The jury's in – customers want you to use SMS for business communication. Not just SMS, of course, but according to PC Mag, texting is taking centre stage, particularly in the aftermath of Covid-19.
The pandemic has seen an increase in demand for business messaging channels. According to a white paper from Mobilesquared, A2P SMS increased by 77% during lockdown – it was the go-to channel for businesses. Texting for business communication is now a fundamental part of an effective marketing strategy.
SMS is one of the most direct and accessible communication channels available. Everyone with a mobile phone can receive text messages, even if they have a basic cellphone. SMS also boasts lucrative open rates (98% compared to 21.33% for the average email open rate). While phone calls are also effective, they can be inconvenient if you catch the person at the wrong time.
Using SMS for business communication offers several benefits, including:
Enhanced communication between your business and customers – and your staff.
Better response rates compared to email.
Easy integration with CRM tools and other business applications.
The ability to automate certain types of messages – which saves time.
- Being a cost-effective approach for SMS marketing – you pay only for the texts you send.
If you want to reach existing and potential customers quickly, business text messaging is a no-brainer. Business text messages enable you to effectively capture the attention of recipients and engage them in your offers or general content.
Using a business texting service for SMS texting gives you the ability to communicate effectively with existing and potential customers, without fear of getting lost in their email inboxes.
Different ways to use SMS for business communication
You can use SMS for a variety of promotional and transactional business communications. Take a look at these examples below, which all include personalisation – something you can do easily by adding a ‘tag’ or two to your message:
1. Customer service communications
If you have two-way SMS set up, you can use it to open up a dialogue with customers. Having a conversation by text is more direct and personal than replying back and forth to an email. Communicating by text is often quicker for customer service agents too. You can use SMS to administer new account registrations, send security PIN codes, troubleshoot technical issues, request feedback, confirm refunds and more.
Example:
Hi Andy. Sorry that you’re having problems with our app. Read this article to ensure you’ve not missed a step during setup. https://tinyurl.com/e7dyndzb
2. Order and delivery confirmations
SMS is ideal if you have an e-commerce business and need to send out order confirmations and delivery updates. These types of notifications provide reassurance to customers and can ward off unnecessary enquiries. Remember, text has a much higher open rate than email, which increases the chances of your message getting seen.
Example:
Hey Tom! Payment received. Your order is now being processed. We’ll text you again when your snazzy new watch is on its way. https://tinyurl.com/e7dyndzb
3. Appointment reminders
Do no-shows cost your business money? For the beauty and healthcare sectors, in particular, missed appointments are a real problem. Sending a reminder a few days before your customer or client needs to turn up can help reduce no-shows and cancellations. Read why SMS is so effective for appointment reminders.
Example:
Hello Amy. Just a friendly reminder that your dentist appointment is on 18 June at 10am. Need to rearrange? Call us on 01234 567890
4. Emergency alerts
Power outage at the office? Road traffic accident causing havoc on the motorway? SMS is the perfect option for crisis communications because the transmission of texts relies on a cellular connection (not wi-fi). SMS is also delivered more or less instantly too, making it a good solution when you need to send time-sensitive information.
Example:
Urgent: extreme winds causing tree to block road on A168. Use another route to get to destination. Get in touch with John at HQ if you have queries.
5. Internal communications
Typically, internal communications are delivered via email, an intranet or staff presentations. These methods each have their merits, but they also have downsides. For instance, emails can often get ignored, while an intranet requires a login. Using SMS for things like meeting reminders, shift scheduling, and security alerts can work brilliantly. Learn more.
Example:
All marketing staff need to be on the production team’s video call at 2pm this afternoon for new product information. Link here: https://tinyurl.com/e7dyndzb
6. SMS marketing
One of the most popular uses of SMS for business communication is for sending text marketing blasts to many subscribers simultaneously. There’s probably no faster way to send a flash sale notification, special offer, new product launch or review request than SMS.
You only have 160 characters in which to get your message across, so coming up with the creative copy doesn’t take long at all. Then it’s a matter of choosing which customers to send to, clicking a button to send, and hey presto - it’s done!
Example:
Hi Ava, to thank you for your valued custom, we’d like to offer you 20% off your next order! Enter code VIP at checkout. Enjoy! https://tinyurl.com/e7dyndzb
Working out the best use for your business
When it comes to using a text messaging service, the first step in making sure you get the most out of SMS for business communication is to identify your requirements for text messages. So, for example:
Do you need SMS purely to communicate with customers, or would employees benefit from it too? What's the primary purpose – to improve customer service? To boost sales through SMS marketing? To make staff communication more effective?
Do you need one-way or two-way SMS? The latter is where customers can reply to you.
Do you need to integrate SMS into your CRM system (or another business tool)?
How many text messages do you need to send, and how often?
What's your budget for using SMS for business communication?
Only when you've adequately defined your requirements can you work out the best way to use SMS for business communication. With no shortage of use cases, there's never been a better time to begin leveraging instant messaging and business texting services as a direct line of communication with your target audience.
With SMS notifications rarely going unnoticed, this is an effective communication channel to capture the attention of existing and potential customers on mobile devices.
Get started with SMS for business communication
When you're ready to proceed with messaging customers, it's time to do your research and choose the right SMS provider for your needs. Messente's SMS API offers a range of features that will likely tick all the boxes for you. With Messente, you'll get:
One-way or two-way text messaging service.
The option to integrate with tons of tools and applications, such as Shopify, Salesforce, Mailchimp and much more, using Zapier.
The ability to deliver secure PIN codes as part of two-factor authentication (2FA).
Personalised SMS campaigns to help make your texts more impactful and effective.
An easy-to-use online dashboard if you don't want to integrate Messente into your systems.
Transparent pricing – you only pay for the text messages you send, and you'll see how much each campaign costs before you send it.
Lots of support through our extensive developer documentation, tutorials, case studies and other resources.
The chance to try Messente for free.
To get started, create an account with Messente today (no credit card details required). Explore the dashboard and see for yourself what you can achieve using SMS for business communication.
