Texting is the most effective way to reach retail customers — open rates are commonly cited above 90%, versus around 20% for email. Here's how to use it well.
When to Text
- Within 24 hours of a store visit (thank you + any info they requested)
- When a quote is about to expire
- When a product they were interested in goes on sale
- Day before scheduled delivery (confirmation)
- After delivery (satisfaction check-in)
- At the 90-day mark post-purchase (how's everything going?)
Texting Etiquette
Keep texts short — under 160 characters if possible. Be personal: use their name and reference specific products. Don't text before 9am or after 8pm. And never, ever send mass promotional texts without consent. That's not just rude, it's illegal (TCPA compliance — see our dedicated lesson on this).
Using Templates
RetailGenie has pre-built text templates for common scenarios. Use them as a starting point but personalize them. 'Hi [Name], just checking in on the [Product]!' is fine. Sending the exact same robotic message to everyone is not.
Tracking Conversations
Every text conversation is logged in the customer's CRM record. You can see the full history, which helps if a customer comes back and talks to a different salesperson. Context is everything in sales — the CRM gives your team a shared memory.
The highest-converting text is simple: 'Hey [name], wanted to make sure you got all your questions answered about the [product]. Happy to help if anything comes up!' Natural, helpful, not pushy.
Next lesson
Texting Compliance & TCPA Basics