Strategic Mobile Services, Corp.

Enterprise Text Messaging Services and Features Business text messaging platforms enable enterprises and SMBs with a complete suite of SMS and MMS texting features for messaging, marketing, sales, service delivery and customer support, including: Textcast:?Broadcast text messages in bulk to targeted lists. Tags in lists:?Use tags to segment contact lists by geography or demography. Timetext:?Schedule texts for automated reminders and follow-ups. Surveys:?Poll customers via text for feedback and data collection. Pathways:?Route inbound texts to automated answers or actions. Groups:?Create groups for inbound and outbound messaging. Series:?Schedule text messages at pre-defined intervals. Keywords:?Trigger instant response to texts based on keywords. Live Routing:?Let customers text chat in real time with your agents. Push Notifications:?Get notified of new chats and queue messages through emails or texts. Reporting:?Receive usage, delivery, response and opt-out reporting. Integration:?Connect existing applications to streamline workflows and text-enable existing technology with custom integrations. #sms #marketing #enterprise #features

Benefits of SMS Solutions for Enterprises: Marketing performance, customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX) increase dramatically when companies deploy an SMS and MMS text messaging solution for their main business phone number or toll-free number. The solution is ideal for these use cases: Notifications Sales & Marketing Promotions Live Interactions Appointment Reminders Delivery Scheduling & Tracking Customer Surveys Customer Support & Trouble Tickets Marketing with Enterprise SMS Most marketers are accustomed to engaging in campaigns using email marketing through an email or marketing automation platform. While email open rates vary between industries, the average marketer is happy with anywhere from a 15 percent to 25 percent open rate. An email campaign sent that’s considered a “success” in marketing would be a 15 percent open rate with a 2.5 percent click-through rate. Plus, the average user receives 121 emails per day, according to Campaign Monitor, leaving a marketing promo or customer survey lost in a sea of emails. Additionally, the average person has two email accounts (one for work and one for personal), so getting a recipient’s undivided attention isn’t very high. Conversely, each text message sent has a 99% read rate is normally read within three minutes of receipt. Each person typically also has only one active mobile number, so you’re guaranteed to get their full attention when you send a text (versus having multiple email accounts). Plus, the average response rate on an SMS campaign is 45%. All in, there’s an 84% difference in open rate and a 42.5% increase in engagement rate when comparing SMS text marketing to email marketing. Now, these figures don’t mean your company is wasting time and should stop email marketing as every marketing channel has its place. This does mean however that if your marketing department isn’t regularly sending SMS text messages to your customers, you’re missing out on revenue opportunities – especially when upselling to existing customers who’ve already bought into your services.

Why is Text Messaging Important for Enterprises? What’s one of first things you did this morning? Odds are you checked your phone. You’re not alone,?71 percent of Americans say they check their phones within the first 10 minutes of waking up. On average, Americans check their phones 344 times per day and 70 percent of Americans check their phones within five minutes of receiving a notification, according to a survey from Reviews.org. That means that if your current customers and your prospective customers use a cellphone, they’re going to see their texts. Well, what if you were the one texting them? Any message you’re aiming to communicate, whether it’s a discount promo, new service announcement or alert in the event of an emergency is nearly guaranteed to be received. #sms #marketing #enterprise

