5 Best SMS Software for Business Text Messaging in 2024

SMS marketing is a fast, direct way to reach your audience and get your message noticed amid an overloaded inbox. While an email might sit unread, a text message tends to be opened almost immediately.

With the right text message marketing software, you can send messages tailored to customer behaviors, preferences, and even special dates like birthdays. Direct engagement with your audience boosts loyalty and increases sales potential.

In this article, we will explore SMS marketing’s advantages and how it complements your existing digital strategies. We will also list the best SMS software options and discuss strategies for maximizing the impact of your business messages.

Why Business Should Use SMS Marketing Service

SMS marketing is a powerful tool for businesses. It offers a direct and personal way to reach customers directly on their mobile devices—a place most frequently checked. 

SMS is not only used for promotions; now, it can also improve customer service, simplify scheduling, and boost engagement.

Improved Customer Engagement

Businesses should use SMS marketing services to achieve high customer engagement. Text messages have a high open rate, often reaching over 98%. This means that your target audience will see almost every message you send.

Higher Open and Response Rates

Text messages are much more likely to be opened and responded to than emails. Emails can often get lost in crowded inboxes or be marked as spam.

However, text messages are typically read within minutes of being received. This immediacy can be crucial for time-sensitive promotions or important updates.

Instant Communication

SMS marketing allows for instant communication with your customers. Whether you send out appointment reminders or promotional SMS, your message will be read almost immediately. This can be particularly useful for businesses that need to get information out quickly.

Cost-Effectiveness

Using SMS software for business is also a cost-effective marketing solution. SMS marketing cost per message is relatively low. 

Moreover, the return on investment can be impactful because it has high open and response rates. It’s an attractive option for businesses of all sizes.

Better Customer Service and Support

SMS can also be used to improve customer service and support. Providing a direct line of communication allows businesses to quickly address customer inquiries and resolve issues. It can lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.

What Should You Look for in an SMS Marketing Solution?

SMS software for business equips companies with tools designed to improve direct customer communication. Here are some of the essential features that make SMS software invaluable for businesses:

Mass Texting Capabilities

Being able to send a large number of messages at once is essential for most businesses. Bulk messaging ensures you can reach a wide audience with minimal effort.

Some platforms like Textellent even let you personalize bulk messages using the recipient’s name or past purchase history. This helps make the message feel more personal, even if you’re sending it to hundreds or thousands of people.

Automated Responses

Many SMS marketing solutions, such as Textellent, allow you to schedule messages in advance or set up automated campaigns. For example, you might want to schedule a message wishing your customers a happy birthday or send out a promotion for an upcoming holiday.

Another great feature is triggered messaging. This means certain actions—like a customer signing up for your newsletter or making a purchase—can automatically trigger an SMS response.

Two-Way Messaging

Two-way messaging allows customers to reply to your messages, opening up a direct line of communication. This is particularly helpful for customer service or getting quick feedback.

If you’re sending out a survey or asking for input on a new product and receiving real-time responses—it’s much more interactive than traditional marketing methods.

If you’re using SMS for customer support, this feature is even more critical. Customers can reach out with questions or concerns, and your team can respond directly in the same thread.

Segmentation and Targeting

Not all customers are the same, and your SMS marketing should reflect that. A great platform will allow you to segment your SMS contact list, where you can group customers based on their behaviors, interests, or demographics.

For example, you might have one segment for customers who recently made a purchase and another for those who haven’t bought anything in six months. This way, you can send more relevant messages to each group.

Targeted messaging often leads to better results because you’re speaking directly to the needs or interests of each segment.

Integration with CRM Systems

Integration with customer relationship management (CRM) systems is another essential feature. SMS CRM allows businesses to sync their customer data across platforms to ensure messages are sent to the right people at the right time.

Integration can also help track customer interactions and improve the overall customer experience.

Ease of Use

Nobody wants to spend hours figuring out how to use new software. Your SMS marketing solution, such as Textellent, should be intuitive and easy to navigate.

A good platform will also offer helpful customer support, just in case you run into any issues. Many companies provide live chat or a support hotline, so be sure to pick a solution that has strong customer service.

Analytics and Reporting Tools

Understanding the performance of your SMS campaigns is essential. These reports show whether your messages were successfully delivered, failed, or even blocked by carriers.

