SMS marketing has had a bit of a resurgence of late, and for good reason: it works. And far better than some other trendy channels, like social media or AI-driven website chat widgets.
SMS messaging can be used in conjunction with other methods, with the two-way approach being the most effective strategy to increase customer engagement.
Understanding Two-Way SMS Marketing
Two-way text messaging is essentially this: your traditional SMS marketing campaign turned into a conversation offering an opportunity to build relationships with customers.
Unlike traditional one-way messaging, where companies simply tell, rather than engage, two-way SMS is designed to create interaction. It’s not just about allowing people to respond, but to encourage it actively through the types of messages sent.
The idea is to build something that’s a little more personal, giving customers the space to respond to your message, ask questions about your product or service, and receive personalized support. This helps consumers feel far more connected to your brand.
The stats also support the usage of two-way SMS marketing. Let’s take open rates, for example. SMS sees up to 98% open rates, compared to just 20% for emails. These days, we’re used to deleting marketing emails without even reading them.
The Technical Requirements
Two-way text messaging isn’t done by using an ordinary smartphone. You need to sign up for an SMS provider to get access.
The best platforms enable businesses to send messages through their own setups, integrating seamlessly with other third-party services.
ClickSend’s two-way messaging option, for example, facilitates connections with customers by enabling them to reply to your messages, and it’s important to remember that around 60% of customers want to send SMS to your business. Moreover, you can track all of your conversations from one inbox and send personalized offers based on your chats. This way, customers feel seen, heard, and as if they are actively participating in your brand’s development.
How Companies Use Two-Way SMS Messaging
Companies have a range of ways in which they use two-way SMS messaging to improve relationships with consumers:
Making Customer Support Instant and Personal
Most of us absolutely dread even attempting to get in touch with customer support. You have to wait for hours on the phone, website chat programs don’t work very well or randomly stop working, and email will not result in an instant response.
Mid-Journey eCommerce Engagement
Whether it’s answering a product question or helping customers complete abandoned carts, SMS is a great way of establishing engagement mid-journey. It can help boost sales, but it can also reduce phone traffic and associated costs.
Domino’s is a good example of this method. When you place an order, the company uses two-way SMS to allow customers to confirm or modify their orders, reducing error rates and improving customer satisfaction.
Gather Feedback and Strengthen Loyalty
Marketing campaigns are often talking at, not talking with. You need to listen to your customers, and two-way messaging is a great way to make post-purchase follow-up a simple thing. It helps collect reviews and satisfaction ratings, and also provides an opportunity to rectify any issues before they get bigger.
This level of engagement also builds loyalty with customers; they feel listened to and cared for.
IKEA has performed very well with the two-way SMS strategy, improving click-throughs by 35%, increasing order value by 15%, and cutting abandonment by 20%.
The company uses a friendly tone, incorporates Swedish phrases in their messaging, and creates a consistent brand experience that encourages interaction. It makes customers feel at ease knowing they will get a response from an actual person, rather than sending messages to a chatbot.
Integration with Wider Marketing Efforts
As we mentioned earlier in the article, two-way SMS should not exist in a silo. Rather, it’s a complementary strategy that can work very well with other marketing efforts.
For example, you can use it with email, social media, and content marketing, nudging your customers towards more in-depth interactions with your brand. Here’s a specific use case: connect any SMS replies to your existing CRM or customer service platforms to get a full picture of user engagement.
Move Away from Broadcast Marketing
Two-way SMS is one of the key strategies in a wider framework that pushes marketing campaigns to move away from the broadcast system. People don’t want a corporation to simply blast their marketing messages, making them feel like they’re just a number.
No, the consumer of 2025 wants a relationship with the brands they do business with. They want instant responses and accessible customer service teams. If they have a question, a problem, or even a complaint, SMS lets you do that efficiently and at a reasonable cost.
