Keeping in touch with your customers on a regular basis is the most essential component of prolonging their relationship with your brand. But how do you do it? Since just about everyone has a phone, SMS marketing has proven itself to be the most effective and direct method of customer communication for short messages. There are two types of messages that your business can send to boost customer…, What is promotional SMS?, Promotional SMS refers to text messages a business sends out for marketing or advertising purposes., Promotional SMS marketing messages typically advertise products, services, deals, coupons, or events. You might send promotional SMS messages that announce a new product launch, tell customers about an upcoming sale or deadline, or give the opportunity to take a poll or quiz. Promotional SMS can be used to drive new or repeat business. They can also encourage someone to make a purchase, click a…, What are the key differences between promotional and transactional SMS?, The differences between promotional and transactional SMS messages lie in how you use them. Broadly speaking, promotional SMS are messages that you send to advertise your business, while transactional SMS are for letting customers know about the status of their order or transaction. In the U.S., the government’s definitions of promotional and transactional SMS messages are pretty clear. In fact…, Marketing vs non-marketing goals, Promotional SMS messages sent for marketing purposes have a marketing goal. The business is attempting to achieve something such as new revenue, higher click through rates, higher conversion rates, more opt-ins, or various other forms of customer engagement. Transactional SMS messages don't typically have these same goals. If you’re in need of inspiration for crafting promotional messages,…, Promotional SMS is sent with marketing intent, Typically, promotional SMS marketing is used to capture your audience’s attention and drive them to take a particular action that aligns with your marketing objectives. Companies send them as one-off text messages, or as part of entire promotional SMS campaigns – but in any case, they’re sent to people who’ve explicitly opted in to receive them. Transactional SMS messages, on the other hand,…, Commercial messaging vs customer care, Promotional SMS typically involves sending text messages to market products, services, or special offers, and SMS can serve as a valuable channel for businesses to engage with customers and provide customer service. But transactional text messages are more about providing essential information or updates related to transactions or account activities. For example, a shipping update is…, Promotional SMS requires opt-in, In the U.S., the TCPA clearly states that businesses are required to get customer consent in order to send promotional SMS campaigns., You cannot send unsolicited text messages without permission., And the penalties can get pretty severe. To help, we’ve put together some best practices and tips for growing your promotional SMS opt-in list. While not always required,, we highly recommend that you also obtain explicit consent from a recipient before sending them transactional SMS., Again, consider the shipping update example. You can buy something from a business without ever opting in for SMS marketing, but they can still send you a text message updating you on the delivery status of your purchase. Many customers will expect this to be part of their transaction, and they appreciate the convenience these messages provide throughout their experience. However, seeking prior…, Promotional SMS requires a decision, The term “call to action” basically means getting people to do something after they’ve been sent a promotional marketing message. It’s not just about making a purchase; it could be about leaving a review, filling out a customer satisfaction survey, or many other things. But there is a decision required, and the CTA specifies what that decision is. On the other hand, transactional SMS doesn’t…, Promotional SMS examples, Here are some common examples of how you could use promotional text messaging to deepen your relationship with your customers. , Flash sales, Remember, text messages are short, under 160 characters for the text-only variety. However, they can be longer if you send MMS messages or Rich SMS, which can include images and graphics. Also, many people open text messages within minutes of receiving them. This is distinct from all other forms of marketing, including email . , The shortness and the immediacy of SMS marketing make it great for flash sales., You can announce new sales just hours or days away from a deadline via SMS, and it works because most of your subscribers will see it in time to make a decision. This is particularly effective for retailers who send SMS . , Limited-time offers , Likewise, offers with urgency are well-suited for SMS marketing. Your urgency may not be related to time. It could also be related to quantity – think, “we only have 38 left in stock!” – and requiring a quick decision from anyone considering making a purchase. For example, Vail Resorts sends special SMS offers on ski lift passes to targeted customers who opted in to receive reports in Colorado…, Discount code, Using promotional SMS to deliver a coupon code is effective because of its concise nature. The character limit means that the message can be a straightforward, attention-grabbing way to announce a sale and immediately provide customers with a discount code they need for