Bi-Lo Scores With Text-Message Promo

MICHAEL GARRY

ROSEMONT, Ill. — A football-themed text-message promotion send to 6,000 Bi-Lo shoppers in the Columbia, S.C., market this past weekend prompted 38% to open the message, said Bill Nasshan, senior vice president of marketing and merchandising for Bi-Lo, Mauldin, S.C., during a presentation Tuesday at the LEAD Marketing Conference here.

The text message, sent to shoppers who had opted in to receive such messages, "reminded people about the [University of South Carolina] Gamecocks football game," he said. "It reminded them of five ways to have a tailgate or house party for the big game and picked key feature items and said Bi-Lo can make that happen." No coupons were presented.

The success of the text promotion underscored that "relevancy is what's critical" to a successful promotion — "more than just sending out a blanket coupon offer."