Marketing Agencies already have a highly evolved range of communication channels at their disposal. Digital channels like SMS, email, web chat, and bots have all provided advanced levels of insight into interactions, as well as improved convenience, speed and cost savings. But what is the next step for Marketing Agencies who want to remain at the cutting edge of customer communications?
RCS for Marketing Agencies
Rich Communication Services, or RCS, is expected to replace SMS as the default messaging app on all Android devices. Although it’s still early days for RCS, many Marketing Agencies have already started to design campaigns with the platform being the centre of attention.
As well as being able to capitalise on the fantastic 95% open rate of SMS, RCS offers a range of additional functionality to marketers. Buttons, rich cards, integrated chat, and payment facilities are just some of the tools on offer. Brands will also be able to gain “verified sender” status, which will reassure their customers that their interaction is with a trustworthy source.
This can all be done without the need for the message recipient to download an additional app – it’s all supported by the mobile device’s native messaging application.
How can marketing agencies use RCS?
Run promotions
If your client is planning a sale or wants to push a particular product/service, RCS is a fantastic way to do this. You’ll be able to include discount codes within rich cards (both barcodes and QR codes are supported as our example shows). An interactive map can also be selected by the customer so that they can find your client’s shop more easily. The customer will also be able to make purchases, specify delivery locations and receive digital receipts, all without leaving their messaging app.
Event planning
If you have a webinar, open-day, sale or any other special event to talk about, RCS is the ideal way to promote the event to your client’s customers. Start the process by letting them know about the event, then give them the opportunity to confirm attendance or even the specific time they are planning to attend.
Distribute gated content
If your client has a particular piece of content (e.g. a white paper) that they need to publicise, RCS is a great way to do this. Include document introductions, previews, images, and also a facility to capture the reader’s details, which can be fed directly into your in-house CRM system, ahead of them accessing the content.
Cross-sell products/services
Once the customer has made a purchase (which can also be processed through an RCS interaction), why not take the opportunity to show off some of your client’s other products/services that they could be interested in? After supplying a digital receipt of their previous transaction, you can use carousels to let your customers shop for items which would compliment their previous purchase. A simple way to take payments within the same interaction would then complete the process.
Collect customer data
RCS makes it easy to collect data from your client’s audience through a survey. Include images and buttons in your predefined questions and answers to conveniently collect data which can then be fed into your in-house systems.
How can marketing agencies get started with RCS?
Esendex are working with a range of marketing agencies of all sizes, on various types of RCS projects.
If you’re interested to know more about how RCS can be used for marketing agencies and how Esendex can make it work more effectively for you, please get in contact with our team today on 0345 356 5758 or email us at [email protected].
