Succeed in your customer strategy with the SMS
Elsa Paparone
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Introduction
Clienteling is an essential strategy for companies wishing to cultivate more personalized and lasting relationships with their customers. It's based on personalizing the customer experience by taking into account specific preferences and purchasing behaviors. And this technique for optimizing the sales process has a key ally in SMS.
Let's find out together, in this article, what clienteling is, how to implement it on your scale and why SMS is the tool to integrate into your preferred communication channels.
What is clienteling? Definition
Clienteling is a marketing technique for managing the relationship between your company and its customers. Its aim is to provide a personalized, engaging experience for your customers. This approach is based on the definition of specific criteria, obviously differentiating them from those established by your competitors, and then the thoughtful use of this data (preferences and purchasing behavior) to create customized interactions.
Clienteling has been used for many years in the retail sector, particularly in luxury goods, where it is important to build lasting relationships with customers. The "personal shopper" is the emblem of the practice, acting as a personal consultant for the most affluent customers. Brands use the information gathered to recommend specific products, propose exclusive offers, and organize private events or personalized appointments.
Case study 1:
Mrs X recently ordered a cream for a specific problem on the website of a leading cosmetics brand. At the point of sale, the consultant who takes care of her, armed with this information, is able to offer her a personalized experience (and more): an exclusive presentation of a new product range, feedback, an invitation to the brand's next private events... All in a dedicated lounge.
💡 The aim of clienteling is to go beyond the act of selling to create an ongoing, trusting relationship with the customer. You offer them a unique experience tailored to their individual needs. Of course, this strategy isn't just for high-end brands: small and medium-sized businesses can also use it.
Case study 2:
Whether you're an independent wine merchant or run a grocery store, organize exclusive product tastings for your best customers. These events not only offer a unique experience, but also help strengthen the relationship with customers outside the traditional purchasing act.
Case study 3:
If you own an outdoor furniture store, contact your customers soon after their purchase to make sure they're satisfied. For example, if you've sold a garden shed, offer the buyer maintenance tips.
Case study 4:
If you own an independent bookshop, why not offer a loyalty program loyalty program based SMS based on customers' reading preferences? For example, offer a book after the purchase of several books of a certain genre or favorite author. In fact, this is currently the most successful business model in existence.
Why clienteling?
Today's consumers are faced with more choices than ever before. Offer the experience that makes the difference. It's all about making each customer feel unique, understood and valued. Adapt to their characteristics to offer them the most appropriate experience possible.
A clienteling strategy, based on the collection of precise data on your targets, will enable your services to propose personalized offers, reinforcing the commitment of your customers, who will feel valued. These actions will encourage them to return and remain loyal to your brand.
By anticipating their needs, you can increase your sales. Your customers will be more inclined to buy if they feel they are known and recognized, if their opinions are taken into account, if they receive timely, relevant recommendations.
At the same time, clienteling will take your brand image to the next level, because a company with this kind of personalized service shows that it cares about its customers and is fully committed to their satisfaction.
As well as personalizing and enhancing your image, you'll also be able to benefit from the feedback you receive from your invested customers. Clienteling takes customer satisfaction from start to finish, enabling you to optimize your products and services right down to the design stage.
How do I set up clienteling?
Define your buyer personas
Every effective marketing strategy (and clienteling is no exception) starts with a good understanding of the consumer. Various tools are available to help you perfect this (CRM, marketing automation tools, etc.). By enriching your database, you'll be able to make the marketing and sales decisions best suited to the profile of your ideal customer.
The next step is to draw up an exhaustive list of the characteristics of this ideal customer (lifestyle and consumption habits). Drawing up these fictitious customer files enables you to segment your customer base broadly, because remember, clienteling aims to establish preferential treatment for EACH of your customers. There will be as many schemes as there are customers.
Clienteling means drawing on all these typologies to implement strategic actions that will contribute to both business development and customer satisfaction.
Tracking data
One can't exist without the other, and tracking the data collected is essential to the implementation of any marketing strategy. Once the data has been collected, the company follows it up to personalize the services delivered to its customers. Your in-store and telephone sales staff will be responsible for updating your databases and referring to them each time they come into contact with a customer.
