How to Leverage SMS Marketing for Business

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SMS marketing for business has emerged as a pivotal component of effective multi-channel marketing, as many brands actively reach out to mobile customers. Some businesses may mistakenly assume that SMS marketing requires substantial financial resources and lacks the capacity for personalized and targeted messaging while also lacking comprehensive analytical tools to measure return on investment.

Businesses frequently misunderstand mobile marketing, assuming it demands significant investments in mobile apps. Furthermore, there is a misconception that mobile marketing hinders personalized, targeted communication and lacks robust analytical capabilities to substantiate return on investment.

In reality, mobile communications are much more straightforward than commonly believed. Sending personalized and targeted text messages to mobile consumers is a simple process, and many businesses have already harnessed these advantages successfully.

Sending personalized and targeted text messages to mobile consumers is a straightforward process. Numerous businesses have recognized and enjoyed the advantages of using bulk SMS marketing to enhance their business communication.

However, only a few businesses have fully harnessed the true potential of SMS marketing. Until recently, SMS usage was predominantly limited to personal conversations, with businesses recognizing its significance in their marketing strategy only as smartphone usage experienced a sharp increase.

Conversely, marketing your business demands a significant investment of time and resources. Moreover, achieving success and gaining traction in your marketing endeavors can be challenging, primarily due to frequent social media algorithm updates and the overwhelming daily emails people receive.

SMS marketing, or text message marketing, is a straightforward method for your business to connect with customers and achieve a more substantial return on investment (ROI). Additionally, this approach is likely to be well-received by your customers.

So what is enterprise SMS marketing, and how is it beneficial for Indian businesses?

What are the benefits offered by it for Indian businesses? This blog post will provide answers to these and will guide you on SMS marketing for business in India.

What is SMS Marketing?

SMS marketing for business is strategy that involves sending promotional offers, deals, and transactional information to customers via text messages. This approach fosters one-to-one communication between businesses and their customers, allowing for direct and personalized interactions.

Automated text messages can target a large audience, reaching hundreds or thousands of customers simultaneously.

Indeed, SMS marketing, also known as mass text messaging, involves sending automated messages targeted to hundreds or even thousands of customers at once.

SMS marketing for business is highly effective, comparable to social media marketing, enabling businesses to engage with potential customers in real-time. Moreover, it is often considered more robust and reliable than email marketing.

SMS marketing relies on a database containing customer details, such as names, phone numbers, locations, and other relevant information, which allows businesses to convey their messages more effectively. 

A crucial aspect of this marketing approach is the ability to target a specific audience. Like Facebook ads, SMS marketing for business targets an audience segmented by criteria like location, age, interests, and more, ensuring that messages reach customers where they spend a significant amount of time: on their smartphones.

For businesses considering SMS marketing for their products or services, it’s essential to remember that it should be integrated into their overall marketing strategy. Additionally, businesses should refrain from launching SMS marketing campaigns without a well-defined plan outlining how to reach new customers and achieve their goals. 

Proper planning and integration with the broader marketing approach are key to the success of SMS marketing for business.

SMS marketing for business serves various purposes, such as informing customers about delivery status, sending supportive messages after app downloads, providing transactional updates following purchases, or simply sharing information about exclusive discounts and offers. 

However, the effectiveness of an SMS campaign is realized when a customer recognizes or is familiar with the brand. If the text message isn’t perceived as valuable or useful, it may be regarded as spam by the recipient.

Types of SMS

The most cost-effective and productive method for boosting your company’s profitability and maintaining a presence in the market is through bulk SMS marketing. This approach involves sending many SMS messages to numerous mobile customers.

SMS marketing is currently one of the most popular marketing tools, with various types of bulk SMS categorized according to their intended use cases. Here’s a brief overview of these categories.

Promotional SMS

Promotional SMS messages are designed to promote or sell products, goods, or services to individuals who are not yet customers. These messages are sent to recipients after preferences and consent have been verified, and they typically feature a six-digit numeric header, as permitted for your business by the DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology). 

