When was the last time you responded to a text message from a business? Chances are you’ve gotten an SMS from a doctor’s office, a political campaign, or even from a restaurant in the last week. With only 2% of text messages going unopened, it’s an extremely lucrative channel for businesses to get the attention of their customers – especially when other channels like e-mail have a very low engagement rate in comparison.
Business SMS, or Short Message Service, is a text messaging service that allows users to send and receive short messages of up to 160 characters. More and more businesses are turning towards SMS to communicate with stakeholders, customers, employees, and partners because it is a cost-effective and efficient way to reach a large audience with timely information. Public, private, and non-profit businesses of all types can benefit from an effective SMS strategy. SMS applications such as Twilio, SimpleTexting, and others are often used to send and receive information such as appointment reminders, order status updates, flight information, and coupons.
For those of you who are exploring the idea of texting with your customers, let’s dive into:
- How to get started with business text messaging
- Advantages of business text messaging
- Examples of business text messages
Business Text Messaging: Where to Start?
There are a few different ways to get started with business text messaging. One option is to use an SMS gateway, which will allow you to send and receive text messages from your computer. Another option is to use a mobile app, which will allow you to send and receive text messages from your phone. Finally, you can also use a web-based SMS service, which will allow you to send and receive text messages from any web browser.
SMS vs. MMS vs. RCS
SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, so they are brief and to the point. This makes them ideal for sending short updates or reminders. SMS messages can also be sent to a group of people at once, making them perfect for mass communication.
Another type of text messaging that can be used for business communication is MMS, or multimedia messages. MMS messages can include images and video, as well as text. This makes them more versatile than SMS messages, but they are also more expensive to send. MMS messages are often used for marketing purposes, such as sending coupons or promotions to customers.
Finally, there is RCS, or rich communication services. RCS is a new standard that is designed to replace SMS and MMS messaging. It offers features such as group chat, stickers, map sharing, and high-resolution image sharing. However, RCS is not yet widely available, so it is not yet suitable for all businesses.
Auto-Reply: Business SMS Automation
Another way businesses can use SMS and scale communication with customers is through auto-reply, which is a feature that automatically responds to incoming texts. Auto-reply can be used to send automated messages to customers or clients, such as confirming an appointment or responding to a question. For example, if a customer texts the word “order” to a businesses SMS number, they may receive an automatic reply with a link to the businesses online ordering system. This type of automation can be a useful tool for businesses that want to provide quick and efficient customer service.
Advantages of Business Text Messaging
SMS can be used to solve a number of business problems, from increasing customer engagement to improving customer service. Here are some examples of how SMS can be used to a company’s advantage, to solve common business challenges:
1. Increasing customer engagement: SMS can be used to send and receive customer feedback, stay in touch with customers, and keep them updated on new products and services. SMS messages also boast a high open rate and click through rate, as compared with other communication channels like e-mail.
2. Improving customer service: SMS can be used to provide customers with fast and efficient customer service. By allowing customers to SMS their queries and complaints, businesses can respond quickly and resolve issues before they escalate.
3. Increasing marketing ROI: SMS can be used to send targeted messages to new customers, which can convert at a higher level than other marketing channels. SMS is also a highly effective way of reaching out to existing customers.
4. Increasing sales: SMS can be used to promote special offers and discounts, encourage customers to make a purchase, and follow up with customers after an initial meeting.
While there are pros and cons to using SMS as a way to get in touch with prospective customers and existing clients, there’s no doubt that SMS is a powerful channel that can be used to achieve a variety of business objectives.
Business Text Messaging Examples
Before you begin an SMS outreach campaign, be sure you follow business SMS etiquette rules and keep relevant text messaging regulations in mind. Here are a few examples of how SMS can be used for business communication:
1. Appointment reminders: Customers appreciate getting reminders about upcoming appointments, so they don’t forget and have to reschedule.
2. Billing and payments: Businesses can use SMS to send customers reminders about upcoming bills or payments that are due.
3. Customer service: Businesses can use SMS to provide customers with fast and efficient customer service. By allowing customers to text their queries and complaints, businesses can resolve issues quickly.
4. Marketing: Businesses can use SMS to send targeted messages to new or existing customers. For example, a business could promote a new product or service, offer a discount, or provide information about an upcoming event.
5. Sales: Businesses can use SMS to promote special offers and discounts, encourage customers to make a purchase, or follow up with customers after an initial meeting.
Ready to get started with your first business SMS campaign? Find more resources below:
SMS and Email Automation Tools
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