Choosing the right communication channels
For example, brick-and-mortar retailers can equip their stores with digital kiosks, which can be used in a variety of ways. They can be used to ask your visitors about their needs when they're looking for information, or to offer experiences that are both interactive and creative. Of course, the equipment is not there to replace human intervention, but rather to support your sales staff and help them offer an enriched experience.
The tools used can intervene at any time, before the purchase to target the customer's needs, during the purchase to personalize the offer, or afterwards to maintain contact with the customer and encourage him to carry out defined actions.
The brand must also adapt to the communication channels of the generations it targets, and make itself available to them at all times - RE - A- CTI-VI-TÉ. Indeed, your customers must be able to visit your website to discover your services, be able to ask questions from an instant messaging system - why not a mobile one? Like WhatsApp Business for example, visit your store if need be, or interact with you on social networks.
The usefulness of SMS in a clienteling strategy
A direct, personal channel
SMS is the most direct communication channel. Unlike its main competitor, email, it has an exceptionally high open rate, often estimated at over 90% within minutes of receipt. This is in contrast to emails, which can remain for hours or even days without triggering any action.
This level of engagement makes it the ideal tool for reaching customers quickly and in a personalized way.
As part of the clienteling process, SMS can be used to communicate essential information, such as special offers, invitations to exclusive events, or personalized advice based on the customer's preferences and past purchases. For example, a customer who has recently purchased a fashion item could receive a SMS suggesting a complementary accessory, thus strengthening the customer-brand relationship.
Examples of SMS :
[SenderID]
Hello [First name], we've got you covered! Join us on Thursday 15/10 from 7pm in your favorite grocery store for an exclusive tasting of back-to-school products. See you soon! 🍷🧀
[SenderID]
Hi [First name]! You're going to love our new collection of ultra-comfortable and trendy sportswear. Get 10% off your next purchase with code SPORT10. 💪👟
[SenderID]
Hello [First name], your miles are waiting for you! 🌟 Use your points for a free flight or upgrade. Check out our special destinations and book today. Thank you for your trust!
[36037]
Hi [First name], coming back to [Destination] soon? Take advantage of a 15% discount on your next flight to [Destination]. Treat yourself to a trip in style with our loyalty program. 🌍🛫
Find out more at SMS and get inspired right from the start!
An instant, customizable channel
These days, almost everyone owns a smartphone, and in a world where time is a precious resource, the immediacy of SMS is a major asset. Reach your customers directly, at any time, in the palm of their hand.
It enables companies to react quickly to events or take advantage of opportunities in real time. Inform your most loyal customers of a flash sale or a new collection as soon as it arrives. This kind of responsiveness, combined with the personalization offered by SMS (variable names, products, dates, e-mails, etc.), is at the heart of the customer experience.
Strengthening the relationship of trust
Used in a relevant and non-intrusive way, the short message helps to strengthen the relationship of trust between your company and your customers. By sending relevant messages, you demonstrate your understanding of their needs and expectations. Don't forget that this feeling of recognition and importance is essential in clienteling, where the aim is to create long-term relationships.
Use cases
The luxury retail sector has long understood this, offering a customer experience that lives up to the expectations of their demanding clientele. In fact, you've probably already had a clienteling experience without even realizing it.
Cosmetics brands are particularly fond of this, installing kiosks offering personalized skin diagnostics as part of their marketing campaigns.
Airlines also offer programs for their most loyal customers - frequent flyers - in the form of lounge access, mileage points and so on.
Conclusion
Mobile messaging via SMS or its instant messaging variants (WhatsApp Business, RCS) appears to be a powerful tool in the implementation of a customer relationship strategy. Its direct nature, the ability to personalize content and its ability to meet the need for constant responsiveness make it a privileged channel for maintaining and strengthening customer relations. By integrating it in an intelligent and measured way, companies can transform every interaction into an opportunity for lasting customer engagement, with customers becoming their best ambassadors.
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