Here are a few examples of how promotional SMS can be employed:

1. Promotion of brand awareness
2. Launch of a new brand
3. Marketing of products
4. Events
5. Offers and discounts for sales
6. Sales follow-up
7. Features of Office24by7 SMS Marketing
8. Multilingual SMS capabilities
9. Create customized SMS
10. Send SMS according to the schedule
11. Reports on delivery
12. Management of contacts
13. Set up groups
14. Send messages to groups
15. Files can be uploaded in CSV, Excel, or TXT format
16. DND Filtering automatically
17. SMS API integration with existing applications, websites, or software
18. The SMS can be sent from 10 AM to 9 PM
19. SMS gateways are robust and dynamic

Transactional SMS

Transactional messages encompass any message that contains a One-Time Password (OTP) necessary to finalize a banking transaction initiated by a bank or financial institution. This applies to all types of banks, including national, scheduled, private, government-owned, and multinational banks. 

These messages are critical for enhancing the security and integrity of financial transactions and are standard practice in the banking industry.

A transactional SMS is used for SMS marketing to send the information needed to use a product or service. You can use transactional SMS in the following situations:

• Notifications regarding credit card purchases or account status
• E-commerce alerts, such as order status, shipment status, and delivery details
• Status of the PNR
• Alerts/notifications from educational institutions to parents and guardians
• Employer notifications/alerts to employees
• Validation codes and registration codes
• Information about OTPs and tracking

Service Implicit SMS

Service implicit SMS messages deliver essential information to registered customers, including OTPs, booking confirmations, and order alerts. These messages are sent to all recipients, even those who may have opted for “Do Not Disturb” (DND) status, as they are considered service-related and not promotional. They can be dispatched around the clock, 24×7, and typically feature a six-character alphabetic header approved by DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology). 

Here are a few examples of service-implicit SMS:

• Net-banking confirmations and credit/debit card transactions.
• E-commerce website confirmation of purchase, delivery status, etc.
• To complete a payment, customers pay through a mobile app or website using a payment wallet. A one-time password is sent to complete the transaction.
• Authentication requirements for e-commerce website, app, social networking logins, Demat account operations, KYC, eWallet registration, etc.
• TSP/ISP messages.
• Contains periodic information regarding balance, bill generation, bill dispatch, reminders about due dates, and confirmation of recharges (DTH, cable, prepaid electricity, etc.)
• Periodic upgrades, notifications, and updates.
• Retail stores may send messages about your bill, warranty, and school attendance.
• Registration, appointment, discharge, and reports from hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, radiologists, and pathologists.
• App-based confirmation messages.
• Mandatory messages from the government, DOT, and TRAI.
• Up-to-date information about car workshops, repair shops, and gadget repair centers.
• Yellow Pages, Just Dial, and other directory services.
• Securities and Demat account holders are alerted about day-end and month-end settlements.

Service Explicit SMS

Service-explicit SMS messages update customers about new offers, discounts, or service-related updates. These bulk SMS explicit messages are sent to customers only after obtaining their consent, and a stringent verification process ensures that recipients have given explicit permission to receive such messages. These communications also record future similar messages to maintain compliance with recipient preferences. 

Additionally, the brand name of the registered principal entity must be present in the message body, and a six-character alpha header is typically used to send service explicit SMS via DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) platforms. This approach ensures that customers receive relevant and authorized promotional content while upholding transparency and compliance with regulations.

Unicode SMS

It’s common for customers to prefer receiving messages in their language for a more personalized experience. Messages can be sent in languages other than English using Unicode, allowing for the use of various scripts and characters to accommodate the linguistic preferences of a diverse customer base. This enables businesses to effectively reach and engage customers in their preferred languages, enhancing the overall communication experience.

When sending SMS messages in non-standard languages like Chinese, Cyrillic, Arabic, Thai, and regional languages such as Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, etc., it’s essential to utilize the Unicode standard. 

Unicode assigns a unique number to each character, including non-Latin alphabetic characters. This ensures the text can be accurately represented and displayed in the recipient’s language, regardless of the script or characters used. Using Unicode is crucial for maintaining the integrity and readability of text messages in diverse linguistic contexts.

