Why You Should Get Business SMS Software - Key Features & Considerations

How many times do you think you check your phone in a day? Maybe 50 times? 100? 200? Or perhaps you think those numbers are way off, and there's no way you check your phone that much.

But as it turns out, Americans check their smartphones 262 times a day on average, which is once every 5 and a half minutes.

What this data tells us is that reaching customers on their smartphones is obviously a lucrative way to sell.

In fact, it's likely that you're reading this on your phone right now.

But not through calls, since most people prefer texting a business over calling them, it likely makes sense for your business to communicate with customers over text for most applications, like appointment reminders, shipping confirmations, payment reminders, and more.

But if your business has never used SMS to reach customers, you probably have questions. And we have answers.

It's clear you need SMS software for your business, but before you pick the first SMS software result on Google, it's important to take a step back and look at the key features and other considerations you'll need to ponder before making a decision.

What is SMS Software?

SMS software, or business SMS software, allows companies to send SMS messages (text messages) to customers who opt-in to receive marketing text messages through a lead generation form. Aside from text marketing, businesses can also use SMS software to send appointment reminders, shipping or purchase confirmation emails, and more.

What is SMS Automation Software?

SMS automation software is typically seen in the form of marketing drip campaigns, segmented SMS messages that are sent to a select group of users, or mass text messages to all customers. Automated SMS software allows companies to schedule messages in advance to be sent out to customers once certain conditions have been met.

For example, a customer purchases a product off a website and receives a text confirmation of their purchase. Or, a customer fills in a lead generation form to receive updates on new product launches and gets prompted to pre-order or purchase an item when it becomes available.

8 Major Benefits of SMS Tools

SMS software may sound great, but it helps to know exactly what it can do for your business. Here are 6 benefits of SMS tools that prove the ROI for SMS software is worth it for any industry.

1. SMS Software Improves Sales Performance

SMS software can greatly increase your sales revenue through automated text messages. There are lots of stats online on how text messages have a much higher open rate than emails, and they tend to get read faster, too. So it makes sense that automated text messages to targeted leads would result in higher sales, right?

Here are some ideas using SMS software that is proven to increase sales:

• Reminders, including payment due dates, meetings, information requests
• Marketing automation, including discounts, sales, and product launches
• Confirmations, including orders received, shipping, shipment tracking

2. Automated Messages Improve Efficiency

SMS software works similarly to email, where you can create a message template and then save that template to use for other projects or campaigns at a later date. Message templates not only reduce administrative work but also offer a quick turnaround time for new campaigns. A template may only need a few words of updated information before it's ready to be used for a new campaign.

Automatic personalization options, usually in the form of a placeholder for a customer's name or business in the subject line or first sentence of the text, provide an easy and effective way to add a bit of humanization to the text message, which usually resonates better with customers.

3. Better than Email for Customer Engagement

SMS is quickly becoming the most direct marketing channel for increasing customer engagement. Whether it's through a drip campaign or automated text message reminder, SMS is often a viable option over email for customer communication.

In fact, SMS messages are 134% more likely to be read than emails.

That doesn't mean that you should never use email, only that you need to consider which platform is best for the message you are sending. If you're sending out a time-sensitive message that requires the customer to act quickly, such as a limited-time discount code or sale, SMS might be the better option since it has much higher open rates when compared to email.

4. Response Data Provides Valuable Insights

Wondering what your customers are saying about you? SMS marketing is an easy way to gather response data and use that information to influence your customer-facing processes. With Ringy, SMS messages are stored in the CRM and can be referenced for insights to improve sales, marketing, and customer service.

For example, let's say you're a SaaS business and after analyzing your business's SMS messages, it turns out that most customers text support reps about canceling their free trial. There are so many insights and questions to be gleaned from this bit of information: Why do your customers want to cancel? Do customers think the service is too expensive? What can your business do to make ending a free trial easier?

