Why Text Messaging Services is A Must-Have For Franchisors

Franchising offers entrepreneurs a reliable way to start a business backed by a proven model. Whether your brand offers van-based franchises, home services, or food franchises, the success of your franchisees depends on implementing exceptional marketing strategies.

Among all the options, text messaging services have become a standout choice for getting the word out effectively. 

How Effective is SMS Marketing for Businesses? 

SMS marketing offers a direct line of communication with customers who have willingly shared their contact details and have opted-in to receive text messages. 

This direct access allows franchisors to design campaigns to disseminate information and promotions efficiently, capitalizing on the proximity and immediacy of text messages. 

Moreover, the read rate of SMS messages far surpasses that of emails, ensuring a higher likelihood of engagement from recipients.

Types of Text Messaging Services 

SMS (Short Message Service) 

SMS (Short Message Service) allows text messages of up to 160 characters to be sent without an internet connection. Its main limitation is that it supports text only, without the ability to send multimedia content. 

Businesses broadly use SMS to send alerts, reminders, and updates. It’s also commonly used for security through one-time passwords (OTPs) for identity verification. 

Additionally, companies spread promotional messages through SMS, which makes it a practical communication tool. 

MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) 

MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) expands on SMS by allowing you to send images, videos, and sound clips. This feature enhances communication with more detailed and expressive messages. 

With MMS, sharing visual moments or important information becomes simple and offers more engaging communication than SMS’s text-only format. 

Benefits of SMS Marketing for Franchisors 

Why should franchisors invest in text Messaging and marketing for franchisees? Here are some great reasons. 

Lead Generation and Lead Nurturing 

Mass texting is a great way to gather new leads. Franchisees can post a web form on their site for inquiries. Adding an option for customers to include their mobile number and consent to receive texts is simple. 

If needed, you could offer an incentive that if they agree to receive text messages, they will get “text-only” offers. Additionally, it’s easy to incorporate text-in keywords on marketing materials like door hangers, lawn signs, and online ads. 

You can start a conversation by encouraging prospects to text a keyword like “Join” for special discounts or trials. Then, you can use follow-up texts and drip campaigns to keep them engaged and nurture those leads. 

Optimal Reach 

SMS and MMS marketing allow brands to send messages directly to an interested audience. Using a list of customers who’ve opted in for texts, franchisors can customize their messages based on customer preferences and past purchases. 

This customized approach helps make their marketing more effective and leads to better conversion rates and sales. 

High Read and Response Rates 

One big perk of text message marketing is its effectiveness at grabbing people’s attention. With 98% of text messages being viewed and read within minutes of receipt, franchisors can rest assured that they reach their intended recipients. 

This high level of engagement translates to faster customer responses, whether redeeming a promotional offer, participating in a survey, making a purchase, or leaving a review. 

Compared to traditional email marketing, which typically has much lower open rates, SMS and MMS marketing offer more direct and immediate communication with customers. In fact, SMS marketing campaigns generate nearly a 6 times higher order rate than email campaigns.

Unparalleled Customization 

Text marketing allows franchisors to create and distribute personalized marketing campaigns to every subscriber. Using customer data, messages can cater to individual preferences, enhancing customer experience. 

Whether it’s addressing customers by name, referencing past purchases, or sending personalized offers from the franchisees’ owners or staff, this level of customization adds a personal touch to the communications and fosters stronger connections with customers.

In addition, it is always recommended to add texting to the existing business phone numbers locally so that customers start to recognize that number when they receive texts.

Cost-effectiveness 

SMS marketing is a highly cost-effective marketing method, especially when compared to traditional forms of advertising such as print or television ads. The low cost per message and high response rates mean that franchise owners can achieve a significant return on investment from their SMS marketing campaigns.

Additionally, SMS marketing eliminates the need for costs associated with other forms of outreach, further reducing overall marketing expenses. This cost-effectiveness makes SMS marketing an attractive option for franchisors to offer franchisees that will maximize their marketing budget and generate measurable results.

