Don’t get left behind … find your unicorns in a sea of donkeys! In today’s world, so many businesses are competing to garner more prospects, keep existing customers and create conversions.
With all the marketing tools available, how do you stay ahead of the game and create game changing marketing strategies? We’ve got the answer… text message marketing!
This guide takes you through the what’s, why’s and how’s of business text messaging.
Business text messaging is at the forefront and our goal is to help you grow your business.
Table of Contents
• What Is a Business Text
• How Do Businesses Use Text Messages
• How to deploy a text message marketing campaign
• Are text messages important for businesses
• Top reasons why businesses are turning to SMS in 2022
• What are the advantages of using texting for business
• How SMS marketing can help businesses
• How do businesses grow their text opt-in list
• How do businesses send out mass texts
• What is the best text messaging service for business
• What is the role of text messaging for businesses
Let’s start with the “What?” of business text messaging.
What is a business text?
Business text messaging is a quick and easy way for a business to create a two-way conversation directly with the customer.
After the customer has chosen to opt-in for business text messaging, the company can begin sending SMS messages to the customers mobile device, which can include offers and discounts, types of surveys and customer feedback, order updates and more.
This two-way communication allows the customer to receive information immediately and act quickly.
It’s time to talk about the “How” of business text messaging.
How do businesses use text messages?
Whether you’re a small business owner, a creator or influencer, an in-house marketer or an agency, business text messaging should be used by everyone! There are several ways a business can utilize SMS messaging; here are a few common use cases:
- Lead enrichment: Qualified leads coming through for unicorn lead detection
- Customer feedback: Surveys and polls that allows customers to provide feedback on products, services and communications
- Promotions and offers: Communication quickly with Incentives, promotions and sales
- Pre-and-post sales communication: Customers can stay up to date with their purchase(s), and get any questions answered to help them make a purchase
Business text messaging can be done through contact growth tools, engagement campaigns (blasts), drip sequences (time automations) and more.
And of course, the contact database and it’s connections to the rest of your marketing stack.
Not only can doing SMS marketing set your business up for success but the growth potential is huge as well. Take a look at some tips below to help you create a successful SMS marketing campaign:
Tips on how to deploy successful business text messaging marketing campaigns
- Create a unicorn SMS campaign that is sure to catch your reader’s attention
- Personalize your text message marketing campaigns
- Deploy an SMS drip campaign to keep your customers engaged
- Leverage SMS marketing as another touchpoint to your customers
- Time your messaging in the customers specific time zone
For more tips, check out our 10 super effective SMS marketing tips and best practices.
Now for the “Whys” of business text messaging and why it is important in 2022.
Is business text messaging important in business communication?
In short, Yes! Why, you ask… SMS messaging is not only just another touchpoint to reach your customer but 99% of text messages are opened, out-beating email drastically (typically the average open rate is between 10-30%). Let us share just a few reasons why businesses are using SMS.
Top reasons why businesses are turning to SMS in 2022
- 1:1 relationships
- Simplicity of messaging (short and sweet)
- Best-in-class targeting (you’ll get their location/time zone from your sms platform) and you can actually ask people what they’re interested in and personalize their customer journey and the offers you send to them
- Opt-in channel allows for re-engagement
- Elite engagement rates
What are the advantages of using business text messaging?
Everyone is looking for that quick win, right? Expectations have been set with business text messaging knowing that you are reaching the customer quickly and efficiently.
Think about it, it only takes a few seconds to send a text… and another few seconds for someone to respond (because we know most mobile phone users look at their phones up to 63 times a day ?).
Take a look at a few ways SMS marketing can help your business.
How SMS marketing can help businesses:
- Grow qualified leads
- Increase your website traffic
- Educate and nurture in the journey
- Drive revenue through promotions
- Create customer loyalty and repeat business
Now that we’ve covered the what, how and the why of business text messaging, let’s dive into how to grow your text messaging business.
How do businesses grow their text opt-in list
How can you get more subscribers? Utilize our list below and you’re on your way to a great start!
- Connecting to your website popups
- CRM integration
- Upload lists
- Keyword opt-in with incentives
- Connecting your social media popups
- Include SMS opt-in wherever you run ads
- Offer status updates, promotional offers, news, etc. at check out with an opt-in option
It’s important to call out again that you need the customer’s permission to start sending business text messages to them.
How do businesses send out mass texts
Small, medium, large businesses… creator, influencer… it doesn’t matter the size of your business, anyone can send out mass text messages easily through a visual campaign builder and customer management platform.
Utilizing a platform like Customers.ai gives you the ability to schedule and automate based on the customer’s location/time zone:
You can also view all the conversations in an inbox where you can reply, tag or assign conversations for follow-up:
What is the best business text messaging service for business
Shopping for a text message platform for your business? We’ll provide you with some of the most important features to look for.
When you’re evaluating an SMS tool you will want to consider which of these features will need to meet the needs of your business:
- SMS opt-in from: a website popup, Instagram and ads
- Contact Uploader
- SMS blast
- Drip campaign sequences
- Unicorn lead detection
- Audience segmentation and tagging
- Message personalization
- Text-to-call forwarding
- CRM & email integration
- SMS Customer survey
For a complete list of 22 of the best text messaging apps for business SMS marketing in 2022, I recommend checking out this blog article. This will set you up for success when evaluating and comparing SMS tools.
What is the role of business text messaging in business communication?
The simplicity and ease of business text messaging provides a more effective and efficient campaign for the business as well as a pleasant experience for the customer.
SMS marketing from the business allows for lead enrichment, customer feedback, pre-and-post sale communications, offers and discounts and building 1:1 relationships with customers.
Customers who choose to opt-in to text messaging from the business already shows that the customer is willing to learn more about your product or offer. The customer is interested in receiving promotions and looking to easily connect with a company to build that relationship and potentially convert.