Top SMS Business Solutions (And How to Effectively Implement)

SMS’s main advantages are its reach and speed. Since people usually read texts right away within 90 seconds, SMS is more reliable than email or social media for instant communication. For businesses, it can be a key tool in effective communications and marketing.

SMS business solutions offer a direct and efficient way to ensure your message gets seen. With just a text, you can instantly grab attention, whether for a sale, a reminder, a simple thank you, or a review request. It cuts straight through the noise, reaching your audience quickly and effectively.

In this article, we’ll explain how to use SMS business solutions and their advantages.

Types of SMS Messages

Businesses typically use two kinds of SMS messages: promotional and transactional.

Promotional SMS

Promotional SMS is all about providing marketing services. You’re letting a wide audience know about what you’re offering, be it products, services, or events. Just remember to get consent first and allow people to opt-out easily. 

These messages are broad, but can still be personalized, and usually go out during business hours.

Transactional SMS

Transactional SMS keeps existing customers in the loop with updates directly linked to their transactions or accounts. 

Think of order confirmations, shipping details, or appointment reminders. Triggered by customer actions, these messages cut through the noise to deliver essential info right when needed.

5 Advantages of SMS for Businesses

SMS business solutions are a game-changer for both big and small businesses due to several key benefits:

1. High Open and Read Rates

SMS messages almost always get opened, with a 98% open rate compared to email’s 20-30% at best. This means your message is almost guaranteed to be seen quickly.

2. Immediate Delivery and Response

SMS messages are delivered and often responded to within minutes. This speed is perfect for urgent updates or last-minute promotions, ensuring your message isn’t just sent but acted on swiftly.

3. Wide Reach and Accessibility

With mobile phones everywhere, SMS can reach more people than an internet-connected device. It doesn’t need a data connection, just a basic mobile signal. This means your audience is practically anyone with a mobile phone.

4. Cost-Effectiveness

Sending SMS is cheaper than other marketing methods but reaches many people directly. It offers a strong return on investment, especially considering how effective and direct SMS communication is.

5. Personalization and Customer Engagement

Based on customer data like past purchases, personalized SMS messages significantly boost engagement and sales. Tailoring messages to individual preferences or behaviors can lead to higher satisfaction and loyalty.

Key Features to Look For in SMS Business Solutions

Here are some key features to look for in SMS messaging applications:

Integration with Existing Phone Lines and Systems

It’s important that SMS marketing services work well with your business’s existing tools, including your current phone service. It is far more effective for your customers and prospects to receive texts from a number they are familiar with or expect, as they will likely respond back via text or a phone call to that number. 

While adding a separate number for texting is possible, it is often confusing to customers. It may also be useful to integrate texting with other back-end systems like CRM systems or POS services. This makes it easier to send personalized messages or updates without extra hassle.

Automation Capabilities

Being able to set up messages to send automatically, whether they are appointment reminders or sale notifications, saves time and ensures your messages go out right when they’re needed.

Analytics and Reporting

Understanding how your marketing campaign performs is crucial. Simple reports on which messages get opened and which get responses help you figure out what’s working and what’s not.

Compliance and Security

Following rules, especially for privacy and data protection, is non-negotiable. SMS solutions should help you comply with regulations like TCPA by managing customer consent and keeping data safe.

How to Use SMS for Business

SMS business solutions have become versatile tools for companies across various industries. They enable them to communicate effectively with their customers, and they offer numerous ways to apply texting , from marketing to customer service.

Marketing and Promotions

SMS marketing campaigns directly reach customers with promotions, discounts, loyalty programs, and company news. Successful strategies include:

• Timing and Frequency: Send messages at the right time and maintain a balanced frequency to avoid overwhelming customers.
• Personalization: Tailoring messages based on customer preferences and purchase history to increase relevance and engagement.
• Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): This includes a straightforward CTA to guide customers on what to do next, such as visiting a website or using a promo code.
• Engagement: Consider including images with your promotional messages to capture attention and showcase a product or special offer

Customer Service and Support

SMS provides a quick and convenient channel for customer service:

• Two-Way Communication: Allowing customers to reply to messages for help or information creates a responsive service environment.
• Automated Responses: Implementing automated responses for common queries can improve efficiency and customer relationships.
• Feedback Collection: Encouraging customers to text their feedback or questions can enhance the quality of service.