savings. This approach can be particularly powerful for holidays periods like Black Friday or Cyber Monday , where shoppers are…, Product promotions, Another strong use of promotional SMS or MMS marketing is to shine a light on a single product. When you pick just one product, you can zoom in on one its key benefits, a cool way to use it, a positive review, or something else that really grabs your customers’ attention and drives them to make a purchase. It’s all about really focusing on one product to make it irresistible! Parfym.se has been…, VIP specials, If you have a loyalty program of some sort, SMS is great for sending rewards, perks, special deals, invitations, and other benefits to your VIP members. The key is to call out the fact that this text is being sent specifically to your most loyal customers., Tips for using promotional SMS, You’ve already seen some of the best strategies to ensure your promotional SMS campaigns achieve success. Here’s a list to recap the best tips: , Get permission, You’re required by law to get permission to send promotional SMS messages. But some methods are much more effective than others. Use these SMS list growth strategies to increase your subscriber count, and keep them happy for longer. , Keep it short, If you’re using SMS, you’re limited to just 160 characters, and some of those characters must be used to allow the recipient to opt out with a short message like “reply stop to unsubscribe.” That’s already about 20 characters, leaving only 140 characters for your actual message., Stick to the most critical information, and leave the rest for your landing page and your email marketing., If you’re using MMS or Rich SMS, you have more flexibility, but most smartphone users looking in their text inboxes aren't accustomed to finding huge articles and long sales promotions. You’ll keep more subscribers happy by keeping your text message marketing brief and to-the-point. , Have a clear call to action, One piece of the most vital elements to your campaign is your call to action. It's essential to let your subscribers know the specific action you want them to take after receiving your message. Some examples of effective CTAs include: Use coupon code XYZ Start survey Leave review View products Buy now Your CTA should be concise, straightforward, and to the point, so that your audience…, Personalize, As you saw in the Vail Resorts and Parfym.se examples, personalization in SMS marketing is as powerful as in any other channel. By segmenting lists into people they know more about based on purchase history, why those subscribers opted in, and various other information, they’re able to send highly targeted promotional SMS messages. These segmented groups will appreciate this because the messages…, Create a sense of urgency, Lastly, include a sense of urgency to motivate a quicker decision. Time and quantity are the two most common forms of urgency, and the easiest to understand. This matters especially in SMS, because you don’t have room to explain more complicated forms of urgency. But don’t neglect this. The coupon code expires soon. The new product's special price is only good until Friday. Tickets are running…, Transactional SMS examples, To make sure you’re clear about the differences, here are a few examples of transactional SMS messages: , Shipping and delivery notifications, : European shipping company Budbee lets customers select the day, time, and other specific details for all their purchases, and they can automate all of this with SMS. , Order status updates, : This is a post-purchase SMS that specifies when your order is confirmed, when it was shipped and delivered. , Verification, : These are most commonly used in situations where privacy and security are in play. Triodos Bank uses SMS to verify when customers are taking particular actions such as verifying a one-time password . , Booking confirmations, : This is a transactional SMS that assures people who sign up for an appointment that they’re in the system and on the schedule. These usually include the date, time, and video chat link if the appointment is virtual. , Appointment reminders, : As the date of the appointment gets closer, simple SMS reminders help everyone remember to set aside the time and not miss their appointment. , Get started with promotional SMS, Now that you’ve seen several promotional SMS text examples, got a handle on how to kickstart your promotional SMS marketing strategy, and gotten and understanding about the differences between promotional and transactional text messaging, you’re all set to start putting together your SMS marketing campaign. But where should you begin? Well, your first move should be picking the right SMS provider…
Type: Blog Article
In today’s fast-changing world, managing business communications in agile and innovative ways to address shifting customer expectations and engagement patterns has become a priority — and many businesses are turning to CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) to solve this challenge. In its Market Guide for Communications Platform as a Service (September 2022), Gartner predicts that “by 2026…, Global customer communications — without the complexity, Connecting people and business in today’s digital landscape is complicated. Here at Sinch, we’re all about keeping it simple for our clients. We’ve built our CPaaS platform, the Customer Communications Cloud, to help businesses like yours connect with their audiences across all the channels they use, anywhere in the world, and drive true business outcomes. “The digitalization of business and…, What makes Sinch a Leader according to the IDC MarketScape, The IDC MarketScape notes, “With its deep networking interconnections to mobile operators and local presence in 64 countries, Sinch has a strong foundation for reliable and quality service delivery.” It also underlines Sinch’s wide-ranging portfolio, and how it “caters to many needs and levels of expertise, from developers to lines of business/product managers.” “While the company has…, What is the IDC MarketScape and what does it mean for the CPaaS market? , IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. …
