8 Benefits of Bulk SMS Marketing for Business

by Audrey Oh

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There are currently more than 3 billion smartphone users worldwide and this figure is projected to increase year-on-year. Unsurprisingly, businesses are increasingly using SMS (Short Message Service) messaging as part of their customer service and engagement strategies. SMS marketing allows you to schedule and broadcast customised messages to groups or individual recipients. It's a great way to capture the attention of your target audience and to encourage an immediate response. 

We may not all be on our 24/7, but many of us are inseparable from our mobile phones. So why should you invest time and money in SMS messaging? Is it right for your business? We've put together the top eight benefits of bulk SMS marketing to help you decide.

1. Instant Impact Unlike emails, which may not be picked up for days, or direct mail, which may take days to be delivered, an SMS takes less than 7 seconds to reach the intended recipient. Provided you have the correct number, you can rest assured your message will be delivered ' and ultra-fast too.
2. High Open Rate
   The open rate of SMS messages has been reported to be as high as 99% compared to just 20% for emails. Of course, not everyone who reads your text will respond. But it stands to reason there is a higher chance of someone responding to your marketing if they've seen your message than if they have not. People open nearly every text message they receive, many choose to delete an without opening it.
3. Customisable Campaigns
   Bulk SMS marketing allows you to target your whole database of contacts, a sub-group or even an individual. Personalising your marketing campaign is key to its success. You'll want to send a different text to prospects than to existing customers, for example. It's quick and easy to set up templates and customise an SMS each time you send one out. Consumers are much more likely to respond to a message that appeals specifically to them than to a generic or irrelevant message.
4. Impressive Conversion Rate
   At around 6%, response rates for are notoriously low. However, a response rate of 45% for SMS is not unusual and may often be even higher. Most people respond to a text within 90 seconds, compared to 90 minutes for . Whatever the objective of your marketing campaign ' promotions, surveys or sign-ups ' you will receive a higher response rate than with any other marketing strategy with SMS.
5. Few Barriers to Delivery
   Marketing emails often never reach their intended recipient due to spam filters. This is not the case with SMS. There are no barriers to delivery, so SMS messaging is highly reliable.
6. Minimal Effort Required from Recipients
   There is a 160-character length for SMS, forcing marketers to deliver their message in a concise, easy-to-read way. Brief messages make it much easier for recipients to understand the crux of your SMS campaign than if they have to wade through a lengthy . Most service providers offer a variety of features that makes responding to your bulk SMS marketing a breeze. The easier you make it for the recipient to read, understand and respond to your message, the more likely they are to do so!
7. Cost-Effective
   Compared to the cost of other marketing methods, such as TV, radio or print, SMS bulk marketing is very affordable. Messaging is low cost and delivers a higher return on investment (ROI) than many other marketing strategies, making it a cost-effective and sustainable option.

   Instant Opt-In and Opt-OutRecipients can opt-in or opt-out of your SMS marketing at the touch of a button. While you might see this as a disadvantage, it's important for your business and consumers that you only target individuals who are interested in your product or service. This stops you wasting time and money on cold leads, builds your reputation as a trustworthy company and protects individuals from unwanted marketing. 

SMS marketing has almost limitless potential due to the sheer number of smartphone users worldwide and the extraordinary open rates. The benefits of bulk SMS marketing for small business are many and varied. 

Why not check out Callstream's bulk SMS service and talk to our team about signing up or adding this to your existing package? Call us on 400 and get started today.

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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 , 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.

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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 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.

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