According to Research, 74% of consumers said they respond to a text message from a business in under an hour, while only 41% said the same for email. Alongside high open rates, SMS could be a great channel for your business to receive and utilize customer feedback.

5. Cost-Effective Marketing

SMS campaigns are a highly cost-effective way to reach a wide audience. Compared to traditional marketing channels like print or television, SMS marketing allows businesses to deliver messages directly to customers' mobile devices at a fraction of the cost. This makes it ideal for businesses with limited budgets, enabling them to maximize their marketing ROI.

6. Improved Lead Nurturing

Nurturing leads becomes significantly easier with SMS marketing automation. Businesses can deliver timely and personalized messages that engage prospects at the right stage of their journey.

For instance, a real estate agency can use SMS tools to send follow-ups, share property listings, and schedule viewings, ensuring prospects stay informed and engaged.

7. Integrates with Other Tools

One of the significant advantages of SMS software is its seamless integration with other essential business tools. It can be easily integrated with CRMs, email marketing platforms, and other marketing automation tools.

This integration streamlines marketing efforts, allowing businesses to automate SMS campaigns, track customer interactions, and measure the effectiveness of their messaging strategies.

8. Scalability for All Business Sizes

Whether you're a small startup or a large corporation, SMS automation software scales to meet your needs. Startups can deploy focused campaigns with limited budgets, while enterprises can send high-volume, personalized messages using advanced SMS support tools, ensuring consistent communication regardless of audience size.

Types of SMS Enterprise Software

SMS enterprise software comes in various forms, each designed to meet specific business needs. Let's explore the key types:

1. Bulk SMS Software

Bulk SMS software allows businesses to send thousands of text messages simultaneously, making it a go-to solution for large-scale announcements, promotions, or reminders. This type of SMS tool is ideal for reaching extensive customer bases quickly and cost-effectively.

2. SMS Marketing Platforms

These platforms are tailored for creating and managing marketing campaigns. Features often include list segmentation, campaign tracking, and personalized messaging. By leveraging SMS marketing tools, businesses can execute highly targeted campaigns that drive conversions.

3. Transactional SMS Software

Transactional SMS software is used to send time-critical updates and ensures that customers receive essential information promptly. Examples include order confirmations, OTPs, and status updates, which enhance customer trust and reliability.

4. SMS Gateway Software

SMS gateway software enables businesses to integrate messaging capabilities into their systems via APIs. This functionality is particularly useful for automating processes like order notifications or system alerts.

5. Two-Way SMS Communication Software

This software facilitates seamless, two-way communication, allowing customers to respond to messages directly. It's a valuable tool for customer support and feedback collection, enhancing engagement and satisfaction.

6. SMS Automation Software

By automating recurring and triggered messages, SMS automation software helps businesses save time while maintaining consistent communication. Examples include birthday greetings, appointment reminders, and follow-ups.

7. Enterprise SMS API Platforms

Designed for developers, these platforms provide APIs to embed SMS functionality within custom applications. They enable businesses to build tailored solutions that integrate with existing workflows.

8. SMS for Internal Communications

Organizations can use SMS tools for internal messaging, ensuring quick dissemination of announcements, updates, and alerts. This use case is particularly effective in large or distributed teams.

9. Multichannel SMS Software

Combining SMS with other channels like email, chat, and voice, multichannel SMS software provides a unified communication experience. This ensures businesses can reach customers across multiple touchpoints, maximizing engagement.

8 Key Considerations When Choosing a Messaging Management System

Before selecting a messaging management system, carefully consider the following factors:

1. Define Business Objectives

When selecting a messaging management system, it's important to clarify your goals and ensure the software aligns with your team's specific needs.

• Employee Needs: Ensure the system supports team functions, like automated messages and drip campaigns, to streamline marketing efforts.
• Budget: Look for free or low-cost systems that integrate seamlessly into your tech stack, making it easy to test and adapt.
• Features: Use free trials, like those offered by our CRM, Ringy, to evaluate whether the software provides the necessary tools and functionality.
• Ease of Use: Choose a system with a modern, intuitive interface to improve employee adoption and productivity. Ringy excels with its clean design and effective visual components.