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Orange, a multinational telecommunications giant, has secured its position as an industry leader through consistent innovation and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. With a vast customer base of 287 million across 26 countries, Orange has carved out a significant presence in the telecommunications industry. , Challenge: Leverage Black Friday to re-connect with customers , Orange recognized the need to re-engage customers and saw the upcoming Black Friday sales event as the perfect opportunity to do so. With a strong focus on enhancing customer experience and loyalty, the primary goal was to design a campaign that would drive customer retention and foster strong customer connections. The aim was to achieve this by leveraging customer data to craft a personalized…, Solution: Creating a personalized, interactive experience using Rich SMS and Campaigns , Orange partnered with Sinch to create a unique and highly personalized experience. Together, they came up with a strategy to offer personalized deals, like new smartphones and tailored mobile packages, that aligned with the customers' preferences. The solution used the Sinch Rich SMS, offering creative possibilities and effective hyper-personalization of messages to increase their impact. At the…, , Result: Boosts in engagement, conversion and redirection rates , Sinch's innovative and hyper-personalized solution delivered impressive outcomes for Orange. By leveraging the power of Rich SMS and the interactive padlock campaign, Orange was able to offer its customers an exclusive and tailored experience like never before. "I'm thrilled to have collaborated with Sinch, who consistently comes up with innovative ideas,” said Stephanie Souvignon, Marketing…
Type: Customer Story
Anyone can fall for a scam. And SMS spoofing is yet another cybersecurity problem that companies and individuals must learn about to avoid becoming the next victim. If you miss the warning signs of an SMS spoof, the implications go far beyond an inconvenience. You could find yourself dealing with identity theft, ransomware, or a huge financial loss. Or you may even be the employee responsible for…, What is SMS spoofing?, Spoofing is bigger than just SMS. It can also happen over email and even through fake online ads. This broader idea of spoofing refers to situations where a cyberscammer masquerades as a trusted entity to trick end users into doing something that benefits the hacker – like clicking a link, downloading a file, or opening an attachment. SMS spoofing refers to the specific scenarios possible on your…, As with other forms of spoofing, the spoof SMS will usually include some kind of link they want you to click on. , And if you take the bait, you may end up giving them access to valuable personal information, or downloading malware onto your device that will cause trouble later., How does SMS spoofing work?, Spoofing is all about hiding the true identity of the person behind an act. With SMS spoofing, the scammer finds a way to make it seem as though their text message is coming from a different number or sender ID – often a real business or a person you may know whose device has already been compromised. To be clear, the spoofed SMS can come from another victim’s physical mobile phone, or as an SMS…, How can spoofing impact businesses?, Businesses are at risk of SMS spoofing in a few different ways. The first and most publicized problem is that when an employee at a company clicks on a malicious link in an SMS spoof, the fraudsters may be gaining access to company systems and customer data. This can lead to customers being defrauded, or the scammer could use their access to implant viruses and crash a company’s entire digital…, Companies may suffer lost consumer trust, costs to repair any internal damage to their databases, privacy leaks, and leaks of proprietary or potentially confidential information about employees, vendors, or competition can cause long-term, very expensive trouble., Needless to say, in addition to the real costs of lost time and money trying to repair all this damage, the company’s reputation may also suffer a serious blow, which can impact future sales if customers decide it’s safer to do business elsewhere., Six types of SMS spoofing, Here are a few common types of SMS spoofing that you might encounter on your smartphone device. , 1. Fake sender ID, This common type of SMS spoof uses a trusted sender ID to mask the real sender. Typically, the trusted sender will appear to be a business, which will increase the likelihood of the victim clicking on whatever the text is telling them to do. Fake sender IDs can also be masked as someone else in your contact list, including fellow employees if the fraudsters are attempting to infiltrate a company’…, 2. Unsolicited bulk messages, This is what most people think of