Ease of Implementation 

Implementing SMS marketing campaigns is easy and requires minimal resources. Franchisors can develop brand-approved campaign templates and media for use by franchisees that can easily be shared across the franchise system. 

Implementing existing customer segments so that franchisees can send targeted messages quickly and efficiently is always useful. It is also important to allow them to make minor modifications to localize the SMS campaigns. 

With the right mass texting service, franchisors can execute national campaigns for their franchisees, saving the franchise owners and their staff even more time. They can create, schedule, and track campaigns, including click-through and conversion rates. Local franchisees get similar tools. 

This ease of use makes SMS marketing practical for all, from new to established brands. 

Enhanced Customer Engagement 

SMS marketing allows instant customer communication, boosting engagement and interaction. Text messaging can be used to provide timely updates, exclusive offers, and personalized recommendations, keeping customers informed and involved to drive even more conversions.

This opens the door for a real conversation, where customers can share their thoughts, questions, or feedback. Listening to what they have to say helps you understand what works and what doesn’t. Therefore, you can make your marketing even better and more in tune with what they want.

Increased Sales and Revenue 

The main goal of marketing is to drive sales and generate revenue. Text messages’ high read and response rates help franchisors directly promote deals and products, which encourages purchases. Announcements, discount codes, or loyalty invites can notably increase sales. 

Additionally, by tracking key metrics such as conversion rates and ROI, franchisors can measure the success of their SMS marketing campaigns and make data-driven decisions to optimize future efforts for even greater results.

Compliance and Privacy 

With increasing regulations surrounding data privacy and consumer protection, franchisors must ensure that their SMS marketing campaign complies with relevant laws and regulations. 

Fortunately, SMS marketing platforms help franchisors stay compliant and protect customer privacy. They ensure explicit consent before messaging, offer opt-out options and manage subscriptions to show commitment to customer preferences and legal standards. 

Texellent’s Franchisor Module offers additional compliance controls using sentiment analysis, cadence, volume controls, and more to ensure that individual franchisees don’t step outside the appropriate guidelines. This further protects the brand from any potential TCPA violations.

Grow Faster with Textellent’s Franchise-Focused Texting Solutions

As a franchisor, it’s crucial to create marketing strategies that work well and can be easily adopted by franchise owners. While traditional marketing methods still hold value, newer strategies can help customers build better interactions with your brand. 

Text messaging and SMS marketing are quickly becoming prominent among these approaches. They’re simple but effective for making connections with customers. 

Textellent, a leading provider of SMS marketing solutions, was founded by franchise veterans and offers a franchisor module specifically tailored to franchisors’ needs. This SMS service enables franchisors to develop brand-compliant messages and campaign templates to ensure consistency across all franchisees. 

Moreover, franchisors can effortlessly publish and edit these templates for franchisees, providing them with valuable marketing resources to drive business growth. 

Explore Textellent’s features by signing up for a Free Trial or request a Demo consultation.

Conclusion 

Text messaging services like Textellent allow you to schedule mass text messages in advance from the web or the iOS and Android Textellent app. This feature is useful for planning marketing campaigns, sending appointment reminders, or ensuring messages are sent at the most effective times. 

Investing in SMS marketing services boosts franchisors’ marketing. SMS marketing helps engage customers, increase sales, and build brand loyalty for franchisees. 

As consumer preferences change, adopting SMS and MMS marketing into your brand is crucial to staying competitive. 

FAQs About Text Messaging Services 

Can I personalize text messages for each recipient? 

Yes, many mass texting services let you personalize messages. You can include the customer’s name, special offers, and more to make each message feel custom-made for the person receiving it.

What is an SMS  API, and how does it work? 

An SMS  API allows applications to send and receive SMS messages through a programming interface. It automates SMS notifications, alerts, and marketing messages directly from applications or websites.