Best Practices for Business Texting In the US, the use of SMS marketing involves a set of rules that businesses should comply with. There are also guidelines you need to be aware of to craft a successful SMS campaign and maximize the benefits of business text messaging. Here are some of the best practices to succeed in your approach: Personalize your message:?Personalizing your text message builds engagement and allows you to tailor it based on your customers’ interests. If you’re sending bulk messages, segment your contact list to reach your target audience based on a specific demographic, behavior, or preference. Add images or emojis to make it more interactive. Ask for consent:?The?Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)?requires businesses to obtain consent from customers before sending them any marketing message. Send an SMS invite to your customer contacts to join your subscription list if they wish to receive updates and promotions. Also, make sure there’s an option for subscribers to opt out. Limit the message frequency:?Despite the high engagement rate of SMS marketing, it’s not an excuse to bombard customers with too many texts. Be mindful of the timing and frequency of your message delivery, as you don’t want to appear too spammy. The TCPA prohibits marketing messages from being delivered during quiet hours that?fall between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.?in the local time of the receiver. Be concise:?Given the character limits of text messaging, you want to keep your texts short and relevant. Use a conversational tone and provide all the key information without sacrificing clarity. You may want to maintain your brand voice so customers can easily recognize who sent them. Add a call-to-action statement:?Like any marketing strategy, it’s important to include a clear call to action in your text message to guide customers on how they will engage with your brand. You can send them a link or set up an automation to respond to your text campaign.

Benefits of Business Texting Texting for business communication provides a wealth of benefits across industries and business sizes. With its quick and straightforward format, business texting ensures cost-effectiveness, high deliverability, and greater customer engagement. Let’s go into further detail about the advantages of business text messaging. Cost-effective:?Compared to the cost of running a social media ad or incurring per-minute charges for phone calls, texting typically costs from 1 cent to 5 cents per SMS, making it one of the most cost-effective marketing channels available. A survey reveals that successful text messaging campaigns contribute from?11% to 20% of business revenue, presenting a higher return on investment. High open rates:?One of the top motivations of businesses for investing in text messaging is the?higher open rates (31%)?than any other channel. That’s because emails may get lost in spam folders while phone calls might go unanswered. SimpleTexting reports that?81% of customers?check their text alerts within five minutes of receipt, increasing the chances of your text message being opened and responded to. Increased deliverability:?A text message uses a minimal amount of data and is delivered instantly as long as the recipient’s phone is connected to a cellular network. Due to its high deliverability, you can ensure your text message doesn’t just arrive but will also be seen in real time. Rapid engagement:?SMS is an effective tool for engaging with customers immediately. Text messaging apps offer various personalization options to tailor your message to your customer’s preferences. You can also include coupons and sales offers to promote conversions. Moreover, due to character limits, text messages are generally shorter, so the recipient is more likely to interact with them as they require little effort to read.

Where to Use Business Texting With around?4.88 billion smartphone users?worldwide, SMS proves to be an important communication tool for businesses wanting to effectively connect with their customers. It presents unique opportunities, particularly for marketing, customer service, and sales. Below, we listed the popular use cases of text messaging and how to leverage their potential to boost your bottom line. 1. Reminders, Updates & Notifications Business texting is an effective way to send reminders and keep customers informed. For instance, you can instantly text customers if they have an upcoming appointment or remind them if they want to book a schedule. In ecommerce, automated SMS is used to alert customers about the delivery status of their order or if they have an abandoned cart on a shopping website, prompting them to complete their purchase. 2. Sales Conversions SMS is an invaluable tool in driving sales strategy and simplifying the purchase process for customers. Retailers do this by announcing flash deals like coupons, promos, and discounts via text message. This creates a sense of urgency for customers, encouraging them to make a purchase. 3. Personalized Greetings Most companies send tailored text greetings to make customers feel acknowledged and valued, helping boost brand loyalty. Personalized messages may vary from birthdays, holidays, and anniversary greetings. Take advantage of any special occasion by sending promotions related to the customer’s interest, which helps increase the likelihood of a purchase or conversion. 4. Marketing Campaigns SMS marketing is one of the most widely used forms of text messaging in businesses, specifically for generating interest in a product or service. In a?2024 it has been reported, 91% of business owners and marketers witnessed higher conversation rates in their marketing campaigns that include SMS. Depending on your marketing strategy and target audience, SMS campaigns may include incentives, product releases, event notifications, or welcome messages.

