5 Ways Business Text Messaging can Increase Your Sales Revenue

Are you struggling to keep on top of your workload?

Been there, done that.

We know that as those leads pile up on your desk, it only gets harder and harder to contact each one of them at precisely the right time…

And that's a problem when 30-50% of sales go to the vendor that acts first.

But don't panic yet.

There's a special piece of software that can come to your rescue:

An all-in-one CRM platform with automated business text messaging capabilities.

You know, something like our very own Ringy platform.

It can save you incredible amounts of time and hassle while also enabling you to provide far superior customer service.

Sounds good, but does it work?

Yes, and don't just take our word for it…

Here are two stats that'll blow your mind:

1. People look at their smartphones about 52 times a day.
2. SMS messages get up to 98% read rates…

If you do some quick math, you can work out that there are up to 51 opportunities every day for you to get an SMS message across to your leads.

Ready to learn more and unlock the power of business texting?

Awesome, let's dive in.

Quick Definition of Business Texting

Before we go further, we need to define business texting.

And no, it's not this: 😂

Source

Business text messaging is the act of using SMS technology to communicate with your clients (or potential clients) and create a channel for two-way dialogue.

People generally use a technology platform to make the end-to-end process more efficient than manually writing and sending texts on your phone.

It's important to note that texting is one of the most informal and personal forms of communication available to businesses.

Why?

Because SMS messages are usually reserved for friends and family.

With this knowledge comes great power, but also a great responsibility.

You need to treat your clients' SMS inboxes like they were your own.

The key to success is to only ever send helpful messages that demonstrate value and show you're willing to go above and beyond to secure your business.

Now that this fundamental point is all clear, we're ready to jump to the next section:

What Types of Business SMS Can You Send?

An SMS-enabled CRM opens up a nearly endless world of communication possibilities. But since you don't have all day, let's just cover the six major types of texts.

This knowledge will help you use your future business text messaging software far more efficiently.

P.S. If you're in a hurry, take advantage of this concise table, get the pivotal information, and then skip over to the five benefits of text messaging software for business.

Offers and Promotions

People love special offers and deals.

Remember that:

• Over 50% of people search for coupons online before making a purchase.
• 75% of consumers regularly check their email inboxes for discount codes.

Imagine the incredible cut-through you could achieve with a timely, personalized offer delivered via SMS.

Your customers would see it, get super excited, and take immediate action.

Just don't overdo it and bombard your clients with sales messages - they can quickly get annoyed and stop looking at what you have to say.

Stick to fewer but more powerful messages.

Appointment Reminders

Did you know that businesses that don't remind their customers about their upcoming appointments suffer from up to 90% higher no-show rates?

It makes sense. People are busy these days.

But don't merely complain, do the intelligent thing:

Send your leads and clients a quick SMS that reminds them of any scheduled meetings and gives them a chance to either confirm or reschedule.

Something as straightforward as ‘Please reply Y to confirm our call or N to reschedule' works like a charm.

It's an easy (and fully automated) way to optimize your productivity because there's no bigger waste of time and energy than preparing for meetings that don't happen.

Contests

Business text messaging allows you to grow your contact list and/or have a bit of fun with your existing database.

So why not organize a contest and send it out via an automated SMS?

Something like a sweepstake where you offer the chance to win a three-month plan for free could be the perfect bait for increasing customer engagement.

It'll also put you at the top of your leads' minds and get them seriously thinking about patronizing your business…

After all, there are few things better than having a company care enough about you to give a little something back.

Surveys

Speaking of caring about customers brings up another important point:

Business SMS can be an invaluable tool for collecting feedback and insights.

This is true for three simple reasons:

1. It's quick.
2. It's easy.
3. It's actionable.

You can expect response rates of about 31%, with most people answering within less than six minutes of receiving your survey.

Impressive.

Simply press send, have yourself a little coffee break, and then start analyzing the results as soon as you sit back down at your desk.

Lead Nurturing

Every good salesperson knows that making a sale takes time and perseverance.

Your leads won't buy after the first contact.

It often takes up to eight touches to close a deal.

This is why nurturing your leads by using a time-saving solution like business texting is a good idea.

You can automate some of the initial touchpoints.

You can have timely conversations.

You can provide guidance and tips when they need it (and not in some future meeting).

All in all, it's ideal for gently guiding customers through your sales pipeline.

Automation Sequences

We've mentioned automated text messages a couple of times in this article.

It's undoubtedly caught your attention.

Because why should you do work that an algorithm could do for you?

SMS-enabled CRMs allow you to send a wide range of automated messages that are triggered by events of your choice.

