Blog Email Marketing and SMS

When is it better to send a text message instead of an email

Imagen When is it better to send a text message instead of an e

In marketing, all channels contribute to achieving goals because they complement each other. The strategy is what decides which role to assign to each one to leverage their strengths, and when it comes to SMS, its major advantage is the high open rate. That's why there are transactional moments where it's much more profitable to send messages to mobiles than other forms of communication.

Appointment and schedule management

Many businesses depend on the efficient use of their schedule, such as medical centers, restaurants with reservations, auto repair shops, or various courses and events. When appointments are canceled, money is lost, not only in the case of commercial visits.

This is prevented with an SMS, for example, by sending it a few days or hours before. This way, the client doesn't forget to attend or can reschedule the session if they foresee that they won't be able to make it at the last minute. Since these are matters that need to be resolved quickly, a mobile message is the most practical, as in other channels, it might get lost without opening in time to fill the slot with another client.

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Last-minute promotions

Any time of the year is suitable for running a campaign to promote a product or service, even an event. However, not the entire process needs to be covered with SMS marketing; it's better to concentrate efforts for when deadlines are approaching. Then, sending a reminder notice will have a more significant effect on recipients because it will encourage them to react urgently, at the moment of receiving and reading it.

This is the same reason why mobile messages can be used to make offers that include a substantial discount valid only for 24 hours. For example, for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, or even for Mother's Day or Valentine's Day campaigns, where there's a clear expiration date.

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Shipment tracking

The purchasing process involves various notifications to the customer, but not all require immediate attention. However, it's justified to send an SMS when it comes to orders arriving at the store and ready for pickup or for home delivery to ensure that someone is home to receive the courier.

When drafting SMS, it's also possible to add a website or customer service phone number for rescheduling visits if necessary, as mentioned earlier for medical centers or similar businesses.

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Priority status notifications

Good customer service involves keeping customers informed about what's happening, promptly. A mobile message is short but can contain enough data to quickly notify them of what's going on, provided it's relevant and a priority for them. For example, in the case of a service delay or a security risk situation.

The advantage of users frequently checking their mobiles works in favor of this type of communication. Therefore, it's essential not to abuse it and think of them as push notifications from a corporate app.

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Identity validation

The last case in which many companies use SMS is to confirm the identity of users, for instance, during online registration or purchase. It functions as a double verification and ensures the security of transactions. Simply sending a code to the mobile confirms that it's the person they claim to be, similar to verifying an account with a double opt-in.

These processes can also be done via email, for example, with codes expiring after several minutes, but an SMS is much simpler for the user and quicker because they're received, read, and used in just a couple of minutes.

Each company knows which types of SMS work best for them, whether it's for cross-selling or wishing the customer a happy birthday. The key, as always, is to find a balance in communications across different channels.

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