SMS Marketing is Your Secret Weapon for Nailing High-Consideration Purchases

Friday, October 4, 2024

MS marketing has a bad rep. You know it. We know. And if you’re like most people, when you think of SMS marketing, the first thing that pops into your mind is a simple text promoting a flash sale or a discount code. Effective? Maybe. But .. meh. So 2000.

The thing is, that just scratches the surface. And if that’s all you’re doing, you’re leaving big bucks on the table. We actually feel sorry for you (#sorrynotsorry). Especially when it comes to B2C sales for high-consideration, big-ticket items.

Here’s the thing, and we’re going to say this in all-caps because it’s that powerful: SMS MARKETING ISN’T JUST ABOUT QUICK WINS—IT’S ABOUT BUILDING TRUST, FOSTERING ENGAGEMENT, AND PERSONALIZING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. Got that?! Okay, now that that’s out of the way – let’s dive in.

SMS Marketing for B2C Brands: The Stuff No One Will Tell You

We might be biased, but we see big things for SMS marketing. It isn’t just another channel for pushing deals and (let’s face it) irritating customers. It’s your opportunity to create meaningful, personalized engagement at scale. The open rates are sky-high (around 98%), and response times are near-instant. It’s a true game-changer.

But as we always like to say, SMS marketing is part art and part science. You can’t just shoot off some well-meaning messages and expect the conversions to roll in. Particularly when it comes to high-consideration purchases.

SMS marketing for B2C brands has to blend personalization, strategic timing, and a seamless balance of AI and human touch. Why? Because consumers making big-ticket purchases like high-end electronics, luxury goods, or even automobiles require more than a discount to pull the trigger. They need personalized experiences that build trust and offer real value. Not to be pushy, but (wink wink) that’s where we come in. But more on that later.

It’s as disruptive as Armstrong’s first step on the moon or the first iPhone. And we know how that sounds. But we’re not being dramatic. We’re living through industry-shifting times that will change how B2C sales is done forever. In fact, we’re already seeing this with the work we do at Sellence. It’s exciting. It’s exhilarating. But we get that with every big disruption comes fear and resistance.

SMS Sales 101: Making this Work for High-Consideration Purchases

Okay—it’s time to address the elephant in the room. Can SMS really work for big-ticket items?! Are you ready?! You might want to sit down for this one. Absolutely. SMS is actually great for closing high-consideration purchases.

There’s a small catch, though: the approach has to be dialed in. So, without further ado, here’s our sales by SMS guide with all the things you need to know before getting started. Booyah!

Personalization is Key Personalized SMS marketing campaigns are not just “Hey [First Name]” messages. They need to be hyper-relevant. Think product recommendations based on browsing behavior or previous purchases, personalized discounts tied to customer loyalty, or appointment reminders for a product demo. The more data you integrate, the more you can personalize—and the higher your chances of conversion.
Human Touch in SMS Sales This is where SMS shines—combining AI automation with the warmth of human interaction. While AI can handle bulk messaging, follow-ups, and segment targeting, there’s still a place for the human touch. For instance, a customer interested in a high-value product could be routed to a live sales agent via SMS for a more personalized consultation. Combining AI and human sales in SMS marketing isn’t just a trend; it’s the future of customer engagement, especially for high-consideration purchases.

AI-Powered SMS Funnels AI can drive the SMS-driven sales funnel by automating the stages of customer engagement, but it’s how you use that data that sets you apart. AI can recognize buying signals like clicks on product links or replies to certain keywords. There’s also room for a human to step in to handle any complex questions or hesitations—ensuring a seamless handoff

It’s about empowering your sales team to do more in less time without burnout, overwhelm, or unnecessary smoke breaks. AI has the potential to change the game, enabling you to shift from cold calls and mass email campaigns to a more personalized approach that works. And the best part is this makes sales less salesy and so much more effective.

SMS Outreach for Big-Ticket Items: Building Trust, Not Just Transactions

Selling big-ticket items via SMS marketing starts with a different sales approach. The focus needs to shift from aggressive sales pushes to building trust and delivering value. When consumers are mulling over a high-value purchase, they need to feel assured they’re making the right decision. A perfectly timed follow-up text with expert advice or a quick nudge to check out your customer reviews can make all the difference.

And don’t underestimate the power of follow-up. SMS follow-ups for B2C sales offer an unobtrusive way to stay top of mind without the spammy, inbox-filling effect of email marketing. A well-timed text after a product inquiry or abandoned cart can give just the right amount of attention without overwhelming the customer.This is echoed by research recently conducted by AI startup Anthropic, which found that their AI models are as (if not more) persuasive as humans. In the research, the models became more persuasive with each successive release of the Anthropic model. While these findings are eye-opening, they aren’t about AI replacing or, as Elon Musk predicts, outsmarting the smartest human. That shouldn’t be the takeaway or the end goal.

