SMS is such a versatile communication tool, used for a wide range of scenarios and across a variety of different businesses. There isn’t much that SMS can’t do, and there aren’t many businesses that wouldn’t benefit from using SMS.
Retailers use it to send marketing messages and delivery notifications, restaurants mainly use SMS for marketing messages and reservation reminders, with IT businesses plugging it into their software to communicate with customers and suppliers.
It is not just the wide variety of ways that businesses can use SMS to communicate with their customers, staff, or suppliers, but the different ways that it can be sent that allows SMS to be so versatile. There are 3 ways that businesses of all shapes and sizes can send SMS, meaning large PLC’s, SME’s, takeaways, and every business in between, can easily send SMS.
You can send bulk messages using an online platform, easily have a conversation with your customers using Email2SMS, and hook up your CRM, website, or software, so you can send SMS messages automatically with an API.
These 3 ways of sending will suit some businesses better than others, which is why we have gone into more detail on the 3 different methods of sending SMS below, with examples of how each method of sending is used to send text messages.
Online platform
The easiest way to send all your customers a text message is using an online SMS platform. Message Box is our online SMS platform that we have developed to be user friendly, reliable, cost effective and simple, with it talking less than 3 minutes to send your customers an SMS.
Our online platform has tonnes of great features like; URL tracking, where you can see which of your customers have clicked your URL link. SMS surveys, where you can send your customers a survey all through text messages. Auto responders, analytics, contact groups, plus many more features that businesses can use to enhance their SMS campaigns.
Used for: sales, marketing, appointment reminders, SMS surveys, conversations
We have tons of helpful guides on using our online platform, Message Box, that you can read here.
Email2SMS
Yes, Email2SMS has been around for a long time, but it is still a very popular way of sending SMS, with businesses still signing up today to use it.
One of the main reasons that businesses still use it, is because you can have multiple users sending text messages out, all through their email. There is no long-winded way of setting it up, you don’t need to remember another password to log into anything, and with every employee who has an email address, becomes another user who can send SMS.
Email2SMS allows employees to easily track conversations they are having with your customers in their email account, with these messages being delivered to your customers mobile phone.
Used for: conversations, appointment reminders, website chat
To see how you can use our Email to SMS gateway, have a read of our blog here which will take you through the 3 different ways to set it up.
API
An API allows you to hook your website into Text Marketer and automatically send your customers text messages. For example, when someone purchases from your website, using an API you can send them a confirmation message and delivery notification.
To link your website, CRM, or software into Text Marketer using our API, you will require a developer. It is not hard for a developer to integrate as we have a great developer zone with helpful guides to get you setup and linked in to our API.
Used for: delivery notifications, appointment reminders, SMS surveys
If you are still confused on what an API is, have a read of our blog on what an SMS API is which includes a very helpful video from MuleSoft.
Text Marketer provides all these 3 different methods of sending SMS, with helpful guides on each. If you would like to sign up for a Text Marketer account and try these different methods of sending text messages, sign up here and get 10 free credits to test with.