How To Effectively Use SMS In Your Business
Unless you are a new arrival to planet Earth, you have likely encountered an SMS or text message marketing campaign. Yes, whether you have received an exclusive invite to a “members only” offer, a chance to win a tropical island trip, or simply a cheery “thanks for your business” on your mobile device, you have come face-to-face with SMS.
With a massive potential audience, lightning speed, and an astoundingly high rate of opening, the text message is, obviously, a top-notch marketing device. But, surely, other aspects of your business can also benefit from this cost-effective communications tool, right? Correct. There are a myriad of ways to harness the power of SMS to improve the way your business–beyond the marketing department–functions.
A Day Planner’s Dream
Once upon a time, scheduling a meeting required you to place phone calls to each prospective attendant–one at a time. E-mail, somewhat, simplified matters, but these messages could go hours or, heaven forbid, days unread or unanswered. The modern businessperson, however, has the ability to send, respond to, and receive instant messages in the palm of their hand. As “3 Tips for Using SMS Messages as a Business Tool” offers, the majority of text messages are read within three minutes of receipt, making this a quicker and more reliable means of communication. Yes, text messaging enables you to schedule meetings and confirm attendance in mere seconds.
A Digital Reminder
It wasn’t all that many moons ago that humans were required to come up with creative–and, often times, strange–ways to remind themselves of upcoming commitments. Fingers were adorned with seemingly random pieces of string, forearms bore cryptic messages scrawled across them in indigo writing, and cubicle walls were plastered with a thick layer of sticky, yellow notes.
Forgetful people–and those that must manage them–can now breathe a collective sigh of relief. Thanks to text messaging, employers can send out speedy reminders for meetings and project deadlines. And brain-drained employees need never miss another important meeting or appointment due to a temporary brain fart.
An Expert Tracker
When it comes to ensuring that you have the right goods on hand at the right time, SMS can be your business’s best friend. As Inc.‘s “Ten Ways to Use Texting for Business” states, thanks to text messaging, you can track packages, maintain inventory levels, and know the exact times and dates of deliveries, enabling you to take the appropriate action. Yes, thanks to this efficient technology, you can take the guesswork out of inventory control and ensure that your customers’ needs are met in a timely manner.
A Cool Head
While one hopes that your business never finds itself in a crises, it is important to have a plan–and text messaging should play a leading role in this plan. According to the Houston Chronicle‘s “How to Improve Business Communication Through Text Messages,” media and public reaction to news of a malfunctioning product or an allegation of impropriety requires an organization’s immediate response and text messaging on social media sites and mobile devices can do exactly that. Phew. Don’t let your company get caught with its proverbial drawers down without having a solid SMS messaging plan in place.
Transcend Borders
In the increasingly shrinking world of global commerce, your business may have employees in multiple nations at any given time. In the past, communicating with your team may have required scheduling conference calls or making phone calls at ungodly hours. Thanks to SMS messaging, you can share information and bring one another up-to-date instantaneously. And, as an added bonus, text messaging can also make telecommuting a breeze.
Clearly, text messaging is more than simply a clever marketing tool. SMS technology is a highly effective technology capable of introducing important improvements to your business from the ground floor to the uppermost ivory tower.
If you’d like to learn more about the power of text messaging in business, you’ll want to check out Text Messaging is the New Email.
About Author: Kimberley Laws is a freelance writer, avid blogger, and sticky note-consumer extraordinary. You can follow her at The Embiggens Project.