Tracking delivery rates allows you to quickly identify issues like incorrect phone numbers or carrier problems and address them immediately.

Being able to see delivery rates in real-time can also help you optimize your future campaigns. If certain types of messages are being blocked or undelivered, you can tweak your strategy to improve your success rate.

Compliance with Regulations

Compliance with TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) regulations is important for any SMS marketing. This guarantees that your business is only sending messages to people who have agreed to receive them.

It’s also crucial that your SMS platform automatically handles unsubscribe requests. Nothing ruins a good marketing strategy like being labeled as spam or receiving legal complaints. 

A compliant SMS solution will protect you from these headaches by keeping everything above board.

Common Use Cases of SMS Software

SMS software can be used in various ways to enhance business operations. Here are some common use cases:

Marketing Campaigns

SMS marketing campaigns can include promotional offers, discounts, and special events. For example, a retail store might send a text message with a limited-time discount code to encourage customers to visit their store or website.

Appointment Reminders

Healthcare providers, salons, and other appointment-based businesses can send automated reminders to clients and even provide links to speed up the check-in process. This helps ensure that appointments are kept, reduces the likelihood of missed appointments, and ensures that they run smoothly.

Order Confirmations and Updates

E-commerce businesses can use SMS to update customers with order confirmations and shipping notifications. It keeps them stay informed about their order status and improves the customer experience.

Event Notifications

Organizations can use SMS to notify attendees about upcoming events, schedule changes, or important announcements. This ensures that participants are well-informed and engaged.

Build vs. Buy: Which SMS Solution is Right for Your Business?

Building a custom SMS marketing solution offers complete customization and control over features, integrations, and scalability. However, it requires significant investment in time, money, and technical expertise, with ongoing maintenance and updates handled by your team.

Buying an out-of-the-box solution provides immediate usability, addressing most marketing needs without development delays. It integrates well with essential tools in your MarTech stack and is a cost-effective and time-efficient option for many businesses.

When deciding between these two solutions, businesses should weigh several factors:

• Does your business require specific features that only a custom solution can provide?
• Are you prepared for the upfront costs of building versus the ongoing subscription fees of buying?
• Do you need to deploy your SMS marketing quickly?
• Do you have the technical expertise and resources to build and maintain a custom solution?
• Will the solution need to scale significantly in the near future?
• How well does the solution integrate with your existing MarTech stack?

Introducing Textellent

To overcome the risks associated with building a custom solution, consider partnering with a leading customer engagement platform like Textellent. 

Textellent provides robust, ready-to-use SMS marketing tools that integrate seamlessly with your existing systems. This platform offers the customization and scalability needed for effective SMS marketing without the high costs and resource demands of building from scratch. 

Top 5 Best SMS Marketing Software in 2024

Choosing the right SMS marketing platform can impact your business’s SMS marketing strategy. Here, we compare the best SMS marketing tools in 2024 with their advantages and drawbacks.

1. Textellent

Textellent stands out as the best SMS software for businesses with its set of features that make it easy to automate, personalize, and simplify communication.

Unlike many other SMS marketing services, Textellent integrates seamlessly with the tools your business already uses, from calendars to customer lists.

Key Features of Textellent

One of the standout features is its ready-made campaigns, which allow you to configure and launch SMS campaigns without any technical skills. You can also set up drip campaigns that automate messaging, keeping your audience engaged over time with minimal effort.

Textellent’s list growth tools make it easy for customers to subscribe by texting a specific keyword. It includes an advanced scheduling app where customers can book appointments or make reservations with ease.

Managing communications is hassle-free with Textellent’s management tools, which allow you to filter messages by name, tag, incoming, outgoing, and more. To reduce no-shows, automated reminders ensure customers don’t miss appointments or events.

For large-scale messaging, Textellent supports bulk messaging using shortcodes. You can easily provide updates or promotions to thousands of contacts at once.

Textellent also offers two-way communication, with free incoming messages, allowing you to engage directly with customers. It even supports MMS with a media library, so you can send images or use pre-built templates to make your messages more visually appealing.

This automated text message service offers seamless integration with apps like Zapier, and direct APIs let you connect Textellent to your existing business tools. You can text-enable your landline or VOIP lines for added convenience.

