Texting is as common today as MSN Messenger was in the early 2000s (maybe more!). It’s a reality that people are spending more and more time on their cell phones – not necessarily talking to others in the traditional sense, but using their thumbs to send text messages. A study showed that around 68 percent of Americans reportedly use their smart phones for texting more than they use the devices for calling. This figure means that it makes complete sense for businesses to jump on this train and begin communicating with their clients using this method.
Text reminders save time
In a sense, text messaging can be even more efficient than other forms of communication when it comes to everyday business processes.
While phone calls and emails remain important tools for businesses in terms of reaching out to clients, SMS messaging allows businesses to send out quick text reminders to clients for scheduled appointments or for limited time offers and sales. These messages are sent straight to a recipient’s mobile phone and 94 percent of them are opened within three minutes of being sent. This can result in more conversions and quicker responses, increasing the speed at which a company can do business and reducing the time it takes employees to perform the menial everyday tasks.
Texts can be engaging
Because clients and subscribers are receiving messages straight to their phone’s lock screens, this presents more of an opportunity for businesses to increase their engagement with these clients by asking them to respond to confirm they have received the text reminders, creating a two-way conversation of sorts. A link to a feedback form can also be included in the reminder message that clients can click to be directed to a mobile survey they can fill out. Businesses may choose to award special, exclusive offers to recipients who complete the survey.
SMS engagement is also possible through the use of shortcodes and keywords. By acquiring a shortcode (a five or six-digit number that a keyword can be texted to, to receive a pre-determined reply) and setting up various keywords that can be used to text into the number, clients can receive the information they need, when they need it at their fingertips. While creating the automated keyword replies may be a little time-consuming up front, the time that will be saved in the long run is certainly worth it.
Should your business consider texting?
In a fast-paced business environment, businesses can quickly lose out on valuable opportunities that can help them with client retention and increase engagement and loyalty to their brand. Efficiency and engagement can be increased with the use of text messages. Email appointment reminders can be lost in a spam folder and voice reminders may not reach their intended recipient or voicemails may be forgotten. However, by sending text reminders to recipients, your business can be almost 100 percent sure that recipients will receive the message without delay.
The SimplyCast platform includes an intuitive SMS tool that can be easily used to create text reminder messages to send to your contacts. When used in tandem with the SimplyCast 360 application, you can set up a workflow that can be used to pull specific reminder dates unique to each contact and send the messages out automatically before that date.
If you have any questions about how SimplyCast can help you begin to send text reminders to your contacts, don’t hesitate to contact us today! You can also sign up for a free 14-day trial of the platform so you can see it for yourself!