Send an “Order Ready” Text Message via SMS Marketing
Humanity’s communications methods have come a long way since the dawn of time. We once used rocks to etch symbols and tell stories on the side of cave walls, and now we send written and verbal communications across the world through thin air.
The digital and mobile computing technology revolution, fueled by global broadband access, has shifted the preferred method of communication between consumers and businesses from printed marketing to digital, social, and SMS marketing.
What are the perks of using “order ready” texts?
Giving your customers the ability to place orders with SMS texting is a major step forward in the restaurant industry that has led to increased sales for many restaurants.
SMS marketing is quickly becoming an efficient form of engaging with prospective and existing customers to drive sales and increase brand loyalty. Companies from every industry are seeing the enormous potential text marketing offers, where your business can communicate directly with customer’s cell phone numbers.
However, offering text to order to your customers is only the beginning. Research has shown that customers engage with their text notifications at a rate of 98%, significantly higher than they do with email. It would be unwise to waste this golden egg of potential by not fully immersing your customer’s ordering experience in SMS texting. You can tap into this potential by sending “order-ready” texts.
Order ready texts improve your business’s workflow
An added benefit to order-ready texts is their impact on your workflow. Your workflow begins when an order is placed. It continues until the order is prepared, packaged, and delivered to your customer.
With more consumers choosing take-out versus in-person dining, you are faced with both high demand for food orders in the dining room and orders going out the door. DoorDash and GrubHub have mobile apps that offer online ordering, delivery services, and curbside pickup, which is not bad for your sales.
Therefore, the more you can do as a business to streamline your workflow and increase your order efficacy, the greater your success and the happier your employees will be.
By utilizing order-ready texts, you offer a simplified way of communicating with your customers that their order is ready, reduce workload and confusion for your staff, and increase the likelihood of happy and satisfied customers.
Order ready texts build your reputation with customers
There is nothing worse than getting a bad review from an unhappy customer. The restaurant industry, perhaps more than any other, depends significantly on customer reviews to drive new business in the doors.
Websites like Yelp and Google offer customers an easy platform to leave reviews of your business. Google, for example, reminds customers to leave reviews if they have location tracking on and even encourages it. Therefore, you and your staff must always be on your toes in every capacity to ensure consistent results when it comes to customer satisfaction.
It cannot be stressed enough that negative reviews can seriously affect your success. Research has shown that an unhappy customer is five times more likely to leave a bad review than a happy customer is. SMS texting order-ready messages to your customers streamline your workflow process, which reduces opportunities for delays or incorrect orders.
Consistently delivering orders to your customers quickly and correctly builds your reputation as a dependable and reputable business, and they will know that you value their time and satisfaction. Thisl leads to brand loyalty and increased sales.
Order ready texts give you a line of communication with customers
We humans of the 21st Century have very short attention spans. We don’t like reading long news articles, watching long videos, or waiting for anything. Therefore, consistently engaging with customers in their preferred communication format is a marketing strategy you cannot ignore.
Order-ready texts keep the line of communication open between you and your customers, giving you another touchpoint and engagement and another opportunity to leave a positive impression on your loyal customers.
Additionally, they will appreciate that your business has chosen to capitalize on and implement the advancements in SMS texting versus choosing to do business the same old archaic way.
How to set up an order ready text cadence
Setting up order-ready text messaging is easy with TextSanity. If you have visited any website within the last few years, you are familiar with chatbots. Our text bots work similarly to chatbots.
You can choose to set up a text message keyword campaign, which can be set up to send links, maps, or order status updates. This offers a quick and efficient means to communicate updates.
Additionally, you can create keyword campaigns that begin with an opt-in option so your customer receives multiple messages.
This would be the preferred campaign for your business because it offers you the opportunity to gain additional data about your customer and keeps the line open for further communication, such as order-ready updates.
Make your menu available via text as a PDF
For example, you may ask the customer if they agree to opt-in to additional messages using a multiple message keyword campaign. They reply Yes, at which point you may ask them if they would like a link to your online menu or a PDF to download to their device. You can add an attachment (up to 5MB) to a text message.
Give customers the option for more texts
When customers respond to your campaigns, a tag you create and assign is added to the respondent’s contact information. These are very important because they give you data that helps you categorize your customers into defined groups.
You have total freedom to develop these groups tailored to aid your marketing strategy and increase the effectiveness of your drip campaigns.
Prompt customers to leave a review after their order
The significance of reviews cannot be understated, and it is the least appreciated source of increased sales in the sales world. SMS marketing tools allow you to capitalize on technology and your customer’s preferred communication style to increase your brand’s reputation by encouraging reviews.
As we mentioned earlier, Google is usually the first place potential customers go before visiting your restaurant and the first place they’ll go after; therefore, maximizing your reviews on Google is imperative.
What’s more, reviews on Google are essentially free advertising! With TextSanity and keyword campaigns, you prompt customers to leave a review on Google, maximize your SEO rankings, and bring new customers through your doors.
What to do next
If you’re wondering what to do next, stop because you are already here! Contact us to connect with our team via text, phone, or chat to discuss how TextSanity can help you build your SMS marketing from the ground up to increase your sales, customer satisfaction, and brand loyalty.
We specialize in helping you communicate effectively with new and current customers without the hassles of traditional group text messaging, which doesn’t offer you the ability to gather pertinent data.
At TextSanity, we hate spam just like you and your customers do; therefore, you can give your customers the peace of mind that communicating through text with your business is entirely voluntary through opt-in options.
We can’t wait to partner with you and your business on your journey to success with SMS marketing!