Best Practices of Texting for Businesses

In today's fast-paced digital world, SMS has become a key communication tool for businesses. As a provider of SMS services, TxtSquad emphasizes the importance of adhering to certain best practices to ensure effective and respectful communication with your audience. Following these best practices can significantly reduce the chances of your SMS messages being marked as spam, ensuring better delivery rates and engagement with your audience!

Content and Tone

Keep the Message Short and to the Point

• Brevity is key in SMS. Ensure your messages are concise, delivering your point without unnecessary filler.

Maintain a Professional Tone

• Your SMS tone should reflect your brand's professionalism. Friendly yet respectful communication helps in maintaining brand integrity.

Avoid Overpromotion

• Balance your SMS strategy between promotional content and informative, helpful, or engaging material to avoid overwhelming your audience.

Use Conversational Language

• Opt for natural, conversational language over aggressive sales phrases like "Buy now" or "Special offer" to avoid spam filters.

Limit Use of Capitals and Exclamation Marks

• Overusing capital letters and exclamation marks can appear aggressive or spammy. Use them sparingly.

Check Spelling and Grammar

• Correct spelling and grammar enhance the credibility of your message and prevent triggering spam filters.

Personalization and Segmentation

Personalization

• Personalize your messages by addressing recipients by name and tailoring content to their preferences or history with your business.

Segmentation

• Divide your audience into segments to send targeted messages that are more likely to be relevant and engaging.

Legal Compliance and Respect for Recipients

Opt-In and Opt-Out

• Ensure customers have explicitly opted in to receive SMS messages. Provide clear and easy opt-out options regularly.

Avoid Messaging Without Permission

• Do not message individuals who have not given explicit permission, as this can lead to messages being marked as spam.

Opt-Out Reminder

• Include an opt-out reminder in your initial contact and periodically remind recipients of their ability to opt out.
• A healthy opt out rate is below 2% within 30 days.

Timing and Frequency

Mindful Timing

• Be considerate of when you send messages. Avoid early morning or late-night texts and maintain a reasonable frequency.

Staff Training and Message Management

Training Staff

• Ensure your team is well-trained in SMS communication protocols, focusing on tone, timing, and adherence to legal standards.

Respond Promptly to Inquiries

• Have a system in place to quickly respond to any incoming messages, either through automated responses or via customer service.

Regularly Update Your Database

• Keep your contact list current and ensure that the phone numbers you have are valid to maintain efficient communication.

Feedback and Adjustment

Pay Attention to Feedback

• Monitor how your audience is responding to your SMS campaigns. If there's a high opt-out rate or negative feedback, it's time to reassess your strategy.

By incorporating these strategies, businesses and organizations can effectively use SMS to ensure that messages are received and acted upon, thereby improving customer engagement and satisfaction!