In SMS messaging, the standard character limit is typically 160 characters. However, when using Unicode to accommodate various characters, the character limit is reduced to 70. If a message surpasses this character limit, it will be segmented into multiple messages to ensure that all the content is delivered to the recipient while adhering to the limitations imposed by Unicode encoding. 

This segmentation ensures that the message is received accurately, albeit in separate parts, when it includes non-Latin characters or falls outside the standard character limits.

This type of SMS, which utilizes Unicode encoding, also supports the sending of emojis. Emojis, previously not easily recognized by the GSM 7 encoding standard, can now be handled effectively. It eliminates the necessity for encoding various protocols when using different languages or characters, making the process more straightforward and user-friendly.

Two-Way SMS

This type of SMS utilizes a dedicated virtual SMS number, allowing you to receive SMS messages from customers and respond based on the content of those messages. The replies received can be conveniently stored in inboxes or accessed through APIs, making it easy for businesses to manage and respond to customer inquiries and interactions effectively.

Using a dedicated virtual SMS number in this particular SMS setup, you can receive text messages from customers and subsequently craft responses based on the content of these messages. Responses can be stored in inboxes or processed through APIs, or they can even be forwarded to email.

Providing two-way SMS service for SMS marketing guarantees that clients can obtain immediate responses to their SMS inquiries. Responses can be archived in inboxes and processed through APIs, and they can also be routed to a specified email address. For receiving real-time SMS responses, both short codes and long codes should be employed.

Long Code SMS

A long code is a ten-digit virtual mobile number that serves the purpose of facilitating two-way communication. The sole expense of long codes is a modest SMS fee, as these services are available globally. Long codes can be categorized into two distinct groups.

• Dedicated Long Code – Each client is assigned a unique long code, which is only used for their applications. It is possible to include unlimited keywords and applications with Office24by7.
• Shared Long Code – Customers share their long codes with other companies. A particular keyword is assigned to each business, and the responses are then mapped to the keyword.
• Auto-reply for free
• Unlimited keyword options for dedicated long codes
• Web-based tracking and reporting
• Integrate our APIs with long code
• Compatible with all telecoms
• 24-hour technical support
• A 99.9% uptime guarantee

Short Code SMS

A short code is a compact, five or 6-digit number shared among various companies and customers to facilitate communication, and it’s compatible with all telecom providers.

Short codes are paired with specific keywords. Each short code number is associated with a particular keyword. When customers send SMS messages with that keyword, an automated pre-set response is dispatched. Additionally, custom responses can be generated and sent through URL forwarding.

You can access data related to the keywords and sub-words you utilize, the mobile numbers of customers, and the timestamps and locations of messages sent through your specific short code. Short codes come in two varieties:

Dedicated Short Codes: These codes are exclusively assigned to a single client’s business, serving only that particular business.

Shared Short Codes: In the case of shared short codes, multiple businesses share the same short code. Responses are sorted and routed based on the specific keyword that each business is assigned.

Features of Office24by7

• Auto-reply for free
• Dedicated short codes with unlimited keywords
• Sub-keywords are unlimited
•  Web-based tracking and reporting
• Integrate APIs with short cod
• Compatible with all telecom operators
• 24×7 technical support
• 99% uptime

Uses

These are the most common uses of short codes.

• Polling
• Surveys
• Giveaways
• Feedback from customers
• Results of exams/tests
• Online draw
• Lead generation

Enterprise SMS Services

This form of SMS communication has become increasingly prevalent and efficient for enterprises. Leveraging Office24by7’s extensive global coverage, you can provide customers with cutting-edge services, such as two-way SMS, worldwide.