Alerts and Notifications

Keeping customers informed with SMS alerts and notifications is highly effective:

• Appointment Reminders: Reducing no-shows by reminding customers of upcoming appointments or reservations.
• Shipping Updates: Informing customers about the status of their orders, from dispatch to delivery, improves transparency and trust.
• Critical Alerts: Sending out urgent updates or warnings, such as system outages, business closures, or security concerns, keeps customers informed in real time.

Payment Reminders and Transactions

SMS is a secure channel for financial communications:

• Payment Reminders: Sending timely reminders for upcoming or overdue payments can reduce late payments.
• Transaction Confirmations: Confirming transactions via text messaging adds more security and reassurance for customers.
• Fraud Alerts: Notifying customers of suspicious activity on their accounts promptly can prevent potential fraud.

Surveys, Customer Feedback, and Reviews

Collecting customer feedback through SMS is quick and effective:

• Immediate Feedback: SMS surveys sent immediately after a service experience can capture real-time insights.
• High Response Rates: The convenience and accessibility of SMS can lead to higher response rates compared to other survey methods.
• Actionable Insights: Analyzing feedback collected via SMS can provide actionable insights to improve products, services, and customer satisfaction.
• Gain More Reviews: Text requests for reviews that include a link to the review site get higher response rates than other methods, enabling a business to improve its SEO rankings.

How to Implement Textellent to Your Business

Textellent allows companies to send SMS messages directly to the mobile phones of their customers or clients. It’s built on SMS technology, which is supported by nearly all mobile phones, making it a universally accessible communication method.

Here are the steps to start sending messages:

Step 1: Sign-up with an SMS App

First, you must sign up and get on-boarded with your new account. Often a free trial is available so you can test out different ways of using texting.

Step 2: Integration, if needed

While integrating with other back-end systems may be useful, it is not required to get started. This can be done easily with Textellent’s Chrome extension, Zapier actions, and even APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) if a deeper integration with other in-house systems is needed.

Step 3: Create Messages

You can then create promotional or transactional SMS messages. Promotional messages include sales promotions or advertisements, while transactional messages are appointment reminders, order confirmations, or account alerts. 

Step 4: Audience Selection

You can select who will receive the messages. This can involve segmenting audiences based on criteria like past purchases or opting in to receive SMS alerts.

Textellent takes this further with its Flexible & Multiple Tags for Contact Targeting. You can start using detailed tag-based segmentation as soon as a prospect indicates their interests or a customer signs up or at any point afterward. 

Tags can indicate their interests, an event they attended, or how they opted in to ensure they receive relevant messages tailored to their context.

Step 5: Send Messages

The SMS service sends out the messages at the specified time. This can be done immediately or scheduled for a later time.

Textellent’s system also offers Automated Campaigns, which are triggered based on an action the prospect or customer has taken, thereby saving money and staff time.

Step 6: Track Delivery and Engagement

Many SMS business solutions provide tools to track a text message delivery status and measure engagement, such as response rates and conversions if a link was attached.

With Textellent’s detailed reporting, you can see exactly how people respond to your messages and convert. This means you can tweak and improve your future text marketing to get the best results, making it easier to spot what clicks with your audience.

Best Practices for SMS Campaigns

To maximize the effectiveness of your SMS business campaigns, follow these dos and don’ts:

Do:

• Obtain explicit consent from customers before sending SMS messages.
• Provide a clear opt-out option with the first message and randomly after that.
• Personalize messages to build a connection with your audience.

Don’t:

• Overuse jargon or abbreviations that might confuse recipients.
• Send messages at inappropriate times, like late at night or early in the morning.
• Ignore feedback or responses from your audience.

Automate and Personalize Texting with Textellent

Want to upgrade your business communication? Explore Textellent’s features by signing up for a Free Trial or request a Demo consultation.

Find out how Textellent can simplify everything from appointment management to promotions and personalize customer relations at every point of the customer journey. Take the first step to connect better with your customers today!

FAQs About SMS Business Solutions

What is the difference between SMS and MMS?

SMS (Short Message Service) is text-only messaging, while MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) allows for sending images, small videos, and more extensive content.

How do customers opt-in to receive SMS messages?

Customers can opt in through various methods, such as texting a keyword to a business’s phone number or short code, signing up via a website form, or giving verbal consent during a phone call or service appointment.

How can SMS business solutions specifically benefit small businesses?

A small business can greatly benefit from SMS business solutions due to their cost-effectiveness and high engagement rates. These solutions allow small businesses to send targeted, personalized messages to their customers without a large marketing budget. 

Can SMS business solutions be integrated with mobile apps to enhance customer interaction?

Absolutely. SMS business solutions can be seamlessly integrated with mobile apps to enhance customer interaction.