Your guide to business texting etiquette: How to do it properly

Amidst all the discussion around more advanced digital marketing tactics, it’s easy to forget the power of business texting. It’s a personal medium with high effectiveness and can work for any business in any category. It’s little wonder then that even the biggest brands rely on business texting to engage with their customers.

If you want to use the power of business texting to grow your business, the first thing to understand is that it’s completely different from personal texting. Business texting requires a different set of protocols for it to work. But in case you have any ambiguity around business SMS, let’s address it first.

Is texting appropriate for business?

If you’re thinking about getting into business texting, it’s natural to wonder whether it would be appropriate for your business. The answer is yes; in fact, business texting is not just appropriate but is a necessary tool to acquire and retain customers and increase your revenue.

Think about the last time you got an SMS from an airline about a delayed flight or a business text from an e-commerce store about your impending order delivery and you will recognise the importance of business texting. It helps you to inform your customers faster than any other medium since they’re highly likely to see the text within a few seconds of you sending it.

It’s also the right medium to offer customised offers and promotions and encourage feedback. If you know how to write an effective business text, you’ll also significantly increase engagement and improve customer service.

Top tips for business texting

To be effective, business texting needs to follow the right etiquette. Mindless and impersonal texts are a surefire way to alienate customers. To avoid that and to make the most of the medium, pay attention to these tips for business texting:

Get permission

The number one rule in business texting is to get the permission of the recipient. Texting without consent is intrusive, spammy and also illegal in certain countries. You can ask for their permission through a website plug-in or by requesting them to share their number at your place of business.

Always provide value

Do not send a business text unless there is something valuable in it for the customer. It could be a limited-time offer, information on their order or a discount on a product they’re interested in.

Keep it short

Business texting is impactful when you cut to the chase. They don’t need information about all your products or services. Communicate what’s necessary without any embellishments. But don’t be abrupt either.

Mind your tone

Yes, it’s a text and no, you shouldn't use the same tone as you’d use with your friends. Treat the recipient with respect and keep the tone in alignment with your brand voice. Don’t be too casual as that can be off-putting for customers. And don’t use unnecessary abbreviations or urban slang.

Know when to send

You wouldn’t want to receive a text when you’re out for dinner with your family. So, when you schedule your business texts, ensure that it’s during business hours and not late in the evening. Depending on your products and customer base, you can also send them on weekends. This works well if you’re a local neighbourhood business.

Don't overdo it

One of the most important rules in business texting is to send texts only when they’re necessary. There should be a valid reason and a time-bound call to action for you to send a business text. This isn’t the medium to share irrelevant or unnecessary information. You revamping your website, for example, doesn’t call for a business text.

Make sure you respond

If there’s a call to action where customers have to text or call back, ensure that there’s someone in your team to respond to it. If they call or text and there’s no response, your business will come across as unprofessional. This is why the timing of your business texting is so important.

Chalkboard: The right virtual business texting app for you

To fully utilise the power of business texting, you need a digital solution custom-built for business communication. Chalkboard has been designed for the needs of small businesses, freelancers, startups and independent creatives. The app makes business texting exceptionally easy, particularly for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Chalkboard allows you to organise your business contacts and use a separate number to interact with them. The business-friendly chat function lets you broadcast messages to groups of customers or talk directly with them. These help drive customer engagement and make it easier to acquire and retain users.

Discover the power of value-added business texting with Chalkboard.