34:46Retention Reimagined 2025
Retention Reimagined 2025
SMS Strategy and Community with Melanie Balke
Melanie Balke explores SMS as a channel for community, conversation, and easier customer experiences. A session from Retention Reimagined 2025.
Watch it. Put it to work.
ABOUT THIS SESSION
Coordinate SMS with email.
Melanie Balke explores SMS as a channel for community, conversation, and easier customer experiences. A session from Retention Reimagined 2025.
For ecommerce founders, marketers, and operators working on sms & retention.
- Speaker
- Melanie Balke
Founder & CEO, The Email Marketers - Recorded at
- Retention Reimagined 2025 ↗
March 2025
Speaker roles and platform examples reflect the session’s original context. This is an archived conversation.
TAKE IT BACK TO YOUR DESK
Ideas to put to work.
- 01
Coordinate SMS with email
Build SMS into the customer lifecycle instead of duplicating email sends.
Read this part · 05:46 ↓ - 02
Make room for two-way conversation
Use the conversational nature of texting to create human interactions.
Read this part · 13:55 ↓ - 03
Make the opt-in worthwhile and clear
Give customers a distinct reason to share their phone number.
Read this part · 18:29 ↓
READ THE SESSION
The edited transcript.
A condensed, edited reading version based on the YouTube captions and session chapters. Repetition and unclear audience audio have been removed; the discussion is paraphrased for clarity, rather than presented as a verbatim transcript. Timestamps refer to the original video.
Original recording on YouTube ↗Coordinate SMS with email
Melanie describes SMS as a supplement to email. For a back-in-stock sequence, the team can choose which channel goes first and adjust the follow-up based on response. The goal is a coordinated experience rather than two channels sending the same message at the same time.
Make room for two-way conversation
Melanie argues that brands should behave in ways that feel natural to the channel. Texting is built for dialogue, so replies, humor, and a recognizable human voice can be part of the experience. Her examples show how a message can create a connection as well as deliver an offer.
Make the opt-in worthwhile and clear
Melanie warns against promising an email discount and then unexpectedly requiring SMS consent to receive it. She suggests explaining the additional value of SMS, such as a separate offer or exclusive access. The sign-up experience should be easy to use and clear about what the customer is choosing.
KEEP THE IDEAS COMING
Stay in the conversation.
3 SESSIONSPLAY IT BACK. PUT IT TO WORK.
YOUR NEXT STEP: IN THE ROOM
Bring your questions.
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