Messaging apps now reach more people than social media:
Because of this, messaging is now ranked the number 1 channel customers want to use to engage with businesses. (Source: Twilio). And as message networks become more feature rich, this momentum is set to continue:
9 out of 10 users would like to connect with businesses using messaging and more than 8 out of 10 consumers would like to reply to a message from a business (Source: Twilio).
52% would prefer texting customer support over their present preferred form of communication (Source: eWeek)
Text is the highest rated contact method for customer satisfaction out of all communication channels, with 90% satisfaction, compared to phone on 77% (Source: CFI Group).
98% of text messages are opened, and most texts are read within 3 minutes of receipt.
So why are people messaging businesses? According to Facebook, there are a few standout reasons:
83% want to learn about a product or service
76% want to get support
75% want to make a purchase
Yes that’s right, 75% want to buy something when they message a business, so if your customers can’t message you easily, you’re missing out on sales. In the meantime, cold call conversion rates are plummeting and cold emails have a 1% open rate and 81% of tech buyers who encounter gated content don’t fill out the form.
Compare that with the open rate for a private message of 92%!
But getting through to customers is only half the story. The characteristics of messaging make it ideal for sales:
Rapid response: Research shows that responding to a new lead within five minutes of when they first reach out is crucial. After 10 minutes, there’s a 400% decrease in your odds of qualifying that lead. Texting lets you quickly respond to customer’s enquiries without having to wait around – conversations drive conversions!
Customer led: Using text messaging empowers customers to easily make the first move, contacting a brand when it suits them, on their terms. This means you’ll get engagement from customers who are already interested in your brand.
Personalized: 52% of customers would switch away from brands who don’t personalise communications, so its important to send personalised messages, offers and checkouts to specific customers and groups – 91% say they’re more likely to buy from brands who remember who they are!
Despite app saturation, the average person only uses five apps regularly and, you guessed it — messaging apps claim these spots, boasting 10x better open rates than the next leading digital channel.
These messaging platforms have huge audiences: there are over 4 billion active monthly users on the top three messaging apps.
Switching to messaging also saves you time and money, reducing the number of calls your sales agents have to make, improving support team productivity and increasing response times.
The challenge for business owners is how to handle messages from customers across different messaging services via a simple, single interface.
At Converso, we blend messaging services such as text and Facebook Messenger into a single conversation, viewed in a single inbox that can be shared amongst your team. This helps provide a more holistic service by giving you and your team a complete view of all your customer touch points.
You can also create a personalised checkout in the message, enabling you to take immediate payment and convert a sale directly from the message conversation.
This turns messaging into a highly effective sales channel!
As messaging is growing up as a business tool, it’s worth considering positioning it alongside your existing phone and email channels as a new way to reach your customers.
And with new, business friendly features, it’s a great time to build an early lead over your competition by developing your messaging presence.
To find out more about how messaging can improve your sales performance and customer experience, please go to www.converso.io
(Our private beta service is launching very soon – please click here for further info – it’s free of charge for early users!)