6 Incredible Benefits of Bulk SMS For Your Business Getting your customers to always remember you seem like hard work.? But what if we told you that staying top-of-mind is just one of the benefits of bulk SMS? We got experts to give insights that would help businesses like yours. And they had a lot to say about the benefits of bulk SMS for small businesses. From marketing to effective customer communication, you will surely learn from the experience of these marketing experts to meet your business goals with SMS marketing. 1. The easiest way to get feedback SMS is a direct response marketing tool. It means that you can get feedback from your customers without asking them to put in much effort. No wonder SMS has a record 209% higher response rate than phone calls, emails, or Facebook ads.? 2. Lesser barriers to customers Internet access is a huge barrier to connecting with your customers across the world. So if you send an email, you are not sure when your customers will receive it. The question of when they will read it is another story entirely. There is no such barrier in the case of SMS. Text messaging simplifies your connection with your customers. 3. Increased communication efficiency The delivery failure rate of bulk SMS messages is about only 2%. It is the lowest you will get from any channel of communication.? 4. Engaged customer base High engagement is another benefit of text messages. This leads to brand loyalty and increased revenue for you. SMSs are more engaging than emails. You can make your message punchy in 160 characters and get the desired results. Your customers do not need internet connectivity to have two-way conversations with you. They can also?send short codes?to communicate with you. 5. Reduced costs? Anything that reduces cost and maximizes revenue is good for your business. Compare SMS cost with that of?social media marketing. With SMS marketing, you only spend a fraction of the cost you spend on social media marketing. You also reach thousands of your customers at less cost. Add this reduced cost with the massive ROI of 98% delivery and increased revenue. You will see that adopting bulk SMS for your business is a no-brainer.? 6. Versatile and flexible SMS marketing can be a standalone marketing strategy. This versatile and flexible nature of SMS marketing is a unique selling point. You can choose to send a few messages to a targeted group or send many SMS messages to your entire list.

The Future of SMS: Evolving Beyond Text As technology advances, SMS (Short Message Service) continues to adapt and evolve. This post explores emerging trends and future directions for SMS technology, examining how it’s likely to integrate with new innovations and overcome potential challenges, including the use of a?summary generator?to streamline and enhance the process of analyzing large amounts of data efficiently. Emerging SMS Trends Several new technologies are shaping the future of SMS messaging: Rich Communication Services (RCS) RCS is often considered the next evolution of SMS. It offers enhanced features such as: Rich media sharing (high-quality images and videos) Read receipts and typing indicators Group chat capabilities Branded messaging with verified sender information As more carriers and device manufacturers support RCS, it’s poised to become the new standard for mobile messaging. Chatbots and AI Integration AI-powered chatbots are increasingly being integrated with SMS platforms, allowing for: Automated customer service responses Personalized marketing messages Interactive FAQ systems Guided shopping experiences These AI-driven interactions can significantly enhance the capabilities of SMS while maintaining its simplicity and accessibility. Natural Language Processing (NLP) Advancements in NLP are enabling more sophisticated text analysis and response generation. This could lead to: More accurate sentiment analysis of customer messages Improved automated responses to complex queries Better language translation services for global SMS communication. SMS and IoT (Internet of Things) The Internet of Things presents new opportunities for SMS integration: Device alerts: SMS can serve as a reliable notification method for IoT devices, alerting users to maintenance needs or security issues. Remote control: Simple SMS commands could be used to control IoT devices, especially in areas with limited internet connectivity. Data reporting: IoT sensors could use SMS to transmit data in areas where other forms of connectivity are unreliable. Emergency communications: In disaster scenarios, SMS could serve as a backup communication method for IoT emergency systems. SMS and 5G Technology The rollout of 5G networks is set to impact SMS in several ways: Faster delivery: 5G’s lower latency could make SMS delivery nearly instantaneous. Enhanced capacity: 5G networks can handle more simultaneous connections, potentially reducing SMS congestion during high-traffic periods. Integration with other services: 5G’s capabilities could allow for seamless integration of SMS with voice, video, and data services. Improved location services: 5G’s precise location capabilities could enhance location-based SMS services.

