Broadcast SMS / mass text messaging services: Keeping your customers in the know

Think about how many texts you receive or send daily — be it private or business. Perhaps you are even receiving, sending or reading one at this very moment. SMS texting is a widely preferred mode of communication — and for a reason.

Texting is easy, quick and convenient. In fact, nearly 90 per cent of all texts are read within three seconds. After all, who would prefer to read a long email to a quick text that gets straight to the point?

From the business side of things, mass texting has many perks. It makes it simple for businesses to ask for reviews, send special offers and promotions and give critical updates to thousands of contacts, all at a moment’s notice.

What is mass text messaging?

Broadcast, or mass, texting describes any service that lets businesses broadcast one message to many consumers or employees.

Getting started with a broadcast texting service is very simple and quick. All you need to do is decide what type of mass texts you need to send and choose a provider. You simply set up an account, upload a list of contacts and write and send your text message, and then watch as the results roll in.

Industries that are taking advantage of mass texting include:

• Hotels and resorts

• Beauty

• Food and beverages

• Education

• Retail

• Real estate

• Health

The power of using a mass texting service

Most business owners agree that broadcast SMS is essential for success. If you’re wondering when you should consider the service, below are instances that mass SMS texts come in handy:

Capturing customer feedback and increasing engagement

Do you feel like you need to build up or maintain a great reputation for your business, but are stuck on what to do?

You probably already know that when it comes to choosing a business or brand, most people get straight onto Google or Facebook to check for quality reviews.

Broadcast SMS makes it incredibly simple for businesses to request and manage reviews of their customers.

If your sole purpose is to ask for customer feedback, then it’s a good idea to go for a service that lets businesses request reviews from customers via SMS.

Choosing a streamlined service like an app will save you time and money, compared to opting for a feature-rich mass texting service.

Increasing sales

As well as helping you grow your reputation, bulk texting allows your business to inform customers about special offers, sales, and new product launches, in turn, increasing sales and revenue.

Increasing brand awareness

Brand awareness is crucial to every organisation's success. Even if you had the best customers, you still need to keep them coming back for more for your business to grow. Broadcast SMS is a perfect marketing strategy to keep your brand fresh in the minds of your customers.

While you shouldn’t overdo the messaging, a well-timed offer sent by SMS can be all you need to get old customers coming back through your door.

Factors to consider when choosing a mass SMS messaging service

With thousands of mass messaging services in the market, choosing the best for your business can be a daunting task. A good start would be factoring in your bulk SMS needs and what service will best cater to them. For example, if you need a service that can do everything from analytics to integrating with other business software, then getting a full-suite mass SMS service would be the best choice. On the other hand, if you need a straightforward service, it would be better to have a simple app that comfortably fits in your budget, and does exactly what you need.

Ease of use

A good messaging service should be easy to navigate and use. You don’t want to spend all your time figuring out how to send a text message.

Features available

Mass text messaging services can come with powerful features, though these features often have a learning curve. Your business needs should guide you to the service that caters to what you need. Some businesses will require fewer features, while some will need more.

Scheduled texts and auto-responses

Sometimes, you’ll need to send your texts at a future date and time. Most bulk texting service providers will have this feature, though it's still important to confirm.

Keywords

A text keyword is a special word that people can text to your number in order to opt-in to a certain type of message. This can be useful in adding recipients to a contact list for a mass campaign.

List and segments

If you’re looking to send bulk texts to different groups of contacts, you’ll need to find a provider that offers lists and dynamic segments. Remember, sending texts to the wrong target may do your business more harm than good.

MMS messaging

Some mass SMS providers allow you to add links, photos and videos to your messages. Before doing this, remember that the effectiveness of texts is closely linked to their simplicity — are you sure you need to complicate things?

Link tracking and analytics

The rule of thumb in business is to only invest in things that bring value. Therefore, you will want a provider that allows you to track your results and know whether your strategy is paying off.

Custom fields

Although bulk texting allows you to send a message to thousands of contacts in seconds, you should consider adding a personal touch. People are likely to connect with texts that feel more personal than generalised ones. Consider choosing a service that allows you to include custom fields such as first and last names in your bulk SMS.

Two-way texting

Do your messages require direct responses? If so, ensure your communications provider supports the ability to manage these responses.

Real-time delivery rates

Take into account how quickly your text will reach the contacts. While most messaging software programs send messages instantly, some will take longer to process.

Data security

Data security is increasingly becoming a big concern for most businesses. Make sure to check how your service collects, stores, processes, and disposes of data relating to both you and your subscribers.

Type of service

Bulk SMS providers may offer their services in the form of software, app — or both. So, it’s up to the business owners to choose which subscription best suits their needs and will be most convenient to use.

Once you are sure that a provider offers all the features you need, you can start reviewing their pricing and payment plans. Take advantage of the free trial period most will offer to test the waters and establish whether the service meets your bulk SMS needs.

In short

Mass texting is a great way for businesses to connect with customers and get results quickly.

However, mass texting services can be as diverse as the businesses they provide for. Carefully consider your needs so that you can find the right one for you.