when it comes to spam emails. But you can get spam SMS messages too, and this type of SMS spoofing attack is sent for the same reason. The message could be on just about any topic and look like a promotional SMS message and may seem inane or absurd. It may also have misspellings. Millions of people might receive the text, but the scammers just hope for a handful…, 3. Harassment, Harassment SMS spoofing can take many forms. Typically, it happens after the scammer has obtained some of your information through other cybercrimes they’ve already committed. Now, with your contact information and other knowledge of your private life, they may threaten you with embarrassment or other outcomes if you don’t pay a ransom. Or they might lie and trick you into sending money for…, 4. Corporate espionage, This type of SMS spoof targets employees, usually within a larger company that may have valuable customer data, or the resources to pay a large ransom if the fraudsters can gain control over the company’s information. Usually, when you click on links in messages like these, you may not be aware that anything bad has happened, because the hackers are using malware from your device to then spread…, 5. Fake money transfers, Here, the scammer promises money that needs to be transferred to the victim’s account. The sender’s name could appear to be from their bank, PayPal, or other recognizable financial institution or service, and the message will resemble a typical transactional SMS . Their goal is to gain access to your bank account information. The message may refer to a cash back transaction that never took place…, 6. Identity theft, Scammers want whatever personal information about you they can get – anything like medical records, account information, passwords, Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, phone numbers, and more. They want it so they can look for a way to pretend to be you and steal money. The idea is to make you pay for their stuff. Spoof text messages can be used to collect this information in a variety…, What distinguishes SMS spoofing fraud from other forms of text fraud?, Smishing, phishing , spoofing, spamming – there are all sorts of ways for scammers to cause you trouble through digital technology. SMS spoofing is just one of them. But it’s distinct from the others in a couple of key ways. SMS spoofing is the only one where the scammer makes the sending name and number look like a person or business you trust. This makes it a bit harder to spot, and you really…, Would your friend, relative, or co-worker really send you this?, In SMS phishing attacks (aka smishing), most of the scammer’s goals are the same – get your sensitive information and use it against you or someone else. And many of their methods are the same – things like fake invoices, fake shipping notices, and many tactics listed earlier. But you can usually spot other scams because the sender’s ID and phone number – or the email address in email scams – is…, Prevent SMS spoofing, What can you do to protect yourself and others from falling victim to an SMS spoof? First, your organization needs to teach this to its employees so they know how to recognize the warning signs of a spoofed SMS. By teaching everyone in your sphere of influence what should never happen, they’ll be more able to spot it and delete it when it does. Here are the major indications that you’re looking…, Suspicious wording, . Is this how your friend, co-worker, or company would talk? Would they say this? , Unfamiliar numbers., Does the text cite an account number or something similar you should recognize? If they look strange or incorrect, you need to take a moment to consider its legitimacy. , Spelling and grammar mistakes., It’s well known that most scammers can’t write very well, and this remains a telltale sign of a spoofed SMS. , Strange hyperlinks., Is this how company links usually look? Does it have weird formatting? , Unsettling requests., Any SMS asking for money or account-level information should be treated with suspicion – banks and other companies don’t do this. , False sense of urgency., Think about if the person texting you would use text messages to reach out to you about something urgent, or if they’d call you directly. , Anything that sounds too good to be true., Unsolicited luck doesn’t happen very often. Don’t trust it when it lands on you. The main thing is, if you get a suspicious SMS,, stop, think, and check before you act., Scammers rely on you not spotting warning signs, so if it looks suspicious, don’t click any links and don’t reply. If it’s from your company or from an employee, show it to a supervisor or go check with the person who supposedly sent it. If it’s from a relative or friend, call them to confirm. As a business, consistency is key. Reinforce what actions your company will never take, like sending…, your business must prioritize education, consistency, and proactive measures, to enhance its resilience against SMS spoofing and other cyber threats and build trust in your operations. , Maintain your brand reputation by sending reliable SMS, As a business, make sure your messages are easily identifiable by your subscribers. Here are a few strategies to make this happen: Keep your branding consistent in all your texts. Give clear contact details like phone, email, website, or a ‘reply HELP’ message so subscribers can verify your messages. Tell subscribers how to opt out from your SMS list. Regularly remind customers that you…
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