Human vs. AI in SMS Sales: The Perfect Balance

Where we seem to be headed is a world where AI becomes a powerful tool or sales assistant, expanding (more like supercharging) a sales team’s capabilities. We’re already seeing this. A recent HubSpot survey found that some sales professionals use AI to save more than two hours of work each week. This will free sales teams up to focus on tasks that matter. And we think sales teams will lean on it more and more.Let’s face it: no one wants to feel like they’re being sold to by a robot. But that doesn’t mean AI should be sidelined. AI is your friend! AI-powered SMS marketing with human interaction offers a scalable way to keep your sales process smooth and personalized. AI handles the heavy lifting—automating outreach, handling routine questions, and triggering reminders—while human agents step in when things get more complex.

For example, if a customer is interested in a luxury car and engages with a couple of automated texts about the model, you could easily transition that conversation to a human agent who can discuss financing options or set up a test drive. This hybrid approach delivers personalization at scale while still providing the human touch where it matters most.

This is an emerging field, and researchers are constantly learning more and more about AI’s persuasive abilities. The one thing we know for sure is that while LLM may be more persuasive than a human, not just any AI model will do for sales. While most LLMs can convince you to be pro and anti any side of an argument, it’s also too supportive to overcome objections, negotiate, or close the deal. For that, you’d need to teach a model new skills beyond persuasion like we’re doing at Sellence.

Best Practices for SMS Marketing That Converts

Whether you’re selling low-cost items or high-consideration products, the fundamentals of best practices for SMS marketing remain the same:

Timing Matters: Send texts when your audience is most likely to engage. For B2C brands, that could mean avoiding early morning or late-night messages, especially for high-consideration purchases.
Keep it Personal: Use customer data to craft messages that feel highly relevant. Generic messages will get ignored, especially when the customer is in research mode for a big-ticket item.
Be Conversational: SMS is inherently a more casual communication channel. Keep your tone friendly and approachable.
Include a Clear Call to Action: Whether it’s a link to product details or a prompt to schedule a consultation, make sure your customer knows the next step.

Armed with AI capabilities, customer service has an untapped opportunity to increase customer loyalty and lifetime value. Instead of simply answering customer queries, customer service can use AI-driven insights to retain, upsell, or offer other products a customer might need. Think of a company that sells mattresses — customer support could offer a client who reaches out new linen or pillows to go with the mattress they bought last month.

Because here’s the thing: in many B2C sales pipelines, customer service is the customer’s main touchpoint with the company. This is often the closest you’ll get to your customers, making it a powerful revenue-generating moment. A moment not to be missed.

And, of course, there’s research to back this up. Research from Forrester found that good customer service could drive billions in new revenue across industries. What we’re seeing is how AI is blurring the lines between the sales and customer service teams. This is a move away from the siloed nature of these departments, which typically don’t work together. AI tools change this, enabling these departments to share insights and connect CRMs while working together as one team.

Wrapping Up: Boosting Conversions with SMS

It feels like we’re on the cusp of something truly revolutionary. Like we’re in the middle of a hype cycle that will change life as we know it. B2C sales is waking up to the potential of AI. And while there’s a lot of hype about AI, there are still a lot of unknowns. But we know we’re onto something. We see it with our clients whose sales teams boost revenue and cart abandonment recovery rates in a way they never thought possible. And all this transforms the customer experience for the better.

To win with SMS marketing, especially for big-ticket or highly considered purchases, you need a strategy that goes beyond a simple sales pitch. Combining AI and human agents in SMS sales allows you to scale outreach while still delivering personalized, high-value experiences that build trust. With the right mix of automation and human interaction, you can create personalized SMS marketing campaigns that don’t just convert but foster long-term customer relationships.

The future of SMS sales is about more than just convenience—it’s about offering a customer experience that feels personal, responsive, and genuinely helpful. So, while your competitors are blasting out generic promotions, you’ll be building trust and converting high-value leads with the power of SMS-driven personalization. Now that’s … baller. And that’s where Sellence comes in.

Our AI platform also suggests prompts and responses to interact with customers who are more likely to end up in a sale. We’re talking personalized interactions in real-time. None of that spammy chatbot stuff. By bridging the gap between online interactions and personal conversation, we can close more sales. And one of the best things about this is that there’s nothing salesy about it.