Short message service (SMS) or texting is one of the most useful inventions of the 20th century. Text messaging has made communication easier and faster than ever before.

Since the introduction of SMS in 1992, it has advanced from a tool for personal communication to a technology with more advanced applications.

Specifically, there are now companies that are using SMS in different areas of business operations including recruitment, marketing, customer service, and sales. At the same time, SMS remains an efficient method of communication not only for individuals but also for business communities.

Given the versatile functionality of the SMS technology, it’s only right that you start including SMS in your business strategy this year.

Here’s why and how:

Key Takeaways:

  • Versatility of SMS: Text messaging has evolved from personal communication to a vital tool in recruitment, marketing, sales, and customer service.
  • Recruitment Efficiency: SMS ensures timely communication with job applicants, enhancing their experience and increasing the likelihood of attracting top talent.
  • Effective Marketing Channel: With over 5 billion mobile users worldwide, SMS offers businesses a direct and impactful way to reach and engage consumers.
  • High Response Rates: SMS boasts higher response rates compared to emails and calls, making it an excellent medium for promotions and closing sales.
  • Customer Support: Businesses can use SMS for order updates, surveys, appointment reminders, and customer satisfaction inquiries.
  • Information Dissemination: SMS is preferred by 90% of consumers for business communication, making it ideal for notifications, banking updates, and public service announcements.

1. SMS is a useful recruitment tool that helps improve the overall candidate experience

Part of candidate experience includes keeping your potential employees updated on the status of their job application. When you fail to stay in touch with your applicants, you can expect that roughly 80% of them would be discouraged to re-submit their application to your company.

In today’s job market where candidates hold the power, it’s important to use every method available to keep them interested. With text messaging, you can quickly inform candidates about their application status. This shows candidates that you care about providing a good hiring experience, which can help in drawing in top talent.

2. SMS marketing is attractive to consumers

Globally speaking, there are about 5 billion people who are mobile users. Because of this, SMS has a good potential of reaching more consumers to whom you could market your brand, products, or services.

And true enough, statistics estimate that by 2020, 49 million consumers will agree to receive SMS notifications from businesses. This prediction is based on the fact that approximately 37 million had opted into SMS marketing at the turn of 2017.

There are countless ways you could integrate SMS into your marketing campaigns. Since modern consumers love receiving tips and tidbits of information on their mobile, you could use the SMS platform to send this type of content to your subscribers. At the end of the text message, you could include a link to the full content on your website.

You could also tie up SMS messaging with other marketing channels by simply texting to mobile users the link to your social media pages, where you could further promote your business or engage your audience.

3. Buyers respond to SMS better than other forms of advertising

You can’t possibly get a sale from every SMS you send, but there’s a silver lining to text messaging. Just look at these numbers:

  • 9% of mobile users have downloaded an app after receiving a text message. This number is higher if would compare it with the 4% response rate of mobile users toward mobile advertising.
  • SMS is also likely to get a 209% higher response rate compared with phone calls, email, or Facebook.

These numbers prove that SMS can help you close sales, so you should use every opportunity to advertise special promotions or exclusive deals to your SMS subscribers first before making the official announcement on other media.

Don’t forget to include mobile coupon codes in your SMS broadcast so that customers could use their rewards in both your online and physical store.

4. Text messaging can help businesses deliver customer support

It’s now common for businesses to send text messages to customers who are waiting for their ordered items to be delivered or shipped to them.

If you’re involved in e-commerce, this is one form of customer service that you could implement in your business strategy. This way, you’re a step ahead in communicating with your customers even before they could reach your website to send a follow-up inquiry.

You could also use SMS to conduct a customer satisfaction survey, remind customers about their business appointments, confirm an order, or send a list of frequently answered questions to your text recipients.

5. SMS is ideal for disseminating important information

Statistics show that 9 out of 10 consumers prefer SMS as their main channel of business communication. Even in the banking industry – where privacy and security are the norms – customers can request for information about their account balances and transactions. Some UK banks are also sending text notifications to customers when their accounts are due for overdraws.

