Create Short, Impactful Messages
When gathering SMS and MMS reviews, you should always ensure your outgoing text messages are concise and to the point. Though the recommended message length varies, you should keep your outreach under 160 characters. Shorter attention spans aside, sending short and impactful text message review requests is a great way to engage customers immediately and get them to take action. Consider offering incentives like 10% off their next order or free shipping to drive engagement and boost sales.
Timing is Everything
Text marketing is all about timing, and this is especially true regarding text review requests. When gathering SMS or MMS reviews, you should consider how long ago the customer made the purchase, what they purchased, and if they’ve had enough time to use the product.
- Products Requiring Immediate Feedback: For items that customers typically use immediately or shortly after purchase, consider sending review requests within a week. This ensures their experience is fresh in their minds, increasing the likelihood of valuable feedback.
- Services and Longer-Term Products: If your business offers services or products that require more time for customers to fully experience, patience is key. Wait until customers have had sufficient time to enjoy the benefits before sending review requests. This thoughtful approach shows respect for their time and enhances the likelihood of thoughtful, comprehensive reviews.
By tailoring your timing based on the unique characteristics of your offerings, you can maximize customer engagement and gather more meaningful reviews.
Use Text Messaging to Get Customer Reviews
ReviewInc enables businesses to gather, respond to, and manage customer reviews. We use communication automation to streamline the SMS or MMS review process while offering other tools to help optimize your customer’s journey. This includes the ability to see reviews from countless review sites from a centralized dashboard, allowing you to make timely responses and gain a comprehensive overview of your brand’s online reputation. Plus, the platform helps you track when your clients click through, ensuring you know the best time to send your text review requests.
Want to streamline your text marketing process effortlessly? Let ReviewInc do the heavy lifting. We stay on top of the changes in the texting industry so you don’t have to. Discover how ReviewInc can help you gather valuable customer insights and enhance your brand reputation through effective text marketing strategies.