The enterprise SMS gateway is purposefully designed for seamless integration into existing applications. It offers a global, highly reliable network for delivering services, including banking, financial transactions, and more, directly to mobile phones, such as:

• Updates to account balances
• Alerts based on thresholds
• Delivery of mini-statements
• Notification of account credits and debits
• Alerts regarding suspicious account activity
• Internet banking one-time password delivery
• Stock quotes in real-time
• Security price alerts and notifications customized to your needs
• Credit requests, mortgage approvals, and insurance coverage

Benefits

• Over 700 mobile operators in over 200 countries enable us to reach more people and businesses.
• 99% of traffic is routed through a highly robust distribution network, giving you the best performance possible.
• To meet regulatory and compliance needs, SMS audit trails are provided, as well as SMS tracking.
• Delivers content as and when it’s needed
• Mobile banking reduces customers’ updates by 97% over call center updates
• It extends the boundaries of SMS at work beyond 160 characters
• Enhances the customer journey and increases customer satisfaction significantly
• Significant reduction in credit/debit card fraud losses through SMS alerts

Two-Way Enterprise SMS

The Office24by7 enterprise SMS gateway streamlines the sending of two-way SMS messages. Beyond serving as a communication tool, two-way SMS can enhance customer engagement.

Benefits

• You can send SMS messages directly from your email address or back office system – inbound SMS messages will be delivered to your inbox or back office system.
• We convert SMS responses into emails and deliver them to you. VMN works in over 100 countries.
• You can manage your responses automatically by identifying keywords
• The complexity of international short-code messaging is bypassed

Voice SMS/Outbound Dialer

An outbound dialer is a platform that enables enterprises to dispatch many voice messages to a predefined list of customers, all at once and in real time. This tool can also be set up for two-way communication, where the customer’s voice input can guide subsequent actions.

Features of Office24by7

• Text-to-speech (TTS)
• Make a call, record your message, and send it to selected recipients
• Capture user input using touch tones
• Allows for retrying
• Filtering of NDNCs
• Forwarding of calls
• Plan voice campaigns and messages
• Reports in real-time
• API integration with an existing website, application, or ERP system
• Only billed when a call is answered
• Services for voice artists

Benefits

• You can send messages in a language the recipients understand, so the messages are highly personalized.
• It can be accessed by any device, allowing the enterprise to reach a wider audience.
• Receive an immediate response.

Missed Call SMS

Customers can dial a specified number and, in response to a missed call, receive a voice message, SMS, or a return phone call. This software is versatile and capable of generating leads, conducting votes and polls, gathering customer feedback, verifying mobile numbers, delivering customer support, and registering subscribers, among other functions.

Features of Office24by7

• Text/voice message/call back auto-reply
• Disconnecting calls automatically
• Call recording
• Comprehensive and detailed reports
• Extremely scalable and customizable
• Multi-network and multi-operator compatible
• URL forwarding

Benefits

• Improved response rate
• Providing better customer service
• Simpler and faster
• Improves operational efficiency

IVR Surveys

An IVR survey is an automated, pre-recorded survey where customers provide their responses either through their voice or by using touch-tone keypresses to answer questions. Both outbound and inbound IVR surveys are offered, typically conducted with customers for market research purposes.

Features of Office24by7

• Text-to-speech
• Multilingual support
• Recordings of calls and responses
• Live reports with detailed information
• Integration of APIs with existing technologies

Advantages

• More cost-effective than other modes
• Immediate feedback
• Increased response rates

Why Bulk SMS?

Bulk SMS is a straightforward, robust, and user-friendly service that enables anyone to create and send personalized SMS messages. Nowadays, an increasing number of small and medium-sized businesses are turning to bulk SMS marketing to engage with their existing customers and connect with potential new ones.

Why Office24by7?

Leveraging bulk SMS is incredibly beneficial for promoting your brand globally. Our SMS marketing services empower you to connect with new customers and individuals who may not be familiar with your brand.

Features

• Internet-based SMS text messaging to individuals and groups
• Schedule SMS messages based on date and time
• Different languages available for SMS
• Send personalized outgoing messages
• Files with Tab delimiters can be uploaded
• Reports of message delivery
• Send a message and view its history
• Send messages using draft templates

Group SMS

Users can be organized into groups, each with a designated group name and recipient name. Messages can then be sent to these groups, and you have the flexibility to manage, modify, or update these groups as needed. Additionally, you can streamline the process by importing users through CSV file uploads.

