SMS has been around for a long time. Other technologies come and go, or come and go through serious evolution, but SMS stays. In addition, it hasn’t really changed. For a technology that has been around for almost two decades, it’s astonishing that the biggest change – at least from the consumer’s point of view – is the introduction of emojis in texts.
Maybe because SMS has been around for long, it feels like an outdated technology. For this reason, some businesses have been ignoring it as a digital marketing channel. It doesn’t feel that digital.
However, SMS is one of the most effective digital marketing channels that a business can use. It not only allows businesses to market products but also to increase customer engagement, conduct ongoing market research, and forge deeper customer relationships that increase customer retention rate.
And while, on the consumer side, it may seem like SMS hasn’t changed, it has. Sending out multiple SMSs is now easy, convenient, and affordable. Moreover, with advances in technology, new SMS techniques have emerged. For example, SMSs sent to customers can be contextual. In addition, businesses can maintain SMS lists and automate the sending of periodic content, whose efficiency and personalization is aided by segmentation.
Over recent years, SMS has evolved to become one of the most effective channels for businesses to use in communicating and engaging with both existing and potential customers.
The use of SMS comes with multiple advantages. These include a higher open-rate compared to alternatives like email. In addition, customers don’t have to be online to receive SMS. It’s convenient and is specially suited for urgent communication.
As a business, if you’re not already using business SMS, you should consider it.
So, what are the different ways in which you can use SMS messaging for business value? Here are some use-cases.
Sample Use-Cases for Business SMS
SMS for Universities and Schools
A school messaging service can come in really handy for schools of all types. Whether big or small, any school can benefit immensely from an SMS service.
The first thing to note for retail SMS is that recipients have to opt in before you can send them messages. It’s not okay to just take someone’s number and start sending them texts about your business or university. They’ll most likely mark your messages as spam and, in any case, it will give them a negative perception about you.
For the above reason, you can’t use SMS for the traditional sense of marketing, that is for acquiring new customers. But you can use it to nurture leads, provided you’ve obtained their consent first.
Even so, the greatest utility that can be gained from SMS for universities is in engaging with students, parents, and staff.
For students, SMSs can be of great utility right from the application and admission stages and into alumni engagement.
The use of SMS can help nurture more applications into admissions. This can be achieved by providing guidance and relevant information to potential students, in addition to answering any queries that they might have. For this, a two-way messaging system would be better than a one-way system.
SMS can help streamline the admission process. Students, as well as parents, can be given timely reminders of timelines and admission requirements.
And when the students become part of the institution, a school messaging service can be of great help in ensuring a smooth learning experience for them. Students can be reminded of due assignments and projects. This can help have less issues.
In addition, a two-way messaging service can be invaluable in sustaining a conversation with students, which can help gain useful insights and improve the education services that a school offers.
And finally, when the students graduate, they can be encouraged to join the SMS list for alumni. This can supercharge alumni engagement and can be used for fundraising efforts, sending out event invitations, and keeping alumni informed of programs and opportunities that would be beneficial to them.
SMS for Businesses
SMS can have great returns on investment for businesses.
To start with, SMS has several distinct advantages over other digital and content marketing platforms like email.
The first of these advantages is reliability. To access SMS, clients only need to have a mobile device that is connected to a service provider. They don’t even need to be connected to the internet. Given the massive penetration rates of mobile devices, virtually everyone can be reached via SMS. In addition, SMS is subject to less delay. The average person can go for days without accessing email, especially if it’s not crucial to their work. On the contrary, the average person checks their phone screen for notifications multiple times throughout the day.
Another advantage of SMSs is that they have a significantly higher open rate compared to platforms like email. A promotional message sent via email has a good chance of being ignored and going unread. However, an SMS is likely to be opened. And since SMSs are short by nature, they are likely to be read and the information will have gotten home.
SMS has several use-cases for businesses.
To start with, it can be used to nurture leads. The collection of phone numbers for an SMS list can be incorporated into a business’ lead generation efforts. The leads who have opted in can then be nurtured, for example by being alerted of promotions.
Aside from helping with marketing efforts, SMS can help businesses better engage and understand their existing customers. Such knowledge helps serve customers better, increase retention rates, and develop products that are more in tune with customer needs.
With two-way messaging, deep customer engagement can be achieved through SMS. Through smart messaging, the load of customer care can be made lighter with chatbots. This can be implemented through two-way messaging. Chatbots typically take care of basic customer queries, such as frequently asked questions, and refer challenging issues to human agents. This reduces the burden on customer relations staff, in addition to easing the customer care budget.
In addition to aiding in marketing, customer care, and communication, SMS can also be used with great success in surveys.