Textellent provides unlimited tagging to help organize and segment your audience with ease, as well as automatic replies to handle sales or customer inquiries. 

Plus, it ensures 10DLC compliance and works directly with phone carriers to resolve any issues.

Pricing Plans

This automated SMS service offers flexible pricing plans to suit businesses of all sizes.

• The 14-day Free Trial includes one user and 50 SMS credits.
• For more frequent messaging, the Essentials plan is $49/month with one user and 750 SMS credits.
• The Standard plan, at $99/month, includes two users and 2,000 SMS credits, perfect for larger campaigns.
• For businesses with unique needs, the Premium Custom plan offers customizable options for users and SMS credits.

Cut your SMS costs and try Textellent with a free trial, or request a demo consultation today!

2. Twilio

Twilio is a development platform with tools to build out text messaging services that provide a flexible API that lets businesses integrate various communication methods into their services, including SMS.

Image Source: twilio.com

Pros

• Allows businesses to build the custom functionality they need
• Only allows execution of code from Twilio requests
• Some features built within the Twilio console, including the Twilio Node.js Helper Library
• Provides a familiar development setting using Node 14

Cons

• Users who encounter 10DLC registration difficulties have limited support
• Requires technical knowledge and resources to implement
• Requires technical staff to maintain the code
• Costly if the business needs to switch to another service
• Costly for large-volume use
• Charges for incoming messages

Twilio offers a flexible pay-as-you-go pricing model starting at $0.0079 per message, with volume discounts and customizable solutions for businesses with extensive messaging needs.

3. EZ Texting 

EZ Texting is a pre-built texting application known for its user-friendly interface and focus on simplicity. This SMS messaging app is a great choice for small- to medium-sized businesses that are starting with SMS marketing.

Image Source: eztexting.com 

Pros

• Access a suite of tools for crafting and sending SMS messages
• Use customizable templates for multimedia messaging
• Easily integrate with other systems via API
• Hi-Volume lines available

Cons

• Limited advanced features for scaling
• Basic automation tools

EZTexting Pricing

• The Launch Plan is $25/month for up to 500 contacts.
• The Boost Plan starts at $75/month for 500 to 2,000 contacts.
• The Scale Plan begins at $125/month for 2,000 to 50,000 contacts.
• For businesses with over 50,000 contacts, the Enterprise Plan starts at $3,000/month.

4. TextMagic

TextMagic provides a versatile text messaging service with strong tools for both inbound and outbound SMS campaigns.

Image Source: textmagic.com

Pros

• Extend communication through SMS, email, and voice services
• Send messages to thousands of recipients simultaneously with a single click
• Builds lists through smart import features

Cons

• Higher pricing for premium features
• Limited support for smaller businesses

TextMagic Pricing

• The Essential Plan is pay-as-you-go at $24.50 for 500 texts, ideal for occasional messaging.
• For consistent use, the Professional Plan starts at $80/month for 2,000 texts.
• For high-volume needs, the Connect Plan starts at $100/month for 10,000 texts and integrates with providers like Twilio or Vonage.

5. SimpleTexting

SimpleTexting is a text message marketing platform emphasizing customer engagement through text messaging campaigns and SMS surveys.

Image Source: simpletexting.com

Pros

• User-friendly platform
• Good integration capabilities
• Strong analytics tools
• Effective automation features

Cons

• Limited customization options
• Can be expensive for high-volume users

SimpleTexting offers various monthly plans beginning at $39 for 500 credits, with options scaling to custom enterprise solutions for higher volumes.

How to Choose the Right SMS Software for Your Business

Selecting the appropriate SMS software for your business will impact your marketing and communication strategies. Here are the key factors to consider when choosing an SMS software solution:

Understand Your Business Requirements

Begin by identifying the primary goals you hope to achieve with SMS software. 

Whether it’s to improve customer service, boost marketing efforts, or simplify communications such as appointment scheduling, understanding your specific needs will help you pinpoint the most important features of your business.

Assess the Ease of Use

The SMS software you choose should be intuitive and user-friendly. Look for a platform your team can quickly adapt to without extensive training. 

An interface that is easy to navigate will help your team use the software efficiently, reducing the learning curve and minimizing potential operational errors.