Your Sender ID

You can enhance your brand promotion with a six-digit name or any number you choose. Following submitting a sender ID request, the sender ID is typically activated within minutes, allowing you to send SMS messages with your company name or designated number.

API for your Website

Our APIs are compatible with various applications and environments. They are designed to be adaptable and can seamlessly integrate with your applications. Our bulk SMS API is commonly employed in numerous applications, particularly for transactional purposes. To assist you in the integration process, we offer sample codes for various applications.

Schedule SMS

Our servers can deliver SMS messages punctually based on the date and time you specify for scheduled SMS. Moreover, you can modify the scheduled time and date at any point as per your requirements.

Dynamic SMS

You can send bulk SMS to various numbers, each with unique content. Dynamic SMS can find applications in various sectors, including schools, colleges, hospitals, and organizations. By uploading a file to the server with as many columns as needed, you can effortlessly dispatch dynamic SMS messages through a bulk SMS gateway.

Delivery Reports

Once your SMS campaign is finished, we will provide comprehensive reports. These reports can be easily accessed by searching for specific dates or months and offer 100% accuracy. You can promptly download these detailed reports for your convenience.

SMS Gateway

We provide SMS gateway APIs that enable businesses to send concise messages to their intended customers. With the SMS gateway API, you can conveniently dispatch messages instantly without complications.

Use of Bulk SMS Services in Various Industries

Bulk SMS marketing for business is a strategy adopted by numerous industrial sectors to enhance their customer service. It empowers companies to expand and meet the ever-evolving consumer needs, ultimately delivering improved services and products. Here’s a brief list of industries where bulk SMS marketing is commonly utilized:

Bulk SMS Services for the Retail Industry

To strike the right balance among various factors for achieving flawless marketing, SMS plays a crucial role in communicating with various stakeholders, including vendors, customers, dealers, associates, and even employees, especially when informing them about upcoming events.

Regardless of your business or industry, bulk SMS marketing can offer substantial benefits. Whether you’re introducing a new brand, informing customers about your products and services, or keeping them updated on discounts and promotions, SMS is an indispensable tool for reaching a maximum number of customers. It’s worth noting that in the retail industry alone, there are over 20,000 clients in India who make use of bulk SMS gateways to enhance their marketing efforts.

Bulk SMS Services for Education

The education landscape in India is undergoing a significant transformation. Fostering holistic development and enhancing the interactions among students, parents, and teachers has become crucial. Bulk SMS marketing for business serves as a powerful tool to facilitate mass communication with parents, teachers, administrators, and alumni by enabling the sending of SMS messages to a large number of recipients.

Bulk SMS for Advertisement and Event Management

To ensure the success of your products and services, effective advertising is essential. Bulk SMS plays a pivotal role in communicating with a large customer base. It allows you not only to establish and reinforce your brand but also to keep your customers informed about important events and updates.

Bulk SMS for Insurance

The insurance industry in India is experiencing rapid growth, and insurance companies can leverage bulk SMS to efficiently convey information and communicate with their agents about insurance premiums, policies, and services. This approach helps keep agents informed and engaged in the dynamic insurance landscape.

Bulk SMS for the Automobile Industry

Automobile dealerships work with various brands, positioning them as one of the most innovative industries. Bulk SMS is a valuable tool that enables your company to efficiently communicate, make announcements, send reminders, and raise awareness within the complex network that includes manufacturers, dealers, and customers. It fosters effective communication throughout the automotive industry.

Bulk SMS for Stock Brokers

Given the dynamic and fast-paced nature of the stock market, it’s crucial to keep customers well-informed with up-to-date stock market analysis, news, and other relevant information. Bulk SMS is an invaluable tool that not only disseminates information about specific stock markets but also ensures that customers are consistently updated and informed about the ever-changing stock market landscape.

Bulk SMS for Real Estate

In the rapidly expanding field of infrastructure development, the real estate industry is reshaping the landscape of India. Through bulk SMS, you can offer many services to facilitate your growth in this sector further. These services may include updating potential buyers or renters about project or property availability, lease or rental options, and informing them about newly launched real estate projects. Bulk SMS can be a powerful tool for enhancing your presence and success in the real estate industry.

