Nowadays, many businesses all over the world use SMS messaging to engage their customers and prospects. One of the main benefits of texting for business is that the open rate for SMS is much higher compared to the open rate for emails. This means that your marketing messages will reach a bigger audience, thus enhancing your chances of making higher sales. Besides reaching customers and prospects, texting can also be very useful for sending messages to colleagues and team members.However, to succeed in business texting, you will need to adhere to the following rules:
1. Get permission
Before you begin texting your customers and prospects, be sure to get their permission first. Sending out marketing messages to people without their consent will annoy them, and leave them with a poor impression of your company. One of the best ways of getting customers and prospects to opt in is by asking them to send you a text message with specific keywords. This will enable you to target individuals that are actually interested in your products or services.
2. Avoid abbreviations
Using abbreviations in SMS will make your message appear less businesslike and more casual. In addition, some people (especially the older generation) might not understand what exactly you mean. Your message may also not be clear to people who belong to a different culture. Therefore, to succeed in business texting, be sure to type out entire words.
3. Avoid emoticons
While emoticons can add some life to your text message, they should be used in moderation. If you use emoticons too often, it could water down your messages and people might not take you seriously. Unless your audience is entirely made up of teenagers, it would be advisable to stick to plain words.
4. Proofread your text
Messages with poor punctuation, grammar and spelling will leave recipients with a poor impression of you or your company. Therefore, before hitting the send button, be sure to proofread your text thoroughly and correct any errors. This is especially important when you are texting by voice. Having an autocorrect app such as Swift Keyboard installed in your phone can come in very handy for proofreading.
5. Send the right messages
Though texting can be very effective in business communication, it is not always the best way of sending a message. Some issues require sending an email, making a phone call or meeting someone face-to-face. For instance, sending text messages would not be appropriate when giving a performance review, firing an employee or quitting your job. SMS messaging should also be avoided during emergencies such as changing meeting venues or times at short notice.
6. Send at the right time
It is not enough to send the right message. You need to send text at the right time. If you send people business-related texts over the weekend or in the middle of the night, you might just find yourself getting blocked. For starters, be sure to restrict your business texting to official working hours.