INDUSTRY PARTNERS
The Tall Bob team sat down with Power Retail to unpack how retailers can use SMS, MMS and email to drive loyalty, repeat purchases, and peak-season performance.
With customer attention at a premium, mobile messaging is the new loyalty battleground. We sat down with the team at Tall Bob—Australia’s fastest growing SMS/MMS messaging and engagement powerhouse—to unpack how brands can integrate SMS/MMS with email to build stronger connections and repeat customers this peak season and beyond.
Peak season is about connection, not just conversion. Retailers who weave SMS/MMS and email into a single journey, rather than running them in silos, see higher loyalty and repeat spend. Email sets the stage with storytelling and context, while SMS/MMS delivers immediacy and often prompts spontaneous action. The sweet spot for SMS is reinforcing key customer moments like welcomes, loyalty offers, cart abandonment, back-in-stock alerts, or order updates, delivering an instant nudge that drives action and sparks brand delight and repeat engagement. MMS adds visual impact to reignite emotional connection throughout the buyer journey—perfect for loyalty reminders, new-season launches, limited drops, or post-purchase engagement.
During major events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas, volume and timing become a competitive advantage. It’s not the moment to go too narrow; shoppers are primed and ready to buy. A broad reach across your engaged audience helps capture spend before competitors do. The focus should be on smart frequency and clear value, ensuring every message, whether email or SMS/MMS, has purpose and reinforces your best offer.
Outside of peak bursts, marketers can shift gears, leaning on behavioural triggers to maintain connection and loyalty. Testing cadence, creative, and channel mix ensures messages feel thoughtful year-round. We covered this in our recent webinar, including how brands are using SMS and email in sync to boost engagement, loyalty, and ROI across the whole customer journey.
The biggest mistakes we see from retailers during peak season are usually the basics done poorly. Poor data quality, limited testing, and a lack of channel planning can kill performance faster than send frequency ever will. Too many skip essentials like data cleansing, testing links and discount codes, or ensuring opt-out links work. These are small misses that add up and can cost big.
Success starts with intent and alignment. Exclude those who’ve already purchased, coordinate timing across channels (email, SMS, in-app, display), and keep messaging and tone consistent. SMS works best when it adds urgency or immediacy (early-access alerts, sale launches, or last-chance reminders) while email delivers depth and storytelling.
Too often, brands rely on email alone without realising how SMS/MMS can reinforce, not repeat. Plan the channel mix early, layer messages thoughtfully, and test before you send. As shared in our webinar, one customer ran an A/B test for an MMS campaign and saw CTR lift 50% and opt-outs drop 66% by switching a static image to a GIF—proof that attention to detail matters as much as timing.
Open rate is often used as a shorthand for performance, especially in email, but it only tells part of the story. SMS has one of the highest read rates of any channel, yet that visibility doesn’t guarantee engagement or conversion. The brands that stand out are those that treat every message as purposeful—valuable, relevant, and timely.
To keep customers engaged, focus on segmentation and timing, not just frequency. Tailor messages by behaviour, lifecycle, or interest so each touchpoint adds value rather than noise. Rotating message types (transactional, loyalty, educational, or promotional) keeps the experience fresh. MMS can further elevate cut-through with visuals that delight and differentiate.
For high-volume retail brands, frequency can still drive strong returns when campaigns are well-targeted and coordinated across channels. The goal isn’t to send less—it’s to send smarter, using data to understand when customers are most receptive and what truly moves them to act.
When SMS/MMS and email work in sync, results go far beyond opens and clicks. Leading retailers see the best outcomes when both channels speak the same language—one conversation, two touchpoints. Email builds anticipation and sets the stage; SMS delivers the timely, urgent reminder that drives action; and MMS, when visuals add genuine impact, can boost cut-through and engagement.
An integrated approach also enables unified reporting and clear visibility into how each touchpoint contributes to conversion, repeat spend, and loyalty. One leading fashion retailer saw a 733% ROI by syncing loyalty email drops with follow-up SMS reminders, achieving a 26.4% engagement lift after layering SMS into their multi-touch program. It’s not about more channels—it’s about better sequencing that turns attention into action and scales loyalty.
When brands combine email and mobile messaging, segmentation and personalisation become far more strategic. Instead of grouping customers by simple demographics, retailers can segment by behaviour, engagement level, or channel preference to ensure every message is relevant and timely. Email can build anticipation for an upcoming sale or campaign, while SMS delivers the real-time reminder when it’s live—each channel playing to its strength.
Segmentation also determines who receives which message and when. SMS can act as the first touchpoint, a follow-up to email, or a way to re-engage customers who are unresponsive or opted out of email. This coordinated approach ensures the right message reaches the right customer through the most effective channel, boosting conversions and repeat purchases while avoiding fatigue.
Personalisation also evolves beyond “first-name” tactics—it’s about context and timing. A customer browsing new arrivals might get an MMS highlight. Follow that with an email offer tied to their loyalty tier to close the loop seamlessly. When communication feels relevant and connected, it drives engagement, retention, and long-term customer value.
Peak season may lead to a quick sale, but repeat customers make great businesses. The first message after purchase welcomes them to the brand and sets the tone for loyalty. SMS can turn that moment into a relationship through instant thank-yous, quick post-purchase follow-ups, review requests, loyalty invitations, or early-access offers. Email then nurtures the longer story by spotlighting brand values, personalised recommendations, and exclusive perks.
As highlighted in our webinar with Style My Wall’s Justin Bausch and Coucou Marketing’s Alex Coussy, the key lies in synchronising both channels. Behaviour-based automation, like early-access sends, loyalty prompts, or post-purchase check-ins, turns one-time buyers into loyal customers by keeping communication timely, personal, and purposeful.
As privacy regulations tighten and new formats like RCS emerge, one principle remains: trust first. Brands must prioritise consent and clarity. Capture permission early and be transparent about how data is used. Customers engage more when they know their data is secure and handled responsibly. RCS will unlock richer, interactive experiences, but brands shouldn’t chase it for novelty’s sake. Focus on the customer outcome you want to achieve or strengthen. Test new formats thoughtfully and adapt responsibly. The brands that balance innovation with integrity will stay trusted, relevant, and ahead as messaging evolves into 2026 and beyond.
At the end of the day, the retailers winning the loyalty game aren’t the loudest. They’re the ones who balance timing with trust. They know when to make noise and when to add value; when to compete for attention and when to build a connection. The brands that listen, personalise, and message with purpose don’t just win the first spend—they win the next one too.
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Tall Bob on How Retailers Win Peak Season with SMS + Email – Power Retail