Local communities are likewise leveraging text in their public information campaigns by sending status updates to residents about their construction permit applications, road closures, and weather alerts. Meanwhile, residents can also contact their municipality through text when they need to report or request for important information.

These are only a few of the ways you could use text messaging to grow your company. Depending on your ability to plan and innovate your strategies, you might be able to integrate SMS as part and parcel of your business model.

6 Strategies for Implementing SMS in Business Operations

  1. Define Your Objectives: Clarify the purpose of your SMS campaigns: Is it to improve recruitment, enhance customer service, or increase sales? Clear objectives will guide your messaging strategy.
  2. Create a Strong Opt-In System: Ensure compliance by obtaining explicit consent from customers before sending messages. Use website pop-ups, QR codes, or loyalty program sign-ups to encourage opt-ins.
  3. Personalize Your Messages: Use customer data to tailor messages, such as addressing recipients by name and sending offers relevant to their purchase history or preferences.
  4. Integrate SMS with Other Channels: Combine SMS with email, social media, or app notifications for a cohesive multi-channel strategy. For instance, send a text follow-up to an email campaign.
  5. Time Your Messages Strategically: Schedule messages to arrive at times when customers are most likely to engage, avoiding early mornings or late nights.
  6. Track and Analyze Campaign Performance: Use analytics to measure the effectiveness of your SMS campaigns, focusing on metrics like open rates, response rates, and conversion rates.

Overcoming Challenges in SMS Marketing

  • Maintaining Compliance with Regulations: Stay updated on regulations like GDPR, TCPA, or CAN-SPAM, and ensure customers can easily opt out of receiving messages.
  • Avoiding Message Fatigue: Limit the frequency of your SMS campaigns to avoid overwhelming your audience. Quality and relevance should take precedence over quantity.
  • Personalization vs. Privacy: Balance personalized content with customer privacy. Use data responsibly and transparently to build trust with your audience.
  • Standing Out Among Competition: Use creative and concise messaging, incorporating emojis, multimedia content, or interactive elements like polls to engage recipients.
  • Managing Costs Effectively: Choose scalable SMS platforms to manage costs as your subscriber base grows, and prioritize high-impact campaigns.
  • Dealing with Technical Limitations: Test messages for compatibility across different devices and carriers to ensure uniform delivery and display.

SMS Tools and Software Recommendations

  1. Twilio: API-driven platform for customizable SMS, MMS, and voice messaging. Ideal for developers looking to integrate messaging into apps or websites.
  2. EZ Texting: User-friendly interface, pre-built templates, and mass texting capabilities. Perfect for small businesses starting with SMS marketing.
  3. TextMagic: Bulk messaging, automation, and detailed reporting. Great for businesses needing international SMS capabilities.
  4. SMSBump (by Yotpo): Designed for eCommerce, it offers Shopify integration, abandoned cart recovery, and ROI tracking.
  5. SimpleTexting: Multi-channel capabilities, MMS support, and excellent customer service. Best for small to medium-sized enterprises.
  6. Podium: Combines SMS with reviews, surveys, and payments, making it ideal for local businesses aiming to enhance customer interactions.
  7. ClickSend: Reliable SMS gateway service with email-to-text and voice-to-text capabilities. Suitable for enterprises managing high volumes of messaging.
  8. SlickText: Advanced segmentation, analytics, and user-friendly interface. Ideal for businesses focused on targeted campaigns.

Conclusion

SMS has evolved from a simple communication tool into a versatile powerhouse for businesses.

Its ability to deliver personalized, real-time messages directly to customers makes it an invaluable asset in recruitment, marketing, customer service, and beyond. With high open and response rates, SMS ensures your messages are not just seen but acted upon.

However, successful SMS implementation requires clear objectives, strategic planning, and the right tools to overcome challenges like compliance, message fatigue, and technical limitations. By integrating SMS seamlessly into your broader business strategy and leveraging advanced software solutions, you can enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and drive meaningful results.

As businesses strive to meet the demands of the modern consumer, adopting SMS as part of your strategy isn’t just a smart choice—it’s essential for staying competitive in an increasingly mobile-first world.

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