Bulk SMS for Hotels and Resorts

The hospitality industry, comprising hotels, resorts, and amusement parks, is a thriving multi-billion-dollar sector in India. Hotels and resorts are ideal for various occasions, such as holidays, meetings, conferences, weddings, birthdays, and more. Success in this business lies in promptly staying connected with customers. As businesses grow, every customer’s satisfaction and engagement become pivotal.

Bulk SMS marketing for businesses is crucial in introducing new services, promoting food festivals, and highlighting other amenities to ensure customers stay informed and engaged with the offerings in the dynamic world of hospitality.

Bulk SMS for Placement and Overseas Education Consultant

Identifying the ideal candidate for a specific job can be a challenging task. Bulk SMS acts as a bridge connecting job providers and seekers, streamlining the recruitment process. It effectively disseminates information about job openings and educational opportunities.

Additionally, bulk SMS aids companies in building and reinforcing their brand presence, making it a valuable tool in job recruitment and corporate branding.

Bulk SMS for Tours and Tourism

The tourism industry significantly contributes to the country’s revenue by promoting Indian culture and attracting foreign tourists. Bulk SMS offers an efficient means of communication with various stakeholders in the industry, including travel agencies, hotels, direct customers, airlines, and other companies involved in the tourism sector. 

Additionally, customers can be promptly informed about the latest offers, packages, and other relevant updates through bulk SMS, enhancing their travel experience and supporting the growth of the tourism sector.

Bulk SMS for Courier and Logistics

Courier and logistics services are widely used for transporting letters, official or personal documents, and gifts, handling household relocations due to job transfers, and delivering online orders. 

Bulk SMS marketing for business plays a dual role in this industry by aiding in the tracking of courier deliveries and facilitating direct communication with suppliers. This ensures not only the efficiency of the courier service but also the security and convenience of users in their logistics and transportation needs.

In the e-commerce era, dealers and suppliers rely heavily on courier services to fulfill their orders, and courier services, in turn, depend on SMS services to efficiently convey information about the correct products to their customers. 

Bulk SMS serves as a rapid and effective communication, ensuring that the right products are delivered promptly and accurately, thus supporting the seamless operation of e-commerce businesses.

Bulk SMS for Online Portals and E-commerce

The e-commerce or online shopping industry in India has witnessed tremendous growth, offering not only a wide array of deals and discounts but also the convenience of lower prices compared to physical shopping malls. Customers can receive bulk SMS notifications regarding the latest discounts and offers, enhancing their shopping experience. 

Additionally, bulk SMS facilitates seamless communication among manufacturers, dealers, and courier services, connecting more customers with the fastest service providers in the online shopping ecosystem.

Bulk SMS for Airlines

India is host to numerous aviation companies that offer various services, including long-distance and short-distance travel, business-class options, and discounted rates on certain days to attract not only business-class travelers but also the average person. 

Bulk SMS is a convenient tool for keeping customers informed about new offerings, bidding opportunities, booking options, and online reservations, thus facilitating effective communication and engagement within the aviation industry.

Bulk SMS for Web Development, ERP, and CRM companies

India has risen as a super icon in the IT industry owing to its revolutionary and boundless information and communication technology. Bulk SMS, as a part of this new-age communication technology, can be effectively employed in crucial domains such as messaging, customer care, human resources, vendor management, sales, and promotional activities, enhancing efficiency and engagement across various industries.

Bulk SMS for Banking

Banking services have become more accessible with just one click, transforming the banking industry with secure and efficient methods for providing fast and safe services. Utilizing IT, thousands of online and offline banking services, such as ATMs, internet banking, verification, authentication, and online payments, have become available.

Incorporating Bulk SMS can enhance the popularity, authenticity, and security of these banking services, contributing to a more robust and reliable financial sector.

Bulk SMS for Media and Entertainment

In India, the media is significant in mass communication, but the entertainment industry is also experiencing rapid growth. Bulk SMS marketing for business is a valuable tool for notifying customers about upcoming events, sharing bulletin news, announcing new movie releases, facilitating online movie ticket booking, and offering the opportunity to catch up on missed episodes of daily soap operas. This versatile communication method enhances customer engagement and contributes to the dynamic entertainment landscape in the country.

