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8 steps to level up your business texting.
So you’re all set to use a messaging platform. Congrats. You’re ready to jump on the fact that 68% of customers are more likely to buy from you if you offer convenient communications—which, these days, means chat and messaging.
Now what? How can you make the most of SMS to connect with customers? How can you make the most out of your platform’s features?
We’ve got you covered with proven ways to make sure those characters count and your customers click through to conversions.
Let’s dive in.
1. Do you have message templates set up?
Find yourself lost for words when you go to write an SMS? Stay on-brand and tonally consistent by using text message templates. Time-saving templates make it easy to craft your SMS — there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
Already have SMS templates set up? Now is the time to give them a good polish to help your message shine. While you’re at it, make sure each template is short, sweet, and personalised. Take our quick refresher on text messaging etiquette to make sure you’re hitting the right spot.
2. Is your data up-to-date and tidy?
Once you’ve Marie-Kondo’d your desk and dusted the office pot plants, it’s time to tackle your database. Those mobile numbers aren’t helping your business grow if your messages aren’t getting through.
Take a good look at your contact groups. Delete any duplicates (but just note our tip below) and cull any dead numbers.
Brush up on the best way to manage contacts to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck when you hit ‘send’. If you’ve got an extensive database, taking the time to validate it can deliver huge savings on your marketing spend.
You can use delivery reports or home location register (HLR) lookups to see which messages aren’t getting through, and which numbers are inactive. Our HLR lookups are much cheaper than an SMS. We’ll get the carriers to confirm the status of a number — it’s typically very fast, and we will email you a spreadsheet with results. Easy.
TOP TIP: Sometimes, it helps to have a contact listed twice. For example, a school that needs to message a parent or guardian regarding multiple children separately. Learn how to turn this feature on or off.
3. Have you set up automations?
Save time, money, and hassle with automated text messages. By using keyword triggers, auto-replies, and simple if/then logic, you don’t have to be tied to your desk managing two-way conversations.
With automations, you can schedule text reminders, confirmations to opt-in campaigns, out-of-office auto-replies, and more. They will change the way you do business — and deliver a great customer experience at the same time.
Don’t forget, you can easily manage unsubscribes/opt-outs to stay compliant by using shortened URLs or keywords (i.e., STOP to opt-out).
4. Are you ready to start a conversation?
Blasting out one-way missives to customers is, like, so last year. Of course, there’s a time and place to send out promotional or informational messages that don’t require a reply. But to truly boost customer engagement, conversational messaging is where it’s at.
In fact, over 41% of businesses are planning to add one or more conversational messaging channels in 2024. And customers are clamoring for it. In those crucial pre-purchase moments, 42.6% of them prefer messaging channels to communicate with brands.
So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to set up two-way chat. You can seamlessly integrate two-way SMS with your favorite platforms, or use our messaging inbox. Too easy.
It’s time to get conversational with your customers.
4. Can you integrate text messaging into your existing tools?
Already using Salesforce, Shopify, or HubSpot for your business? Add another layer to your marketing toolkit with SMS campaigns seamlessly linked to your preferred CRM or CMS.
MessageMedia natively integrates with all the leading platforms, helping you get more bang for your buck with the tools you already use. You can easily add SMS to platforms your team members are already familiar with, so there’s no need to familiarise yourself with a new platform.
Connect your current tools and software to Sinch MessageMedia’s SMS service. See what’s available in our integrations marketplace.
5. Are you ready to roll with AI?
Adding an AI-powered chatbot to your messaging toolkit can lighten the load on your team, while also helping you up-level customer support (hello, 24/7 service). Plus, it can become a helpful collaborator when it comes time to crunch your data and evaluate what’s working best.
In 2024, almost half (45.2%) of companies are planning to adopt chatbots — so if you don’t have AI on your radar, you could get left behind.
6. How’s your cross-channel strategy shaping up?
Let’s be clear. While we reckon SMS is the bees knees, your customers might prefer another chat channel. Like, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or Google Business Messages.
The good news? You don’t need to keep switching between all these different platforms. With a multichannel inbox like ours, you can keep an eye on every conversation in every channel — all from the one place.
Take your inbox with you on the mobile app.
7. Can you integrate text messaging into your existing tools?
Already using Salesforce, Shopify, or HubSpot for your business? Add another layer to your marketing toolkit with SMS campaigns seamlessly linked to your preferred CRM or CMS.
Sinch MessageMedia natively integrates with all the leading platforms, helping you get more bang for your buck with the tools you already use and the platforms your team members are already familiar with. See what’s available in our Integrations Marketplace.
8. Have you tried something new recently?
Stay fresh and delight your customers with new, helpful SMS features. For example, you could catch your customers’ eye with a creative and dynamic Mobile Landing Page. From marketing campaigns to surveys and vouchers, chances are there’s a template to fit your business needs. Simply add your own branding and you’re ready to go.
Here’s a tip. Test the waters with mobile landing pages by sending one to customers asking them to update their details. You can pre-fill the page with their personal information, so they don’t need to dig up passwords, making it super easy for them to complete. Even better, you’re ticking off on #2 in our checklist above at the same time.
Ready to go?
We’re here to help you get the most from business text messaging in 2024. For questions or support, get in touch today.
