Since the early days of retail, timing has always been crucial. In the 19th century, department stores pioneered the concept of ‘window shopping’ to capture the attention of crowds at just the right moment. Today, consumers are more focused on digital windows than physical ones, but the value of good timing endures.
Picture this: you’re at the airport, waiting to board a red-eye flight to a different city. Suddenly, your attention turns to dinner options, so you jump on your phone and search “best new restaurant [city]”.
That’s a micro-moment. You might be hours away from converting (that is, buying dinner at the restaurant you find), but that moment is a key opportunity for eateries to leave an impression.
Micro-moments occur when consumers turn to their devices to quickly act on a need—the sudden urge to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something.
As shoppers increasingly rely on their mobile devices, it’s become all the more crucial for brands to provide relevant, timely information when someone wants to learn about a product (I-want-to-know moments), find a nearby store (I-want-to-go moments), get help with a task (I-want-to-do moments), or make a purchase (I-want-to-buy moments). By making the most of those moments, marketers can drive immediate action and lay the groundwork for long-term loyalty.
Email and SMS are great ways to reach consumers where they are. Let’s look at how marketers can use these tools to take advantage of micro-moments—or even make micro-moments of their own.
Market to an audience of one
All consumers experience micro-moments of some kind, and with integrated data, retailers can capitalise on them with well-timed content that caters to individual preferences. Creating customer profiles based on factors such as past purchases, browsing behaviour, and engagement history can help marketers to make the most of the data their audience chooses to share.
Effective audience segmentation and personalised messaging can inform behavioural triggers that further enhance engagement, whether a brand is sending an email reminder for abandoned carts or following up with a text message offering a limited-time discount.
According to “The Science of Loyalty,” a report from Intuit Mailchimp, 49% of Australian consumers explore new product offerings through brand emails. Furthermore, 42% make a purchase after reading these messages. By delivering personalised content right when customers are looking to make quick decisions, brands can effectively capture these micro-moments and drive conversions. Combining email and SMS data enables marketers to craft messages that feel relevant and actionable, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Let AI help optimise your timing
By using AI to analyse real-time data from email and SMS interactions, marketers can now more easily identify patterns and predict the best times to engage. Open rates, click-through rates, and response time data can help marketers optimise and send messages during periods of peak activity, enhancing engagement and driving impact.
Behavioural analysis and historical data can also help pinpoint previously untapped micro-moments, allowing marketers to unlock new opportunities. For example, the right AI tools could benchmark your audience’s recent browsing habits against industry-specific data to identify customers who are most likely to be ready to buy—then suggest or send individual, targeted promotions at the perfect moment. By leveraging AI-driven insights to deliver messages when they’re most likely to land, marketers can significantly improve engagement and conversion rates.
Maintain transparency and build trust
If marketers are going to enhance the shopping experience with personalisation, they must also proactively inform customers about how their data is used. With upcoming changes to Australia’s Privacy Act, such as requiring clearer privacy notices and mandating that entities disclose personal information used in significant automated decisions, maintaining transparency in data usage is more essential than ever. Clear communication about how customer data is collected, stored, and used builds trust, which is crucial for retention and loyalty.
“Brand Trust in the Age of Information Overload,” Intuit Mailchimp’s most recent report, found that nearly half (46%) of Australian consumers say that brand trust and connection is the top factor influencing their purchase decisions. Sending regular updates that outline data protection measures and new privacy features can reassure customers that their information is being handled responsibly.
Providing easy access to privacy settings and offering clear options for data consent also empowers customers to choose how they hear from your brand, fostering a sense of control and building trust. But building trust with your audience often requires more than assuring them that their data is safeguarded; they need to see immediate value in exchange for that data with relevant, personalised offerings.
By consistently demonstrating transparency, prioritising data privacy, and delivering immediate customer value—during micro-moments and on an ongoing basis—marketers can build a more fruitful relationship with customers, leading to lasting satisfaction and brand-customer relationships.
Maximising customer engagement with SMS and email strategies
By integrating these strategies, retailers can create a seamless and satisfying experience that exceeds customer expectations. This approach not only enhances immediate engagement but also fosters long-term loyalty, which is essential in today’s competitive retail landscape.
Effectively harnessing the power of email and SMS can allow businesses to embrace crucial micro-moments and build stronger, more personal relationships with their customers.
Anthony Capano is regional director for Australia & New Zealand at Intuit Mailchimp.