Why don't you use SMS text?

[Textlocal]

10k per month... really?? 300 per day - that really is pretty intensive!

It is only USA where the recipient pays some of the cost of an SMS - so it is the interest of operators to give texts away to customers.. after all, they still profit from the recipient!

You can get free SMS bundles in the UK, however these can only be used to people on same operator an are sujtect to "fair usage" policies - you can't use for business. Besides, you don't get any of the miriad of features that an online SMS service adds. It is like the difference between sending an email from your command line - and hotmail/gmail! Worlds apart...

[edit: typos.. typing with one hand, feeding baby with other!]

Al.

While I may not be a fan of SMS, my sons are. One sends/receives about 10,000 a month (we pay to receive as well as to send, so both must be counted), and another gets through about 4,000 a month. A third gets through about 1,000 a month. For the six people on our family account, we pay a little under 10 pounds a month for unlimited messages.

Are there unlimited plans in Britain, or must you pay per message?

 

[saxondale]

!

You can get free SMS bundles in the UK, however these can only be used to people on same operator .......
Al.

really?

.

 

[Textlocal]

really?

.

In most cases yes... otherwise they are automatically capped as per the fair use policies.

Anyway, we are comparing apples and oranges... group SMS for business is not the same thing as texting from your own handset. Try sending 300 mailmerged messaages, with branded sender name (from address), scheduled for tomorrow at 10am, with full delivery reports... from your Nokia, Blackberry or iPhone... no, you can't. Not from your handset or any service provider by operators. That's what dedicated SMS providers offer to UK businesses.

.. with the added benefit of shortcodes, email to SMS, SMS to email, mobile bookmarks, and free programmers interfaces to add SMS to ANY website or app in seconds.

 

[saxondale]

In most cases yes... otherwise they are automatically capped as per the fair use policies.

Anyway, we are comparing apples and oranges... group SMS for business is not the same thing as texting from your own handset. Try sending 300 mailmerged messages, with branded sender name (from address), scheduled for tomorrow at 10am, with full delivery reports... from your Nokia, Blackberry or iPhone... no, you can't. Not from your handset or any service provider by operators. That's what dedicated SMS providers offer to UK businesses.

drool, so your inclusive text bundle is recipient carrier specific? right, yes, OK ............. anyhow, I never said I wanted the other either.

 

[Textlocal]

Absolutely.. once you have grown an opt in list of your own loyal customers who have *chosen* to hear from you (an activity that is 100% free - and very easy to do) - then you can generate incredbile levels of repeat business by offering something to them that they will almost certainly want.... you increase customer loyalty by creating an "sms fan club" for your business - and the customer feels like a VIP contact because they receive personalised communications from you - to their pocket - when they have requested it - with an offer that appeals.

Simple

Hi,

SMS marketing is one of the effective tool and is very helpful for brand building and increasing quality business.

Through it the relevant person comes for the business so according to me its not an spam.


Thanks

 

[saxondale]

purely because I was reading it earlier - made me chuckle

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=563636&highlight=text%2C+leadmill

.

 

[Cornish Steve]

10k per month... really?? 300 per day - that really is pretty intensive!

Let me tell you how I found out.

1) One month, we received a line item on our family account bill for about $100. We were puzzled why. Come to find out, the carrier had configured our son's phone wrongly and his text messages were being sent via the Internet - for which they charged $0.01 per message. That's 10,000 messages to/from that phone in one month.

2) Then we went back and looked at the bill in detail, and it does note the total number of messages sent/received every month for each month on the plan. It's purely for informational purposes because the number doesn't matter for billing purposes. It's unlimited.

Of course, all of our sons' friends have unlimited messaging too, so they all pay a low fee per month. It's only us aged parents who use SMS so little that we can afford to pay per message.

 

[JamieM]

If he sleeps for 8 hours then he's sending or receiving a message every 3 minutes or so. If that's right then I think you need to have words with him.

Even if his messages average 2 pages it's still every 6 minutes. Doesn't seem right.

Are you sure it's not $0.01/kb and he's been sending pics or something?

 

[Textlocal]

Well exactly. This is one of the key points.. if you constantly hammer your own customers who have not opted it, then it will damage your reputation. Obvious really.

We advise that on the initial optin message you provide details of the optout path "to optout text STOP to xxxx".... then every 3rd message thereafter (not EVERY message - you are limited to 160 chars after all per SMS (up to 918 if you send long messages - but costs 5x as much)).

Also, a customer can of course email or call the business - leave their number and it can be removed from the system.

A.

purely because I was reading it earlier - made me chuckle

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=563636&highlight=text%2C+leadmill

.

 

[no118.co.uk]

Well exactly. This is one of the key points.. if you constantly hammer your own customers who have not opted it, then it will damage your reputation. Obvious really.

We advise that on the initial optin message you provide details of the optout path "to optout text STOP to xxxx".... then every 3rd message thereafter (not EVERY message - you are limited to 160 chars after all per SMS (up to 918 if you send long messages - but costs 5x as much)).

Also, a customer can of course email or call the business - leave their number and it can be removed from the system.

A.

There is no difference to signing up to a sms mailing list and an email mailing list. You have the coltrol to allow or cancel your subscription. As a business, you would not spam a customer without their prior approval.

