Text Messaging is a Game Changer for Businesses. Here's Why:
Text messaging allows organizations of all types to instantly ping their customers with important information, timely updates, and special offers.
For instance, did you know that 98% of text messages get opened in 2 minutes or less compared to only 14.3% of emails?
This means for every 100 customers you text that 98 of them will see your message immediately.
So all your special promotions, limited-time offers, company updates or any other important information is accessible by almost all of your customers at a moment's notice.
Next time you’re out in public just take a look around. How many people are looking at their personal phone? When you incorporate texting into your day-to-day business operations you finally have a chance at capturing those people’s attention.
“39% of businesses already use some form of text messaging to communicate with their consumers. Many more are expected to adopt the technology in 2020. Some 53% of marketers already use mobile messaging as part of their marketing strategy.” [Text Statistics | Text Messaging Facts, Stats, and Insights]
Why Some Businesses Aren’t Texting Yet
Most likely you and your business have a customer-facing tradition. It might be a few years old or a few decades old but nonetheless, your business has one.
Maybe this tradition is sending personal mail to customers, email campaigns, phone calls, live events, etc. No matter what “it” is, “it” will benefit from a text message partner campaign.
Already calling customers? Try sending a text beforehand to give the customer a heads up. We’ve seen people improve answer rates by almost 30% when doing so.
Sending Emails to customers? Use Auto-responses and add a “Text ‘SUBSCRIBE’ to ###-###-####" CTA to the email so customers can quickly ask for more information and join your texting list.
If you don’t have a business texting platform then texting customers means each employee is using their personal phones. Which is not ideal for large companies.
Luckily, That’s why business text messaging apps exist (like MessageDesk)- so your team can text customers from the same phone number simultaneously while on different devices.
Why Customers Text Businesses
It’s important to understand why a consumer would text your business.
Knowing what your customers are looking for allows you to write more compelling messages. (this applies to text messaging but also emails, ads, phone scripts, and more)
The bottom line is this - text messages get read and responded to.
Texting allows your business to connect with customers in a more authentic way because Customers will have meaningful 2-way conversations with real people at your company.
74% of consumers prefer talking to a real person at a business instead of a chatbot.
Texting your customers gives them a
Better appreciation for you and your staff
More tangible connection to your business and its processes
Clear understanding of why your business is better than the competition
Text messaging turns customers into evangelists. This means they'll be more likely to listen when you offer special deals, launch new products, or introduce new processes via text messaging.
They’ll also refer your business to friends and family. You will get more customers by using text messaging as your core communication strategy.
And, since you are texting them it is way easier for these referrals to reach you.
How Businesses Use Text Messaging
There are a bunch of different ways to start using text messaging. It really just depends on what your business needs.