Christmas is around the corner and with it the last and biggest sales spike of the year. That is, if you play your cards right. It’s all about marketing, about attention—and one of the best ways to garner attention is SMS marketing. Why is that so? For a starter, SMS drives more urgency than email. It’s a super underrated marketing platform. Have a look at these mind-blowing stats:

• SMS messages have a 98% open rate;
• 90% of text messages are opened within 3 minutes;
• 75% of consumers are okay with receiving SMS promotions (after opting in);
• SMS messages have a 209% higher response rate than email, phone, or Facebook;
• SMS-delivered coupons are redeemed 10 times more than other types of coupons;
• There are 7 billion mobile subscribers worldwide.

Have I got your attention? Then let’s get your X-mas marketing on the right track. Here are some of the ways you can leverage SMS to bump your profits this Christmas:

1. Count down the days with a drip campaign 

Build up the hype for your Christmas sale with an SMS Drip campaign. Sounds fancy, right? It’s really simple though: a drip campaign is a series of scheduled texts designed around a goal. 

For example, you send out automated texts starting December 1st to rev up anticipation for a 12.12 Super SALE or for Christmas Day itself. You can include a link to special prices, sale items, free shipping alerts, or gift suggestions to help customers find the best possible deals.

2. Run flash sales 

Flash sales and limited-time offers create a sense of urgency, which encourage consumers to act fast. These work best when you’re offering something really valuable to your customers. Take cues from Landers:

Here, too, drip campaigns are awesome because they allow you to send messages to each person on a different schedule. For example, over the course of three days you could inform leads of an expiring discount. Whenever a new lead registers with their phonenumber, you add them to the campaign with the click of a button—and they automatically get the discount reminders over the next three days.

3. Announce the end of a deal

Sometimes shoppers need a gentle nudge to make them revisit your site or pick up their abandoned cart. For periods of inactivity, this SMS reminder may just be what they need. Here’s an example:

This could work for mortar-and-brick businesses, too. You can announce availability of stocks on sale or early store closing hours to encourage customers to shop early.

4. Introduce new products

No better time to promote a new line of products than Christmas. Customers love to be the first to try new things, especially when they get a great deal for it. 

Sample SMS template:

{SiteName}: Our Christmas Collection is here! Get them now with a special 25% OFF voucher at [site link] using code SANTA!

5. Give holiday gifts

 

T’is the season of giving, after all. A free gift, no matter how small, is always appreciated. And it will not only get more sales going but will also make customers feel special. That’s instant engagement boost for your brand! 

Here’s an example from Human<3Nature:

6. Share exclusive offers

 

Tap on the fear of missing out by offering an exclusive Christmas deal. For instance, offer a big discount on limited-edition and bestselling items, or 50% OFF for the first 100 customers.

Exclusive and personalized offers are much more attractive for customers. To find out their product interests, you can blast out a quick survey to find out their product interests. Then offer them a deal they can’t refuse.

7. Allow order tracking with short URLs 

Make it easy for consumers to track their orders. This is a key opportunity to make a good lasting impression.

At checkout, give them the option to receive tracking updates via SMS. Give timely notifications when the items have been packed, shipped, and the estimated time of delivery. As seen in the sample SMS above, tiny URLs lend themselves well to SMS messages where character count is limited. 

Also see Seek Shine’s tracking trick in the example below: 

8. Christmas competitions

With quick entry and instant confirmation, ‘text to win’ promos are the easiest way to increase brand engagement this season. 

The idea is that your audience participates in a contest to win a prize by replying to an SMS shortcode. This is a good chance for you to integrate your SMS and print marketing campaigns. If well thought out, it could generate a great deal of hype that will ultimately drive traffic to your business.

9. Extended promo for last-minute shoppers

Some customers need a bit more time to decide. Don’t miss out on potential sales with last-minute shoppers by doing an extended Christmas deal.

Send your SMS a couple days before Christmas or on the day itself to let shoppers know they still have a chance to put something under the tree.

That’s it—nine tips to boost your Christmas Sales last minute! Good luck and happy holidays!

Chenzi May is a freelance web content writer and a blog contributor. She helps blogs and business websites sparkle with well-researched, brand-consistent copy. She writes on any subject but particularly likes writing about food, finance, and business.