Text messaging is experiencing a renaissance and has evolved far beyond casual social interaction. Everyone — from millennials to baby boomers — sends texts!
Today, consumers choose text messaging as a preferred method of communication as it is easier to text in these busy times because there's not much time to make phone calls. Texts send the message you want to communicate across clearly and users can always refer back to them again and again. Smartphones have not only changed the way we live, but also the way we communicate.
All smartphones come with SMS apps today. Texting has evolved into a business tool and has come a long way. SMS text marketing is permission-based marketing and is the cheapest and easiest way of marketing since everyone owns a mobile phone today. If someone does not want to receive your messages, they can always choose to opt-out.
Recently, I was at an orphanage that had many financial donors. They communicate with their donors about progress of the children they are sponsoring, events in the orphanage, invites for functions, greetings on special occasions and thank you messages via phone calls. Sometimes, the donors can't take the calls and they would have to try calling them multiple times.
With so many important messages, the orphanage cannot keep on calling the donors regularly as it would disrupt their day. Plus, it is also a major task to call every one of them since it is time consuming. It would be great for such an organization in these scenarios to be able to send out bulk SMS messages by scheduling the messages. You can use a “Schedule SMS” function to select a time and a date to send these messages with a Salesforce SMS app like Open SMS Pro.
Text messaging allows you to have a wide reach to all strata of the society alongside people on the move. People mostly read texts as it takes only a few seconds.
Clear messages sent via SMS can have a high success rates for all kinds of businesses. Remember the Telephone game we all played as kids? By the end of the game, the message is completely different from what the original message was. A two-way messaging feature helps you keep track of message history and verify there is no miscommunication between your organization and your customers. You can refer back to their messages to be sure you took care of their requests. This helps build trust and loyalty. Establishing long term relationships becomes easier and your customers may refer you to their friends and family by forwarding your text messages.
You wouldn't even need to use employees' personal phone numbers. The way around that is by having a single number from one of the gateway providers and sending out messages from that number regardless who sends it. Customers don't need to have access to the app. A device with SMS message capabilities is all that's needed.
A Salesforce SMS app like Open SMS pro can help you fill the gaps in communication that your organization has. It helps you communicate with customers on a regular basis. You can send texts to notify customers of payment due dates, delivery time, special offers, and birthday/wedding anniversary wishes. There is nothing more heartfelt than a personalized message sent to customers on their birthday or anniversary to offer customized discounts.
You can send out SMS campaigns to boost return on investment by a significant margin. Quantity is the key when it comes to texting. Sending out campaigns on a regular basis at the right time is also very important. Three to four texts per month is considered a current best practice as it would not be too intrusive nor does it let the customer forget you. Texts are personal. Customers let you into an exclusive and intimate space that they only share with their friends and relatives when they agree to receiving texts from you. When your organization properly uses a Salesforce SMS app, it can reach the next level especially since SMS open rates are high.
Texts are read within minutes and are great channels for flash sales and same day promotions. You can build brand awareness with these promotions since customers see the messages on a consistent basis, thus keeping your brand top of mind.
Open SMS Pro is our flagship mobile application that allows you to send single or bulk texts. You can also chat and receive messages from any mobile. The icing on the cake? It's cost effective. To view a demo or to learn more, contact us customersuccess@appshark.com or chat with us on this page.