The importance of bulk SMS messaging for businesses

Why bulk SMS?

Mobile engagement and bulk SMS messaging have been trending for the past decade. And, while many marketers assume that SMS is dead, it’s still very much alive and kicking. It’s one of the easiest and most cost-effective marketing tools for businesses to connect with their customers on a personal level.

Print, web and social media are also rewarding mediums, but bulk SMS messaging is an instant platform that requires very few barriers to get your information across to your audience. Considering that by 2020, seven in every 10 people will own a smartphone, for any technology-based solution to gain critical mass through digital, it will need to be easy-to-use and non-intimidating. If businesses want to keep up with this growing community, they will need to keep looking for ways to make their business more mobile-friendly.

Business SMS messaging

In simple terms, an SMS short code is used to send a two-way marketing text message that is executed via mobile. It’s a five or six digit number which is most commonly used for promotional purposes and is easy to memorize for customers. These short code messages are ideal for bulk SMS messaging as they’re ideal for high volume messages. However, within saying that, long number messages are much cheaper than using short code messaging for marketing reasons. This can either be a standard mobile number length or even a 16 number digit which customers don’t need to remember. They are also set up to receive replies and can be sent to both local and selected international destinations.

One of the biggest advantages of bulk SMS messaging is that it has the ability to reach almost anyone, anywhere across the world, with minimal effort. Not only does this benefit your business when communicating with your existing customers but it broadens your customer reach, helping you to increase market reach, enhance sales, and, ultimately, improve your customer experience.

The purpose of bulk SMS messaging

90% of people read an SMS within three seconds, meaning that the readability chances are extremely high. Bulk SMS messaging or application-to-person (A2P) SMS works for both B2C and B2B environments and is ideal for commercial brands, third-sector, and public-sector companies.

It can help to increase customer engagement, promote products and services or deliver urgent notifications to your audiences. It’s a targeted communication platform which is measurable in ROI, as long as your message offering is personal and value-adding, with a clear call-to-action. Invasive messaging without your customer’s consent will give your business a bad name. To avoid disruptive texting, your business should also only be sending messages to people who have requested to receive updates from you, so make sure you offer your customers a way to opt-out of the service offering.

SMS messaging is also designed to enable you to send and receive messages from any website or service, using an API, to any contact number across the globe. And, by using analytics, businesses can create further targeted campaigns for a better customer experience.

Integrate bulk SMS messaging with the Cloud

Data-solutions have become so complex that businesses believe that an effective SMS marketing strategy requires heavy software and equipment investment to be able to succeed. The reality is a lot simpler than what you anticipate, and gaining access to consumers has never been easier.

If your business is looking to integrate your messaging platform with existing CRM, it has never been easier. With the right enterprise integration, your chosen SMS platform will be able to seamlessly integrate into your existing platforms with ease. However, if you don’t have an existing account with a third party software, you’ll just need to set one up in order to connect your CRM with your SMS solution.

Here are a few benefits:

• Opportunity for greater global reach: Because of the nature of the message, it’s important to have your messages delivered at the right time, regardless of location. Knowing how inconsistent servers can be, especially in critical moments, many companies have decided to turn to a Cloud provider that offers a reliable service, through established relationships with worldwide telecom providers. If ever there are time and delivery issues, your SMS provider will be able to multiple delivery routes through carrier networks to ensure that everything gets delivered on time, as per request. For example, Clickatell offers a global reach of over 1000 networks across more than 220 countries and territories. This is a massive opportunity for businesses to connect with people from different demographics and geographic locations whenever and wherever.

• Attractive pricing model: The SMS provider you choose will be able to offer you a tailored pricing model to suit your business requirements. And, the as your needs grow, you’ll simply be able to upscale in feature capacity and customer reach. In addition to the usage-based models, look for a flexible package which can apply a volume discount as your numbers expand.

• Allows for easy systems integration: The Cloud provides businesses with the opportunity to integrate their SMS strategy into their entire communications and CRM system. Once systems are integrated, business owners can focus on designing the right communication experience as a whole, rather than working from one area of the business to another. This also benefits your employees, allowing developers to leverage pre-built codes to meet future SMS and communication requirements. Make sure that the provider you choose offers a global SMS platform with programmable APIs to meet unique specifications without you having to reinvent the wheel. You’ll be able to add and adjust your features to improve your customer experience.

Start texting your customers today

In a digital landscape where consumers are constantly active on their mobiles, smartphone or not, SMS marketing has become a crucial part of any communication strategy. Where other, more complex and internet reliant marketing platforms fall short, text messaging excels. Be it younger or older, every generation of customers will be able to receive an SMS, making it the popular choice for personal and immediate business communication. It’s the ideal way to reach a niche audience who is interested in your products or services, and it’s a great pull marketing tactic to keep those customers coming back for more.

If you want to know how SMS marketing can work for your business, read about how our product can help you to communicate your own way. With messaging options to suit your business needs, global reach and easy implementation, there shouldn’t be any reason why you’re not maximizing this opportunity.