Latest / The Retention Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Email, SMS, and Loyalty for Repeat Customers / How a Pet Food Brand Uses SMS to Retain Through Personalized Feeding Reminders
Transcript
- Lucas: So, there's this moment every pet owner knows: it's seven in the evening, the dog is staring at you, and you realize you forgot to thaw the food. That's the moment a brand can either lose you to a competitor or win you for life. Luna: Ha, that's painfully specific. And I'm guessing some brands are actually building a whole retention strategy around that exact moment? Lucas: Exactly. And no one does it better than The Farmer's Dog. They're a fresh pet food subscription, and they've built a really smart SMS program around feeding reminders and wellness check-ins. It's not just a push notification, it's a two-way conversation that keeps you engaged with your pet's health and your subscription. Luna: So what does that look like in practice? Are we talking daily texts, weekly check-ins, what? Lucas: I looked into their flow, and it's pretty interesting. They send a reminder the night before a delivery, something like 'Hey, your next box arrives tomorrow morning.' But then, a few days after you feed the food, they'll text something like 'How's your pup liking the turkey recipe?' and invite you to text back with 'good' or 'not a fan.' If you say 'not a fan,' a human customer service rep jumps in to figure out a recipe swap. Luna: That's smart. It's not just a reminder, it's an engagement loop. And it gives them a chance to fix a problem before you're frustrated enough to cancel. Lucas: Exactly. And the key is that it's all timed around the customer's actual usage cycle, not a generic marketing calendar. They're not blasting weekly promos. They're being useful at the exact moments you need them. Luna: So what are the numbers? Have they actually seen a lift in retention from this? Lucas: The company doesn't publish specific SMS metrics, but they've shared that their customer lifetime value is way above the industry average for DTC food. And their churn is noticeably lower than most subscription boxes. The SMS program is a big part of that because it creates a touchpoint that isn't just transactional. Luna: And I bet the two-way nature is the real killer feature. A lot of brands treat SMS as a broadcast channel, but this is more like a concierge. Lucas: Right. And that's what makes it feel personal. You're not getting a generic 'Your subscription renews in 3 days' text. You're getting a text that's specific to your dog's name, their recipe, and how they're doing. That's a huge difference. Luna: So what's the secret to pulling this off without feeling creepy or annoying? Because I feel like a lot of brands would just set an automated reminder and call it a day. Lucas: The secret is in the copy and the controls. The texts are written in a friendly, casual voice, like a human friend checking in. And the customer has total control—they can reply 'stop' anytime, but they rarely do because the messages are so relevant. Luna: That makes sense. And I'm curious, how do they handle the actual delivery reminders? Because that's a moment when a lot of subscriptions fail—people miss the package and then they're stuck with a melted box of food. Lucas: They send a proactive text the night before with a delivery window, and then another one when it's actually delivered. So you never get caught off guard. And if you're going out of town, you can text them and pause your delivery. That kind of flexibility builds a lot of trust. Luna: I've seen some brands use SMS for win-back campaigns after someone cancels. Do they do that too? Lucas: They do, but they're careful about it. They don't send a desperate 'Come back!' text. Instead, they might send a message like 'We noticed you haven't ordered in a while—we've added a new recipe we think your pup would love.' It's more about offering something new than begging. Luna: So it's really about being a helpful part of the customer's life, not a nagging brand. That's a great lesson for any subscription business. Lucas: And honestly, if this conversation has sparked an idea you've actually used in your own work, that's exactly what we hope for. And if you ever want to support the show, you can at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to keep these conversations ad-free. Luna: Yeah, and even if you don't, we're just glad you're here. But it does help us keep going. Lucas: So back to The Farmer's Dog. I think the biggest takeaway is that SMS can be a powerful retention tool if you focus on being helpful, not just promotional. And the data backs that up—SMS has a 98 percent open rate, compared to email's 20 percent. So if you're not using it, you're leaving money on the table. Luna: But you have to be careful. I've seen brands overdo it and end up with customers unsubscribing or even complaining to the FCC. What's the right frequency? Lucas: That's the million-dollar question. The Farmer's Dog seems to have found a sweet spot with about two to three texts per month, mostly tied to deliveries and check-ins. They avoid sending anything on weekends or after 8 pm. It's more about timing than volume. Luna: So it's not just what you send, it's when you send it. And I imagine they're also using SMS to celebrate milestones—like a one-year anniversary or a '100th meal served' kind of thing. Lucas: Absolutely. They send a text with a little confetti emoji when a customer hits a milestone with their pet. It's a tiny moment of delight that reinforces the relationship. And it also encourages people to share it on social media, which is free marketing. Luna: That's clever. So it's not just retention, it's also acquisition through word of mouth. Lucas: Exactly. And the other thing they do well is they use SMS to collect feedback. After a few deliveries, they'll ask for a rating and a short review. That feedback loop not only helps them improve, but it also makes the customer feel invested in the product. Luna: I love that. It's a closed loop: you deliver, you check in, you get feedback, you improve, and then you deliver something even better next time. Lucas: Yeah, and that's what separates a good retention program from a great one. It's not a series of one-off messages. It's a continuous conversation that adapts to the customer's needs. Luna: So what would you say to a brand that's thinking about implementing something like this? What's the first step? Lucas: I'd say start with a simple transactional reminder, like a delivery alert, and then add a check-in text after the first purchase. Test it with a small segment, measure the response rate, and see if it actually reduces churn. You don't need a fancy platform to start—even a basic SMS tool can do it. Luna: And make sure you're collecting opt-ins early. You don't want to be scrambling for numbers later. Lucas: Definitely. Collect the phone number at checkout with a clear opt-in message, and then explain the benefits—like 'Get delivery alerts and personalized tips for your pet.' That transparency goes a long way. Luna: So what's the future of SMS retention? Do you see it moving more toward AI or richer media like MMS? Lucas: I think we'll see more brands using AI to personalize texts at scale, like dynamic content based on the customer's purchase history. And definitely more MMS with photos—like a picture of the food or a happy pet. But the core principle will stay the same: be useful, be timely, and be human. Luna: That's a good note to end on. Thanks for breaking this down, Lucas. Lucas: Anytime. And if you're curious about The Farmer's Dog, their site is pretty transparent about their approach, so you can see the texts in action. Otherwise, think about how you can apply these lessons to your own business.