Send SMS to Your Customers (Updated January 3, 2025)
SMS reaches people right where they're actually looking: their phones. Which means, you can make sure your messages actually get SEEN.
...customers engaging with promos. Webinar registrants actually SHOWING UP. No more missed memos. No more missed meetings.
Although SMS is certainly effective, the SMS process can get complicated if you don't have the right provider. Make sure you find one that will guide you through the process - so you can avoid any headaches. That's where Mobile Text Alerts can help.
Enjoy the white glove treatment, including done-for-you setup (as desired) and ongoing support with reps who are there to help YOU.
Schedule messages ahead of time or automate a series of messages, to make the most efficient use of your business text messaging system.
Send personalized messages that are actually relevant to your subscribers - by organizing your contact list into segmented groups. Plus, automatically include your customers’ names in your text blasts, and manage individual two-way conversations via an easy inbox.
Beautify your text messages with images to pack the most punch in your marketing efforts. You can even include your logo in a convenient contact card that your customers can save to their phone so that they know who's texting them.
Make informed decisions about your business text messaging efforts - by viewing reporting on your messages and contact list at any time. These reports include data on sent messages, delivery statuses, link clicks, subscriber trends, and information on opt-outs.
Manage your account and send messages at your convenience via web platform or mobile app. For the most flexibility, create unlimited administrator profiles so that multiple people can access the account at different permission levels.
Example: "Don't forget about the annual Christmas Concert this Sunday at 6pm! It's free! See you there."
Example: "The webinar on 'How to Take Your Business to the Next Level in 5 Steps' starts in 10 minutes! Here's the Zoom link: [link]"
Example: "Safety alert! Please desist from all work until further notice. Lightning spotted near the area."
Example: "This month only! Get 30% off all new inventory items. Use code [promo code] at checkout. Shop here: [link]"
Example: “The Lincolnshire branch will be closed tomorrow due to expected inclement weather. Please work from home if possible."
Example: “Zumba class resumes tomorrow at 8:00am! See you soon, and get ready to get active!"
Example: "Reminder: Your appointment with Dr. Duensing is TOMORROW at 3pm. Please reply RESCHEDULE now if you need to reschedule."
Example: "Due to a power outage, systems are currently down. Please refrain from coming into work until further notice."
Example: "New property opening soon at [location]! 3BR, 2B, 1500 sq ft. Reply INTERESTED if you'd like more info."
Example: "Hungry? Get $5 off your order if you come in TODAY and show this text message!"
Example: "Reminder! Your appointment is coming up on October 3rd and 11:15am. Please reply right away if you need to cancel."
Example: "[Ticker symbol] is at an all-time low!"
Any time you introduce a new tool it can be intimidating.
But getting an SMS service up and running doesn't have to be complicated.
There are just a few steps to getting started.
The first step is to simply choose a business text messaging service to use.
The good news is that there are lots of services to choose from.
But the bad news is that there are lots of services to choose from! (Which means exploring options can be overwhelming.)
If you want some help in evaluating services, check out the “How to Choose a Text Messaging Service for Business” section below.
Most services will allow you to test out a free trial, so you can do that to get a feel for how the service works.
The second step after choosing a service is to populate your SMS database with contacts so that you can actually send them messages.
If you already have a list, you can import it into the SMS service platform via a spreadsheet (or via API if you have developers). Otherwise, you can use one of the platform opt-in tools (text-to-join keywords, web sign-up forms/banners, and QR codes) to grow your list.
Note that due to TCPA regulations, any contact lists you add in must be legitimate lists, not randomly generated.)
The next step is to create SMS campaigns in your text messaging service dashboard or via the service's SMS API.
There are a few different ways you can create campaigns:
You'll then be able to monitor your campaign results from your online dashboard.
A business text messaging service refers to either an online platform or an API that allows you to send out text messages for business purposes.
These types of services typically have an emphasis on sending out business text messages on a mass scale, but can also include individual texts sent for marketing, customer support, or even internal team notices.
There are many good business text messaging services out there, but we would of course recommend that you try out our SMS service Mobile Text Alerts.
With Mobile Text Alerts you'll get:
Most fully-featured business text message services will require you to pay a fee.
That being said, services such as Mobile Text Alerts can be very affordable, so cost doesn't need to be a major factor holding people back from implementing SMS at least to some extent.
SMS services allow you to manage a database of business contacts (whether prospects, customers, colleagues, or employees) and send out SMS either on a mass scale or individually.
You can get services loaded into the online platform or you can manage every via API.
Here's a walkthrough of how it works via Mobile Text Alerts:
There are several effective use cases for business SMS.
Some of those include:
Business SMS costs can vary greatly, but the most important factor to consider is the number of messages you want to send.
For very small volumes (500 messages per month or less), costs can be as little as $20 per month. Also, keep in mind that you don't need to send as many SMS to make an impact, since people tend to read their SMS a lot more reliably than email or other channels.
For larger volumes (50,000 messages per month or more), you can expect to pay less than $.02 per message.