Some of the most popular automated sequences include:

1. Welcome messages (sent immediately after a contact joins your list)
2. Limited-time offers
3. Reminder notices of upcoming events and meetings
4. Follow-up texts (after critical touchpoints)
5. Recurring events (like birthdays or anniversaries)

All of these are solid ideas you should integrate into your contact strategy.

But don't stop there; analyze your sales process, get creative, and add some more custom sequences that'll wow your prospects!

5 Benefits of Using a Business Text Messaging Software

Now that you know all about business text messaging, it's time for us to talk about the important stuff.

Here are five bulletproof ways texting can boost your sales and increase your commissions.

1. Have More Conversations With Your Leads

It's elementary, my dear Watson.

Conversations drive sales.

The more high-quality touchpoints you have with your prospects, the more likely you are to convince them your product or service is the best one for their needs.

And business SMS is a phenomenal tool for having more conversations because:

1. Most consumers prefer texting with businesses, so they'll be far happier to receive a text over an email or a cold call.
2. It's child's play to set up automated messages that always land in your leads' inboxes at exactly the right time.

This means you can remove bottlenecks in your pipeline, leave no lead untouched, and nurture your hot leads faster than ever before.

More sales and higher customer satisfaction are one ‘send' away.

2. Deliver Better Customer Service

Nearly 90% of buyers expect a response within just 10 minutes.

Those are some pretty high expectations.

But this is the age of convenience, and you can't afford to get left behind because you rely on slow processes.

You need to get faster, and text messaging software can help.

Imagine this situation:

Several people with questions text customer service or a sales representative about an issue they've encountered.

Their messages don't just sit in an inbox waiting for someone from your team to see them.

They automatically get forwarded on by your SMS-enabled CRM to the relevant agent's work phone, laptop, desktop, and any other logged-on device.

This vastly increases the chance that the agent picks up the messages immediately.

But that's not all, your CRM also sends the customers an automated response that lets them know that you've received their query and are working on it right now.

That's what we call service - the kind that'll grow customer loyalty and sales.

3. Make the Right Offers at the Right Time

Remember the scary first statistic we brought up in the introduction?

Let's remind you just in case you've intentionally forgotten it:

30-50% of sales go to the business that acts first.

And while this makes you want to say ‘Yikes,' it doesn't have to.

Because with business text messaging software, you can be the business that acts first.

With automated messages, you can get in touch lightning-fast and position yourself first and foremost in your lead's mind.

Business 101, being first is good.

Then it's up to you to capitalize on your advantage and close that sale.

If you do a good enough job, we might even have to update our stat to ‘more than 50% of sales.' 🤝

4. Be More Productive

Salespeople have a lot to do.

Whenever we get a spare moment, most of us look like this guy:

Source

And trust us, we know how frustrating it can get.

Especially when you realize that you're wasting up to 65% of your precious time on non-revenue-generating tasks.

It's one of the main reasons we built Ringy and integrated cutting-edge business text messaging capabilities into its DNA.

We want to make your lives easier and far less hectic, so you can focus on what matters most - having conversations with your leads.

And while we aren't rocket scientists, we do know automating your business texting to generate leads will save you time and money.

Would you like more time and more money?

Thought so.

5. Work Smarter With Analytics

Sales is an art, and like any art form, practice makes perfect.

Just think, Pablo Picasso used to paint thousands of variations of the same picture until he created the perfect one.

We know you must be wondering how you can do that with sales.

The answer is simple:

Analytics.

Reports, charts, and dashboards help you review your campaigns and understand what worked and what still needs improvement.

You can use this information to kick off a journey of continuous improvement, one where your sales process becomes more robust with every single contact you make.

Perfection is finally within reach.

Convinced About Business Text Messaging Yet?

We'll go out on a ledge and say:

Yes.

If we've done our job right, you should be already confident about the advantages of using business texting in your sales arsenal.

But since we don't like leaving anything to chance, we'll do you one better.

We'll show you how four different organizations used the power of SMS to deliver better business results.

Success Stories of Business Text Messaging

By now, you shouldn't have any more doubts.

You're ready to jump to the next question that naturally comes to mind:

How can I add these impressive SMS capabilities to my business?

You need to sign up for a SaaS solution that provides you with the technology to organize and automate your texting needs.

You could pick a standalone service, but nobody wants the extra hassle of dealing with dozens of different programs.

Your best bet is an all-in-one CRM with texting built-in.

Something like our Ringy platform would be perfect.

But how will you pick the right one?

By weighing up the alternatives against the following five criteria:

Key Criteria for Picking Texting Software for Business

Monthly Price

You don't want to break the bank on software.

Nobody does.

You want to find a reasonably priced solution that's guaranteed to deliver a better selling experience and a handsome ROI.

We suggest you carefully review the different providers, paying close attention to two things:

1. Whether or not you need all the functionality on offer.
2. The pricing model - is it per user, per database, or company?

