Direct answer
Text the customer within 24 hours of a store visit, then at the moments that carry real information: when a quote is about to expire, when a product they looked at goes on sale, the day before delivery, right after delivery, and around the 90 day mark. Keep each message under about 160 characters, use their name, and name the exact product instead of writing "your order." Send only between 9am and 8pm. Mass promotional texts are a different category and require the customer's consent first, which is a legal requirement rather than a courtesy.
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 (see our dedicated TCPA compliance lesson).
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.
Frequently asked questions
What should I text a customer after they visit my store?
Keep it short and useful: check that they got their questions answered and name the specific product they looked at. Something like "Hey [name], wanted to make sure you got all your questions answered about the [product]. Happy to help if anything comes up" reads as natural and helpful instead of pushy. Send it within 24 hours of the visit, along with any information you promised to look up for them.
Should I use text templates or write every message myself?
Use templates as a starting point, then personalize before you send. A template filled in with the customer's name and the exact product they were considering is fine; the identical robotic message going out to everyone is not. RetailGenie has pre-built text templates for common scenarios, so you are not starting from a blank box every time, but the personal part is still your job.
How do texts help when a customer comes back and talks to a different salesperson?
Every text conversation is logged on the customer's CRM record, so whoever greets them next can read the full history first. That keeps the customer from repeating their whole story and keeps two salespeople from giving different answers about the same quote. When your staff work different shifts, that shared record is what keeps the second conversation as informed as the first.
Next lesson
Texting Compliance & TCPA Basics