SMS for Specific Industries: Tailored Text Messaging Solutions While SMS is a versatile communication tool, its applications can be particularly valuable in certain industries. SMS in Healthcare The healthcare industry has found numerous applications for SMS, primarily focused on improving patient care and operational efficiency. Key uses include: Appointment reminders: Reducing no-shows and improving scheduling efficiency Patient updates: Sending test results or follow-up instructions Medication reminders: Helping patients adhere to their medication schedules Health tips: Providing general wellness advice or disease management information Emergency alerts: Notifying staff of urgent situations or facility changes SMS in healthcare can significantly improve patient engagement and outcomes while reducing administrative burdens. SMS in Education Educational institutions from K-12 to universities are using SMS to enhance communication with students, parents, and staff. Student alerts: Notifying students about class cancellations, deadline reminders, or campus emergencies Parent communication: Updating parents on their child’s progress, attendance, or school events Assignment reminders: Sending notifications about upcoming due dates or exam schedules Campus updates: Informing the school community about important?news?or policy changes Admissions process: Sending application status updates or enrollment information SMS in education can improve information flow and engagement across the entire school community. SMS in Finance The financial sector uses SMS to enhance security and improve customer service. Key applications include: Payment notifications: Alerting customers about successful transactions or due payments Fraud alerts: Notifying customers of suspicious activity on their accounts Account balance updates: Providing regular account balance information Two-factor authentication: Enhancing security for online banking logins Credit score changes: Informing customers about significant changes to their credit scores SMS in finance can significantly improve account security and customer awareness. However, it’s crucial to implement robust security measures to protect sensitive financial information. SMS in Retail Retailers use SMS to enhance the shopping experience and drive sales. Common uses include: Order confirmations: Sending purchase receipts and shipping information Promotions: Alerting customers about sales, discounts, or special events Stock alerts: Notifying customers when items are back in stock, and?deep-linking?to the item in the app Loyalty program updates: Informing customers about points earned or available rewards Customer feedback: Requesting product or service reviews post-purchase SMS in retail can boost customer engagement and drive repeat business. It’s important to balance the frequency of messages to avoid overwhelming customers and respect their communication preferences.

SMS for Business: Leveraging Text Messaging in the Corporate World In today’s fast-paced business environment, effective communication is key. SMS has emerged as a powerful tool for businesses across various sectors. SMS marketing allows businesses to reach customers directly on their mobile devices. Some key applications include, Promotional campaigns, sending time-sensitive offers or discounts. Product launches, notifying customers about new products or services. Loyalty programs,?updating members about points, rewards, or exclusive offers. Event marketing, reminding attendees about upcoming events or webinars. When implementing?SMS marketing, it’s crucial to obtain customer consent and provide an easy opt-out option to comply with regulations and maintain customer trust. SMS can enhance customer service in several ways, Support:?Answering quick queries or providing status updates, Appointment reminders:?Reducing no-shows and improving scheduling efficiency, Notifications:?Alerting customers about order status, delivery updates, or account changes, Feedback collection:?Sending post-interaction surveys for immediate feedback using an?AI survey generator. SMS customer service can improve response times and customer satisfaction, especially for simple inquiries or updates. Security is a top priority for businesses. SMS plays a crucial role in two-factor authentication (2FA): Account security:?Sending one-time passwords for login verification Transaction confirmation:?Verifying high-value transactions or sensitive account changes Access control:?Providing temporary access?codes for secure areas?or systems While SMS 2FA is widely used, businesses should also consider other 2FA methods for highly sensitive applications due to potential SMS vulnerabilities. SMS for Internal Communication SMS can streamline internal business communications: Team collaboration:?Sending quick updates or reminders to team members Emergency notifications:?Alerting staff about urgent situations or changes Shift management:?Notifying employees about schedule changes or open shifts IT alerts:?Informing relevant personnel about system issues or maintenance SMS can complement other internal communication tools, especially for reaching employees who may not have immediate access to email or messaging apps. #corporate #sms #marketing #2waycommuication