Why you need a text messaging service for business

The smartphone has become the primary tool for communication. While there are several ways to reach someone on their smartphone, the most effective medium is a texting service for business.

To understand the power of a business texting service, let’s approach it as a consumer. How are you notified when you book a flight ticket, withdraw money from a cashpoint (ATM) or order food through an app? Through a text, of course.

Why you need a texting service for business

Among all the channels to reach and engage with customers, a business texting service is by far the most effective. Here’s why businesses are turning to text to interact with their customers.

Instant delivery

One of the biggest differentiators of a text message is that it gets opened instantly. There’s no way to know when they will check their email or social media. But rest assured, they will see your text minutes, if not seconds, after you send them.

Instant delivery opens the door for several other customer interactions. Need to send appointment reminders? Or a request for an online review? A text will ensure that your customer sees it immediately.

High open rates

Even with the best of offers and designs, an email can end up in the spam folder. A call may not go through because of patchy coverage. A social media post may go unnoticed because the customer may not be online. But a text will be seen.

Emails have an open rate of around 20 per cent. But when you use a texting service for business, the open rate reaches a whopping 98 per cent! Got a new product range? Send a text and your customers will know about it.

Shorter format

There is a maximum limit beyond which you can write a message. This means you can get directly to the message, which will make it more engaging and impactful.

Since the format is short, you can afford to be casual and playful if your brand character permits it. This lets you engage in conversational marketing.

Easy to use

SMS is a universal medium due to its simplicity. The recipient doesn’t have to be technically savvy to open, read and reply to a text. Almost everyone is used to receiving and sending SMS and there will be no blockers.

In the age of smartphones and tablets, it’s good to know that with a texting service for business, you can reach everyone with a mobile number. Similarly, for marketers, it’s both easy and cost-effective to use texting in their marketing mix.

Flexible medium

An underrated advantage of texting is that it can work either independently or with other mediums. You can use texting as the only medium for customer service and instantly request feedback and respond to problems.

You can also use a texting service for business along with email and any other medium. For example, your small business can send an order confirmation through SMS and give additional details through email.

What to expect from your texting service for business

Considering its effectiveness, it makes sense to use the power of SMS for your small business. When choosing a texting service for business, you should keep the following factors in mind:

Flexibility: You should be able to send not just text messages but also photos, GIFs and emojis.

Integration: The service should easily integrate with the other tools that you use.

Group organisation: If you can organise your customers into groups, it will save you time and effort.

Scalability: Your texting service for business should easily scale with your business as it acquires more customers.

Cost-effectiveness: Select a service that is affordable and gives you other communication and marketing tools to grow your business.

The rules of texting for business

To make sure that customers read and respond to your business messages, it’s crucial that you follow business texting etiquette. This will also help you avoid the common texting mistakes that businesses make.

• Seek permission: Send texts only after getting permission from the recipient.

• Keep it short: Give only the necessary information or call to action and nothing else.

• Give value: Send texts only when it’s necessary, such as to offer discounts, announce products or remind them about appointments.

• Be on brand: Remember your brand voice and stick to it.

• Schedule properly: Send your texts during business hours and not in the evenings.

• Respond instantly: If you expect a reply, ensure that there’s a system in place for that.

Transform your business texting with Chalkboard

Why settle for an ordinary texting service for business when you get a virtual number with enhanced features such as Chalkboard?

With your new number for work, you can organise your contacts and broadcast SMS to whole groups.

When they do call you and you’re unable to take it, you can send pre-written messages through auto-reply. 💬