Imagine your favorite coffee shop, where the barista remembers your go-to latte and starts prepping it as soon as you walk through the door. Your customers deserve that same level of personalization in every interaction they have with your brand.
Mobile messaging segmentation makes that possible. And it’s especially beneficial during the summer sales slump. With nearly half of consumers more likely to purchase based on personalized communication compared to Super Bowl ads, segmentation for SMS, Viber, and WhatsApp is a surefire way to reignite summertime sales.
Why Segmentation Matters More in Summer
The summer shopping landscape is unique: it’s fast-paced, heavily influenced by weather, and shaped by shifting routines. People are traveling, attending events, and spending less time online.
However, with smartphones in nearly every hand, SMS and chat apps remain effective means of reaching them.
In the summer months, relevance is everything. A customer in rainy Portland doesn’t need the same promotion as someone sweltering in Puerto Rico. And your loyal, high-spending subscribers likely expect more personalized engagement than those who haven’t clicked a message since winter.
Segmentation strategies allow you to fine-tune your campaigns, delivering timely, relevant, and personalized content that resonates with diverse audiences worldwide.
What Is Mobile Messaging Segmentation?
Mobile messaging segmentation involves bucketing subscribers into strategic groups based on shared demographics, behaviors, or purchasing history. Leveraging customer data in your CRM, you can identify distinct groups with similar preferences, pain points, and priorities.
For instance, an eCommerce brand might segment customers based on previous purchases or preferred styles. These granular details enable you to craft hyper-personalized and relevant messages that resonate with super-specific segments.
Some of the key benefits of segmenting your subscribers include:
- Lower opt-outs
- Improved CX
- Increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and engagement
- Maximized ROI
When you engage customers with tailored content that matters to them, they feel seen, heard, and valued. This, in turn, makes them more likely to make a purchase.
3 Effective Summer Segments to Use
To drive conversions this season, consider creating audience segments based on these three key dimensions:
Weather-Based Segmentation
Weather impacts shopping behavior in real time. A heatwave can spark demand for cooling products, while unexpected showers drive interest in indoor activities or rain gear.
With weather-based segmentation, you can:
- Promote sun-care products or beachwear in hot, sunny areas.
- Push rainy day bundles, cozy indoor products, or entertainment services in regions experiencing storms or cooler weather.
- Adjust travel promotions or event alerts depending on local forecasts.
Purchase History Segmentation
Past behavior is one of the best predictors of future purchases. Segment your contact list based on what customers bought last summer—or during recent campaigns—and recommend complementary or seasonal items.
Examples include:
- Recommending sunscreen to someone who purchased a beach towel last year.
- Upselling accessories to customers who recently bought summer apparel.
- Re-engaging last summer’s top spenders with early-bird VIP offers.
Engagement Level Segmentation
Every audience includes a mix of engaged, dormant, and in-between users. Recognizing this variation is crucial for sending the right message and tone.
By segmenting by engagement, you can:
- Reward repeat customers with Viber, WhatsApp, or SMS loyalty programs and exclusive perks.
- Run win-back campaigns for lapsed users with special incentives.
- A/B test subject lines or calls-to-action to improve engagement among mid-level responders.
Use Cases: Reaching Customers Where They Are, Literally and Behaviorally
Let’s take a closer look at how mobile messaging segmentation plays out in real-world summer campaigns.
Location and Weather-Based Targeting
Imagine you’re a retailer selling both summer and rainy-season apparel. By integrating weather and geographical data with your list, you can send the following relevant messages to customers based on their location and local forecast:
- Hot & Dry Regions
- Rainy & Cooler Regions
This approach ensures you’re meeting the real-time needs of your audience and increasing the chance they’ll convert.
Purchase History-Driven Recommendations
Let’s say you’re an outdoor gear brand. You can target users who bought tents last summer with mobile messaging promotions on new camping accessories or limited-edition gear.
Or, if a customer frequently buys athletic wear:
By leveraging purchase history, you turn each message into a curated experience, not just a generic ad.
Dormant vs. Active Customer Re-Engagement
Summer is a great time to wake up dormant customers or reward loyal ones.
- For Dormant Customers
- For Active, High-Spending Customers
Matching the message to the engagement level ensures you’re motivating customers based on their unique journey with your brand.
Best Practices for Summer Mobile Messaging Segmentation
To get the most out of your summer mobile marketing strategy, keep these tips in mind:
Keep It Personal, But Scalable
Use customizable templates and dynamic fields (e.g., [First Name], [Location]) to personalize messages without having to rewrite them for every group.
Time It Right
Consider different time zones, local events, and peak activity hours when scheduling segmented campaigns.
Monitor and Adjust
Track performance by segment. Double down on what works and refine what doesn’t.
Take an Omnichannel Approach
Mobile messaging is most effective when used as part of a cohesive communication strategy. Engage consumers across numerous platforms to reinforce the message and improve outcomes.
Ready to Make a Splash This Summer?
Mitto empowers businesses to build meaningful customer connections through robust communication solutions. Our APIs can be seamlessly integrated with HubSpot, Zoho, Salesforce, and other leading CRM systems, allowing you to leverage the customer data you already have.
Don’t let your summer mobile marketing campaigns sweat it out under generic messaging. Start segmenting your list with Mitto and watch engagement soar.
Contact us today to learn how we can power your summer mobile messaging strategy.
