Elevate your retail business with powerful location-based marketing through Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
Picture this: you’re a business owner/manager, and you’ve just gained an edge on your competition by sending a push notification offering 10% off your product the moment a customer walks into your store—tailored to them just because they’re there. Or imagine reaching nearby shoppers with a targeted SMS deal, even if they don’t use your app. No, this isn’t science fiction; it’s real – we’re talking about the power of location-based marketing, and it’s within your reach with Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC).
Here’s the truth:
Many businesses are simply missing out on these (almost) real-time engagement opportunities, even though it’s a low hanging fruit, just waiting to be picked.
In this post, I’ll guide you through how you can implement geofencing, beacons, and SMS strategies to boost sales and build customer loyalty. Stick with me, and you’ll discover actionable steps to elevate your business—let’s dive in!
1. Geofencing and Beacons with SFMC MobilePush
If you have a dedicated mobile app available, Geofencing and beacons can transform how you connect with customers, and SFMC MobilePush makes it accessible for businesses of all sizes. Before we go deeper, there are two terms that you need to know:
Geofences: Set virtual perimeters (e.g., 200-500 meters) around your store. When a customer’s phone enters or exits this zone, your app can trigger a message like “Welcome! Enjoy 10% off today!”—if they opt in.
Beacons: These are small Bluetooth devices placed inside your store (e.g., near the produce section). They send hyper-local offers, such as “Special on apples right here!” when customers are nearby.
Well, what does this mean for your business? Geofences cover the broader area (parking lot to store entrance), while beacons target specific zones (specific aisles or checkout). Setting up geofences is simple in SFMC—just input your store’s address or coordinates. Beacons require hardware, but offer precise in-store targeting, making them a smart investment as your business grows.
To start, you first need to Integrate the SFMC MobilePush SDK into your app to enable location tracking (with customer consent).
Then, here’s the very high-level simplified process of sending a geofence message:
1. Setup: Define geofences for your store and place beacons in key areas.
2. Trigger: Customers’ devices detect the boundary and alert SFMC.
3. Message: Deliver a push notification, like “Thanks for visiting! Here’s a coupon for next time.”
Pretty simple, right?
Now, keep in mind that this setup will only work if customers opt into “Always” location access in the App, and enable Bluetooth for beacons. Also, the “Approximate” location permission on On iOS 14+, won’t suffice—SFMC needs that precision on the data to make this work.
So, it’s up to you to promote the value (such as “Get exclusive in-store deals!”) to encourage location opt-ins. And you can assure your customers that they don’t have to worry – SFMC doesn’t store GPS data, which means user privacy is protected.
2. Reaching Non-App Users with SMS Strategies
Not all your customers will use your app, but you can still reach them with SMS. It’s true that SFMC’s SMS tools have limitations—real-time location tracking isn’t possible without an app, as cell tower or IP data is too broad (city-level accuracy). But, we can always learn and adapt with techniques like these:
Profile-Based Targeting: Use ZIP codes or preferred store data from your loyalty program to send SMS blasts, like “Grand reopening at your local store this Saturday—stop by for specials!” This leverages existing customer info.
User-Initiated Interaction: Encourage customers to text “STORE” to a number, prompting SFMC to request their postal code for a tailored offer. Or include a link to a page asking for GPS permission.
Journey Integration: If an app user keeps location permissions enabled BUT disables push notifications, trigger an SMS journey—e.g., “Welcome to Main St Store! Show this for 5% off.”
Still, accuracy can be tricky without GPS, potentially sending deals to the wrong area. So keep profile data updated and simplify opt-ins.
And a key reminder – user privacy is critical—include “STOP” and “HELP” options in every SMS to comply with anti-spam laws.
3. “Geo-Smart” Journeys with Entry/Exit Events
You can also take your marketing efforts further with SFMC Journey Builder, turning geofence and beacon triggers into personalized campaigns. As a business owner, this can help you nurture customer relationships. Here are some possible custom journeys that will drive great customer engagement:
Entry Journey: When a customer enters a geofence, log the event to start a journey. Use a Decision Split to check loyalty status—send a “FLASH DEAL: 15% off!” to members, and a general welcome to others.
Exit Journey: After they leave, a 30-minute delay might trigger a follow-up: “Thanks for shopping! Here’s $5 off next time.” To keep them engaged – they will want to come back to use that $5 coupon.
One thing to note: geofence triggers will default to push notifications. So, in order to use Journey Builder, you’ll need custom code—either an API call from your app or a CloudPage webhook—to log events. This will require some developer support, but it will be a one-time investment for a sweet custom journey that you can run long term.
Conclusion
You’ve just unlocked the potential of geolocation marketing to drive your business to new heights! From geofences welcoming customers to beacons delivering aisle-specific offers, and SMS deals reaching non-app users, this strategy blends technology with personalization.
So wherever your geo-location may be, thank you for reading this far—most people don’t make it here, so now you are in position to be way ahead of the curve!
Ready to implement this for your business? Share this post with a fellow business owner, or get in contact with us to explore how geolocation can boost your sales. Let’s make your business a success—together!
Want to chat about driving customer success – and making sure you’re looking at the right metrics? Get in touch! We love talking about this stuff.