How to Send Bulk SMS?

To cater to the diverse requirements of individuals and businesses looking to send bulk SMS, numerous platforms are readily available. These are often called application-to-person (A2P) SMS messaging solutions and can take the form of mobile phone applications, web interfaces, software programs, or integration with SMS APIs into various systems. These platforms offer flexibility and convenience for sending bulk SMS messages.

The process of sending bulk SMS is very simple, and Office24by7 can conveniently send a huge amount. All you have to do is add the text of the message to be sent and select a list of recipients. Office24by7 allows you to send SMSes that are highly segmented to a huge subscriber base at wholesale prices.

Below are the steps involved in sending bulk SMS.

Step 1: Register with Office24by7

Create an account and fill in all the fields. Click sign up

Step 2: Select the Pricing Plan

Select the pricing plan and price per SMS for the country you wish to send bulk SMS.

Step 3: Upload Contacts (File Upload)

The phone numbers can be uploaded, copied, pasted, or imported.

Step 4: Create an SMS Campaign with Custom Message

Set up an SMS campaign with a keyword that aligns with your brand name. Make the most of 160 characters. Write the body of the message with your brand name. Use your CRM to understand your customer demographics.

You can also create a custom-made text message by using customer data like name, age, country, gender, etc, that can provide your subscribers with more relevant offers and news at the right time.

Step 5: Fill in All the Fields and Hit Send

You can enter up to 11 characters or digits for the sender’s name in Latin. Type the text of the SMS. Determine the time you want to send it. It is possible to schedule an SMS to be sent automatically or immediately. Verify that the message appears as you want it to. Submit!

TRAI New Rules for Bulk SMS

Register as an Entity and Telemarketer

All businesses (principal entities) and bulk SMS service providers (telemarketers) must now register with telecom operators to send messages to their customers. Business firms were not required to register with TRAI before the registration. However, with the new rules, service providers and companies that want to send SMS to their clients must register with their respective telecom operators.

Registration of Headers and Templates

Sender ID is now known as headers, and each header must be approved and registered with the Telecom Operators.

The telecom operators must also approve each SMS or template directly. Bulk SMS service providers will no longer control sender ID and template approval, and all header and template details will be available to view on a panel.

Type of SMS

Previously, there were two ways to send SMS – transactional and promotional. However, TRAI has introduced three new routes in the latest update: Transactional, Promotional, and Service (implicit and explicit).

Under the new regulations, banks can send only OTPs via the transactional route, while service-related informative messages shall fall into the implicit category. It will fall under the explicit category if a customer has agreed to receive promotional SMS from a company. Only DND numbers will receive promotional SMS messages, such as offers and discounts.

Consent from Customers

The new regulation grants mobile subscribers (customers) to have their consent to receive messages, and it also gives them the ability to opt out of this in the future. On a single dashboard, they will be able to see the consents they have given and manage them as well as withdraw them at any time.

Preferences of the Customer

Customers previously had only the option of DND or non-DND. As part of the new rules, mobile subscribers have been provided with a time window in which to manage their preferences based on a specific time or day, and they are allowed to receive certain kinds of promotional messages regardless of their preferences. 

The customer can still receive messages even if he has activated DND on his number text from a company if he wishes to. The customer can also choose when to receive promotional texts.

Message Scrubbing

With scrubbing, it is now possible to ensure that messages are sent according to the customer’s specifications. It will filter the number of messages based on the customer’s criteria in real time. Real-time filtering of customer preferences results in immediate feedback.

Customer Complaints Management

Customers who believe their preferences or consent has been violated can register complaints via various channels, such as phone calls or SMS, to increase safety and authenticity in the system.

Telecom Interoperability

Telecom service providers can view details related to entities, telemarketers, headers, templates, etc., on the platform. Businesses and bulk SMS service providers can share their data with the network. This information can be viewed at any time.

Traceable

All transactions are traceable using distributed ledger technology (DLT). The result is that all data is recorded and shared on the network, and it can be tracked at any time.

