Less than two weeks remain until February 14th, a date that has the power to split audiences as much as adding pineapple to pizza. Some think it was a holiday created by Hallmark to sell cards, chocolates, and flowers (more on that later), while others like it.
It is undeniable that Valentine’s Day has the ability to generate significant profits for businesses, regardless of one’s stance on the topic. Previous years’ research predicts that Valentine’s Day expenditure in the United States alone will approach $20 billion in 2019!
If you’re eager to streamline your business and capitalize on this busy time of year, check out some of the ways you can use SMS to maximize Valentine’s Day. After more than ten years in the SMS industry, we’ve seen thousands of ways our customers are using SMS to improve communication with their clients, and we know this year will be no different. February can be a very profitable month for businesses in the retail and hospitality industries.
Reservations
On February 14th, couples and friends seeking to celebrate their love with a delicious dinner and pleasant company frequently flood restaurants, cafes, and pubs. Although the increase in business is great for revenue, managing reservations and making sure every visitor has a good time can place a great deal of strain on your employees.
Using SMS for reservations and confirmations will simplify things for both you and your employees. Lovebirds can use your website to make a reservation, and thanks to automation provided by our SMS platform and APIs, they will receive the booking confirmation via SMS in a matter of seconds.
To ensure seamless operations on your busiest day or night of the year, you can display this message to your staff when they arrive. Hotels are also a popular choice for couples on Valentine’s Day, and using 2 Way SMS with a dedicated number can increase efficiency for both you and your customers. Guests can make a reservation online or via text message, and they will receive check-in and other information via SMS.
Alerts and Reminders
As people from all over the world show their love for the special someone in their lives by sending them a bouquet, February 14 is a florist’s dream. As early as January, requests and reservations may begin to come in, so it’s critical to maintain an efficient system of communication to monitor everything that enters and exits.
A straightforward SMS notification, like “Hey Sam, your flowers are ready for pickup! Please pick up your order number #16 at 3 Mercury St., Box Hill by 2:00 PM on February 14th. This will guarantee that all of your floral arrangements are picked up and paid for on schedule.
This simplifies the purchasing and collection procedure for anyone wishing to spoil their significant other on Valentine’s Day, and it is especially helpful for companies who offer click and collect.
By combining your current booking application with SMS, customers will receive an SMS reminder throughout the day, ensuring that no table is left empty on your busiest night of the year. SMS may also be used to decrease no-shows and guarantee that all tables are occupied.
Purchasing tickets
Valentine’s Day is packed with activities, including concerts, art exhibits, movies, musicals, and more. As event planners choose the more ecologically friendly alternative of e-tickets, print tickets are becoming obsolete.
E-tickets sent via SMS provide your company several advantages. In addition to being inexpensive, their high level of security makes them the ticketing method of choice for customers. They make for a better customer experience because they are easily accessible to event attendees and cannot be misplaced or forgotten at home.
Another excellent method to demonstrate your company’s degree of CSR is through SMS ticketing.
An automated ticketing system can be created with SMS API connectivity. A customer receives their e-ticket by SMS as soon as payment is accepted, allowing them to start their Valentine’s Day date right away!
Making a roster
As previously said, February 14th and the days that follow are extremely busy for eateries, lodging facilities, florists, wineries, and movie theaters. You probably have more employees working during this time to assist with the increased workload, which can be challenging to handle on its own. However, you are not alone in this! Use SMS software to help with personnel rostering and let it be your Valentine.
Using MMS to communicate your staff roster is simple. Just choose your contacts, attach your photo, and press send. While it gives you peace of mind knowing they are aware of all their shifts, employees will value being able to view the roster from their mobile device.
.Has anyone made a sick call? Need someone to cover a last-minute shift? You can notify every employee on your list of open shifts via two-way SMS. Then, using SMS automation, a message informing employees that the shift has been filled will be delivered immediately after a “Yes” response.
Promotion
Have you not received the volume of traffic you anticipated for this season? There’s still time to encourage your consumers to visit and celebrate Valentine’s Day with their significant other or pals by sending them an SMS marketing campaign with a unique offer.
You may make and send out an offer that even the most jaded Valentine’s Day shoppers won’t be able to resist, whether you’re a restaurant, flower, winery, or chocolate shop.
Check out all of the other fantastic ways you can use SMS marketing for Valentine’s Day here.
Regarding the previous assumption that Hallmark created Valentine’s Day, history proves us wrong. Long before Hallmark began stocking supermarket stands with heart-shaped greeting cards, the first Valentine’s Day is thought to have been observed in 496.