Here's a quick link to our pricing page, so you can get started on your research!

Mobile Integration

This one might sound silly, but it's not.

You want to make sure that the texting platform you pick is mobile-friendly and not just a desktop-bound application.

Modern sales teams spend loads of time either working from home or on the road visiting clients.

They deserve to be able to monitor everything from the comfort of their phone.

Whether it's through a business text messaging app or a mobile-optimized website, you'll appreciate the freedom to connect with your leads on your terms.

User-Friendliness

When it comes to software, poor user experience (UX) is our pet peeve.

Stuff like this drives up the wall:

Source

Which way should you go?

Back.

Back to a better provider that makes sure you don't need to ask yourself these questions.

Good user experience saves you time, but most importantly, it allows everyone in your team to make the most of the advanced capabilities on offer.

How can you check a CRM's UX?

• Check testimonials and reviews
• Sign up for a demo
• Try it out via a free trial

Phone Number Management

First impressions are crucial, especially when you're cold calling or texting

You'll want to pick a CRM that offers solid phone number management.

The handiest feature around is smart local ID, where your call or text is automatically routed from a number that's local to your lead.

Because people are four times as likely to answer someone local.

Analytics Capabilities

Analytics is one of the primary reasons why you should get text messaging software for business.

They enable you to learn from your past campaigns and commit to a continuous improvement mindset.

Fundamental stuff if you want to boost your performance, both individually and as a team.

So don't forget to check the analytics functionality on offer by reviewing screenshots of the program's reports, charts, and dashboards.

And that's it.

You know what to look for in an SMS platform.

But since we're here, we might as well tell you how to set up business text messaging.

It's super easy.

Quick Guide To Setting up Business Text Messaging

Just follow these short and sweet instructions:

1. Make up your mind and sign up for one of the best CRMs that have SMS marketing capabilities.
2. Upload your database of leads.
3. Ensure you have local phone numbers to send messages from.
4. Enable text forwarding to your phone or your CRM's app - having the option of managing leads on the go will come in handy when you're out and about.
5. Set up a few automated sequences and take a bunch of menial work off your plate.

Not sure where to start?

We recommend taking it from the beginning - build an opening sequence.

Something straightforward like this can wonder wonders:

• • Day 0 - Send a welcome message that introduces your services
  • Day 3 - Make a welcome offer
  • Day 6 - Remind your leads about the welcome offer
  • Day 9 - Send a gentle nudge that says that there's only one day left to save
  • Day 11 - Tell your prospects you're sorry they missed out and give them a 10% discount code they can use anytime
  6. Start sending messages and having productive conversations with your leads.

Business Text Messaging FAQs

Does SMS Marketing Work?

Yes, absolutely.

SMS marketing is a fantastic idea for businesses.

It delivers results because it's:

• Lightning-fast
• Easy to automate
• Welcomed by consumers (70% say it's a good communication channel)
• Cost-effective

To read more about why you should start texting your customers, scroll back up to the ‘5 Benefits of Using a Business Text Messaging Software' section.

When Should Businesses Use Text Messages?

It's more like when shouldn't a business send text messages…

There are just so many occasions that merit an SMS.

Let's give you a few examples:

• Offers and time-sensitive deals
• Important updates and alerts
• Appointment reminders
• Customer service conversations
• Lead nurturing
• Surveys
• Contests
• Birthday or anniversary messages

Thought of anything else as you were reading?

Great news, you can test it.

How Do You Send Automated Texts to Customers?

You could download an app and then send them out from your phone, but that would be madness. 🤪

If you want to save time (and you do), you should sign up for a SaaS solution that features auto texting functionality.

You have the choice between a ton of valid options, including:

• Ringy
• Twilio
• Bitrix24
• AgileCRM
• Salesforce
• Freshworks CRM
• Zoho CRM
• SimpleTexting
• Podium

Finals Thoughts on the Benefits of Using Business SMS

SMS marketing is slowly becoming a must-have for modern sales teams.

Because, as you've learned in this article, this simple bit of technology equips you with quite a few superpowers.

In the same amount of work hours as before, you'll finally be able to:

1. Have more conversations with your customers
2. Deliver better customer service
3. Make the right offers at the right moment
4. Leverage automation to get menial tasks done quickly and error-free
5. Commit to continuous improvement

Does that sound good?

You bet it does.

So do yourself and your entire team a big favor…

Strongly consider signing up for texting software.

And since you're bound to be thinking about CRMs with excellent automation, don't forget about Ringy and our 2-week free trial!

It's completely obligation-free.

We'd be honored to count you as one of our valued users.

But no hard feelings if you aren't ready yet, just remember that you can drop us a note whenever - we're always happy to help.

In the meantime, thanks for reading, and see you soon back here on our blog!