Error Codes in Bulk SMS

Any time there is an error in sending an SMS, a number will be sent out. Sending a message is not always successful due to SMS error codes. When a message fails to arrive, senders receive different error codes.  

SMS errors due to DLT scrubbing are delineated in detail for our customers in every outbound SMS. It will help you to understand the root cause of failure and troubleshoot issues with outbound SMS delivery right away with these detailed error codes. They relate only to DLT scrubbing issues.

Benefits of Using SMS Marketing

Bulk SMS marketing for business has been around for a while, and the ease of use has made it very popular these days. It offers many useful benefits to businesses in increasing their potential success and sales and gaining more loyal customers. Below are the many benefits of it in detail. Have a closer look at them now.

No Need for Internet

SMS marketing for business does not require the Internet. Even if you do not have an internet connection, there would be no problem using it. It is adaptable to every mobile phone in the world. It allows you to engage offline customers, those who do not use a desktop or laptop, or even those who do not use smartphones.

Amongst the high percentage of customers who use mobile phones and smartphones in both developed and developing countries, it is very successful. This means you can reach a wide audience with SMS easily.

As a result of this benefit offered, it increases the chances of you gaining more loyal customers or gaining people who would be keen on knowing about your products or services.

Mobile Friendly

Nowadays, it is very important to have a mobile-friendly business as more and more customers have become mobile-savvy. You can easily target this audience with SMS marketing that is not only mobile-friendly but also a strong asset to your marketing strategy.

Gone are the days when businesses give mobile-friendliness a last priority. Since mobiles are here to stay, their huge potential can be tapped fruitfully. This kind of marketing is possible for every kind of mobile phone. When appropriate links are shared through SMS, you can generate the right traffic for your business. Make sure these links are kept short. For example, if you offer a discount on a certain product or service, your SMS message should contain the link to this product or service.   

High Delivery Rate

An important aspect of SMS marketing is sending the text to the right audience. Ideally, the higher the connection rates, the higher the level of profitability for a business.

The rate at which messages are delivered to recipients, known as SMS deliverability, is high for it (which is almost 98%). This signifies that a very high number of text messages are sent to the customers. Thus, it can be said that it is the most reliable method of communication.

Further, it should be remembered that the success of an SMS campaign depends on the delivery rate. Successful SMS campaigns also mean non-spammy and valuable texts. Apart from the high delivery rate provided by SMS marketing, 90% of the SMSs are opened and read within three minutes of receiving them. Compared to all other channels, the click-through and engagement levels are more effective with SMSs.

Time-Efficient and Easy Scheduling

With SMS marketing for business, you can save a lot of time. It allows you to send SMS campaigns instantly. Very little time is required to create a text message that you want to send to people. Text messages can be sent to your customers when your business offers discounts or deals about products and services. Also, text messaging hardly takes a few seconds compared to phone calls and emails that take more than a few minutes.

As it is time-efficient, the entire process of SMS campaigning is highly cost-effective.  Moreover, since a lot of time and money is saved through it, your ROI is also increased. This holds even if there is low customer response.

It also allows the scheduling of text messages. You can also use the most successful SMS campaigns as templates for future purposes, which also help save your precious time.

Pocket Friendly

SMS marketing for business is very affordable, and even small businesses can benefit from using it.  Compared to other forms of advertising like billboards, advertisements, etc, it is more than ten times cheaper.

Regardless of the number of messages you wish to send customers, it is affordable and pocket-friendly. This proves that it is very attractive for those businesses, especially those who do not have huge budgets. It yields positive results even if your budget is very low and makes your brand presence felt by many customers.  

Conclusion

As you can see from all of this, SMS Marketing for business is a great technique. Despite its not-so-trendy status, it gets results. You can’t afford not to try SMS marketing for business when it offers many inexpensive benefits. It is especially advantageous for businesses when it gives them an edge over the competition.

Why not try Office24by7? We are the best bulk SMS service provider for your business. Call us at 91 7097171717 or email us at sales@office24by7.com to learn how we can assist you.