Consider Your Budget

Evaluate the cost of different SMS software options. Consider the upfront costs and ongoing expenses, such as fees for additional messages or advanced features. 

Choose a pricing model that fits your budget while offering the needed functionalities.

Check Integration Capabilities

Ensure that the SMS software can integrate seamlessly with your existing business systems, such as your CRM or email marketing platforms. 

Effective integration will simplify your workflows and trigger many of your messages automatically.

Evaluate Scalability

Your chosen SMS software should be able to grow with your business. Without performance issues, it should support increasing demands, such as more users and higher message volumes. 

Scalability is key to accommodating your business’s growth without switching platforms.

Support and Compliance

Opt for software that offers reliable customer support. This is crucial for troubleshooting and getting help when you need it. 

Additionally, the software must comply with relevant regulations, such as TCPA, in the United States. It protects your business from legal issues and safeguards customer data.

Why Switch to Textellent’s SMS Solutions?

What sets Textellent apart from different SMS marketing platforms is the availability of ready-made templates and campaigns.

Their ready-made templates and campaigns save you time and hassle, allowing you to launch professional messaging campaigns without starting from scratch.

Textellent’s user-friendly interface means your team can get up to speed quickly. No steep learning curve here – just quick, efficient tools that help you get results fast.

The platform’s comprehensive analytics and reporting tools also give you insights on how to track your campaigns and make smart, data-driven decisions.

Textellent is more than SMS software; it’s a complete solution for boosting business communications and customer engagement.

How to Integrate Textellent into Your Existing Systems

Integrating Textellent into your business operations is a quick process that simplifies communication and increases customer engagement. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:

Step 1: Get On Board with Textellent

First, sign up for a Textellent account. Fill in your business details and choose a plan that fits your needs. Textellent offers flexible pricing plans tailored to various industries.

If you’re an accountant or tax professional, there’s a special calculator to estimate your costs.

Step 2: Consider Integration Options

Textellent’s text messaging service can be integrated with your existing website or CRM system. This setup allows for SMS marketing automation, such as sending texts based on specific customer actions on your site. 

Check out the API guide on Textellent’s website or contact their support team for assistance with the integration process.

Step 3: Craft Your Message

Log into your Textellent dashboard and draft your SMS using the message creation tool. 

Keep it concise and aligned with your marketing goals. Personal touches and images can make your messages feel more special and engaging.

Step 4: Choose Your Recipients

Select who will receive your message by filtering your audience based on previous interactions or manually selecting contacts. Tags can be used to represent a variety of information, including events attended, products purchased, preferences, and more.

Ensure you have consent from your contacts to comply with SMS regulations, which helps maintain trust and legal compliance.

Step 5: Schedule Your Message

Decide when to send your message. With Textellent, you can send messages immediately or schedule them later. 

Consider when your customers are most likely to read it—timing can significantly impact engagement.

Step 6: Track and Tweak

After sending your message, monitor its performance and keep an eye on delivery rates, open rates, and responses. Use this data to refine your future messages and improve your SMS campaigns continually.

Ready for Effective SMS Marketing? Switch to Textellent!

Want to improve your customer engagement effortlessly? Textellent offers easy-to-use texting features, affordable plans, and reliable support.

Textellent offers seamless integration and powerful tools to make your SMS campaigns more impactful. 

Don’t let complex systems slow you down. Choose Textellent for a quick, effective way to boost your marketing.

Sign up for a free trial or request a demo consultation today.

FAQs About SMS Software for Business

What types of messages are most effective with SMS software?

Effective SMS messages are typically concise and clear and include a call to action. They might be promotional (e.g., sales, discounts), informational (e.g., product updates, news), or transactional (e.g., order confirmations, appointment reminders).

Personalizing these messages to the recipient’s previous interactions with the business can further enhance their effectiveness.

How do businesses typically get started with SMS software?

Businesses usually sign up with a provider, configure their account settings, import contact lists, and create their first messaging campaign. Many providers offer tutorials or onboarding sessions to help new users understand the platform.

Is there a no-obligation trial period so I test it out?

Yes, Textellent offers 2 weeks to try out the service for free. You will still need to have your account registered with the carriers, but that process is easy and painless and is intended to prevent spammers from accessing the service. 

At the end of two weeks, if you are not satisfied, you can stop the service.