2. Ensure Compliance with Legal Regulations

Compliance is a critical factor when using SMS software to ensure your campaigns adhere to laws and protect customer trust. Businesses must follow specific guidelines, such as obtaining explicit consent from recipients and including opt-out options in every message.

Staying compliant not only avoids legal repercussions but also builds customer confidence in your communication practices.

3. Integrate SMS Software with Existing Systems

To maximize efficiency and streamline operations, it's crucial to integrate SMS software with your existing tools. This includes connecting with your CRM, email marketing platforms, or e-commerce systems to enable seamless workflows and targeted communication.

• Integration Goals: Ensure the SMS software connects effortlessly with your current systems to sync customer data for personalized and effective messaging.

Introducing new technology can enhance functionality, but overloading your tech stack can lead to inefficiencies and low employee adoption. Carefully consider how the SMS software fits into your existing systems.

For example, some SMS tools, like Ringy, integrate directly with platforms such as Google Calendar, Zapier, and Facebook. Additionally, some SMS solutions come embedded within CRMs, like Ringy's built-in SMS management system. This dual functionality allows businesses to streamline their tech stack by adopting a CRM and SMS solution in one, reducing complexity while increasing productivity.

4. Set Up SMS Campaigns

Launching an SMS campaign requires careful planning and automation. Begin by defining audience segments and messaging goals, ensuring the content resonates with each group. Prepare templates for recurring campaigns, such as promotional offers or appointment reminders, to save time and maintain consistency.

Automation further enhances SMS campaigns by triggering messages based on customer actions.

For instance, you can send reminders for abandoned carts or welcome messages upon sign-up. This approach ensures timely and relevant communication, improving engagement rates.

5. Train Your Team

For successful adoption, employees must understand how to use SMS tools effectively. Training should focus on essential functions, such as campaign creation, scheduling, and analyzing performance metrics. Teams should also be well-versed in managing opt-ins and opt-outs to stay compliant and maintain customer satisfaction.

Key Training Areas:

• Creating and scheduling SMS campaigns.
• Interpreting campaign analytics and adjusting strategies accordingly.
• Managing customer opt-ins, opt-outs, and preferences.

Clear training ensures the software is used to its full potential, resulting in efficient campaigns and better customer interactions.

6. Test the System

Thorough testing is crucial to ensure the smooth functioning of your SMS software.

• Initial Testing: Send test messages to internal teams to verify message formatting, delivery speed, and automation triggers.
• Feedback Loop: Collect feedback from test users to refine message content and workflows.

7. Optimize Based on Analytics

Analytics provide actionable insights that help refine SMS campaigns over time. By analyzing metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, businesses can identify what works and what doesn't. High-performing messages can be replicated or used as templates for future campaigns, while underperforming ones can be adjusted for improvement.

Data-driven decision-making ensures continuous optimization and higher ROI for SMS campaigns.

8. Scale and Expand Usage

As your confidence in SMS software grows, scaling its use across various departments becomes a natural next step. For example, marketing can focus on promotions, customer service can handle inquiries, and HR can manage internal communications.

Experimenting with advanced features like two-way communication or geolocation targeting can further enhance the effectiveness of your campaigns, allowing your business to fully leverage SMS software's potential for growth and engagement.

Conclusion

In this day and age, smartphones are like an extension of ourselves. Although SMS has been around since cell phones became mainstream, some businesses think it's an archaic way to communicate with their customers and opt for email instead.

While email is still a good channel to use for certain customer communications, SMS shows promising statistics when it comes to open rates, read rates, and response rates that can't be ignored. SMS software is an important tool for businesses of all sizes to use to maximize marketing efforts, increase sales, and reduce the strain on their customer support staff.

If you haven't implemented SMS software into your business's tech stack, you'll want to contact our sales team for a demo of Ringy's full CRM and SMS software offering.