SMS Marketing Showdown: Bed Bath & Beyond vs Pier 1 Imports
In this showdown, we break down the similarities and differences between the two brands. For more text message examples from these two brands and others, visit SMS Archives, the first search engine for SMS marketing. And be sure to check out other SMS marketing showdowns, like Lowe’s vs. Home Depot for our DIY lovers and Papa John’s vs. Papa Murphy’s for our fellow pizza fans.
Bed Bath & Beyond vs. Pier 1 Imports Text Messages: Similarities
Before we check out what these home and bath brands do differently, let’s take a look at what their text messages have in common.
Similarity #1: Both Start With Brand Name
Both brands always include their name in the SMS messages. Believe it or not, omitting the business name is a common mistake in SMS marketing campaigns. The CTIA requires all businesses to identify themselves in every text message sent.
The best and most straightforward way to include your business name in a text message is to start your SMS messages with it, as both brands show in the examples above. You can also include your company name in the message content. Either way, make sure you add your company name in every message so consumers don’t have to wonder who’s sending them text messages. Including your name can also increase your SMS message open rate as subscribers are more likely to trust your messages.
Similarity #2: Both Brands Use SMS Messages Only
Bed Bath & Beyond and Pier 1 Imports use only SMS messages. (You can see this and other stats like message frequency on SMS Archives.) SMS messages contain text without multimedia features such as GIFs, videos, QR codes, or images, as with MMS messages.
Companies can benefit from adding MMS messages to their text message marketing campaigns, especially since images, videos, and audio files help make content more engaging. Besides adding eye-catching images and videos to your text messages, MMS marketing allows you to send up to 5,000 characters and add attractive subject lines. Wouldn’t a picture of beautiful outdoor tables and chairs from Pier 1 Imports move you to make a purchase?
Bed Bath & Beyond vs. Pier 1 Imports Text Messages: Differences
Now let’s look at what these brands do differently in their SMS messages.
Difference #1: Text to Resend Coupon
Bed Bath & Beyond and Pier 1 Imports share exclusive coupons to their SMS marketing campaign subscribers, but each one does it differently. In the example above, Bed Bath & Beyond asks subscribers to send a text to retrieve their coupons, while Pier 1 Imports sends hyperlinks with access to exclusive promotions.
As in all marketing channels, it’s always important to consider your customer’s experience in SMS marketing. Adding the coupon code in your text messages makes it easier for subscribers to redeem the coupon without taking additional steps. With Tatango’s coupon code merge tags, you can reduce coupon fraud and track which codes have been redeemed and which haven’t.
To learn more about mobile coupons, check out 28 Mobile Coupon Examples from Top Brands.
Difference #2: Personalization
While both brands share exclusive offers and promotional messages to their audiences, as shown in the examples above, the text message from Bed Bath & Beyond feels more personalized than the one from Pier 1 Imports.
Many brands are vying for your customers’ attention. You need to set your text marketing campaign apart from the competition. Adding your subscriber’s first name to messages helps create more engaging and personalized SMS messages. Research shows that 75 percent of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that recognize them by name and share recommendations based on their purchase history. With Tatango’s merge tags, you can incorporate your subscribers’ first names in every text message you send them.
Difference #3: Link Previews
Both brands include links in their text messages in different ways. Pier 1 Imports includes a link preview, while Bed Bath & Beyond doesn’t. As you can see in the example above, link previews make text messages look more engaging and eye-catching!
Clickable links not only increase sales but also provide insight and analytics about the effectiveness of your messages. Through clickable links, you can track click-through and purchase rates to compare how different text messages perform. With Tatango, you can shorten your links, so your messages look cleaner and use fewer characters. When adding hyperlinks to text messages, make sure those links work correctly and that they’re mobile-optimized.
See More Text Messages from Bed Bath & Beyond and Pier 1 Imports
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Let us know in the comments if you liked this showdown and if you’d like to see more of these SMS marketing showdowns and learn what competitive brands are doing out there. If you’re an enterprise company looking to build your SMS marketing strategy, contact our SMS marketing experts today.