GJ

 

[Textlocal]

Well.. clearly if you get prior approval it is not spam ;-)

There is no difference to signing up to a sms mailing list and
an email mailing list. You have the coltrol to allow or cancel your subscription. As a business, you would not spam a customer without their prior approval.

GJ

 

[Newbusiness2010]

Hi there,

I just read your post about the benefits of SMS and it made me think about my strategy.

I am about to launch my first new business providing an office fruit delivery service to businesses within Edinburgh.

At the moment I am considering my launch strategy etc. Obviously cost is an issue as on a tight budget and I was wondering if SMS could be an option? I presuame I would have to wait until I've got initial customer contact or could I run an advert with an SMS offering?

Please don't give this too much time as at the moment it is just an initial interest and don't want to be seen to waste your time!

 

[Textlocal]

Hi there,

What a great idea - I wish we had that in our Malvern office, would make a refreshing change from cake!! .. and yes, SMS could be very effective for you.

Yes, you will need to collect opt in mobile numbers. Once you launch you can do this any way you can imagine (from your website, forms with each order etc) and import into your 100% free Txtlocal.com account (***please sign up and have a play - code UKBF to get 50 free texts!!!).

However... now, before you even launch... you can start getting people to opt in.

Let me know (PM or email [email protected]) when you have created your account and I will give you a free keyword to get up and running. For example, "text FRUIT to 60777". You can put this *everywhere* saying "New Office Fruit Business - fresh to your desk. Text FRUIT to 60777 to join!!". Put it on business cards, fliers given out at offices, local Facebook pages, etc.

You then autoreply to these messages as they arrive (set up an autoreponder on your Txtlocal control panel) saying "Thanks, we will contact you when we are ready for orders. See www.fruittogo.com(??) for info". (which they can follow the link to your website for more info). Your autoreply may also contain your Twitter username, facebook group details etc. The customer can then bookmark your details onto their handset - cool eh?

Then when you launch you will be able to say "We are now launched.. call 08450093333 to order your fruit directly to your desk! For a list and prices see see www.ftg.com/menu".

Customers can text STOP to 60777 any time to optout.

You can send out messages each week/month.. with new season fruit - new products - anything - directly to your own customer's hand...!!

So, yes,.. there is great potential with this. Let me know when you have created the account and I will add your keyword... please ensure you keep us posted here about how you get on, or come back to ask any questions

Oh.. and check out the video tour here of the control panel... http://new.txtlocal.co.uk/res/videos/newtour/index.php - it shows how some of the basic features work...

Thanks,

Al.

Hi there,

I just read your post about the benefits of SMS and it made me think about my strategy.

I am about to launch my first new business providing an office fruit delivery service to businesses within Edinburgh.

At the moment I am considering my launch strategy etc. Obviously cost is an issue as on a tight budget and I was wondering if SMS could be an option? I presuame I would have to wait until I've got initial customer contact or could I run an advert with an SMS offering?

 

[Textlocal]

Just a quick post to thank all UKBF people that I met at Internet World last week - it was great to meet you in person and to have the opportunity to show off our SMS text services!

Please get in touch any time if you want to know more about mobile messaging for your business...

Al.

 

[The Scoundrel]

The thing that confuses me about this service is where do the SMS's originate? Of the 2.4p that each message would cost me how much goes to the phone networks etc? I've been offered SMS services at anywhere between 7p and 0.5p per message but i can't figure out who originally owns these messages in the first place and what gives them the right to sell them at a profit to other companies. What would stop me setting up my own "Gateway" ( i believe this is the term) generating my own messages and making it free for me? Also i would have thought that someone, somewhere has developed programs that can incorporate a sim card reader on a PC and use say a o2 sim which for £5.00 per month would give you "unlimited" texts (fair use policy says 2000) to provide a similar service albeit without a shortcode. I'm not being argumentative here as i can really see that SMS is going to be a massive way forward very soon and combining it with the traditional face to face and fully supported methods of selling advertising that i have employed for the last 25 years there is a huge profit to be made so i'd genuinely appreciate the clouds being cleared. Thanks

 

[Textlocal]

The T&Cs for the networks also state that you can't connect SIMs to your PC to send out commercial messages, and if you get caught then your SIM would be shut down and your business would cease. Besides 2000 is not going to get you very far

Operators charge around 2.5p to transmit a business SMS for you (with delivery reports, tracking of numbers ported between operators, alphanumeric "branded" sender IDs", delivery within 3 seconds only using UK networks). You can buy messages for less than 2p - these always use "grey routes" using dodgy international routes that are not always stable and do not guarantee the features above (especially porting, which means if you send a message to someone who has recently moved from O2 to Vodafone it won't be delivered).

You then need to provide software so that your customers can send messages - we pride ourselves with one of the best for businesses in the UK. There is much more to this game than just firing out messages - the system needs to be very robust, intuitive, offer reporting, mailmerge, scheduling etc and secure - requires sales and support staff, other business overheads and a little profit to make it all worthwhile - which is where the additional cost per message comes in

You should NEVER be charged more than 5p for an SMS - if you do then you are being ripped off. We will happily match (usually beat) any price for UK routed high quality messaging.

Yes, SMS is going to be massive (it already is!) - and as more businesses realise that if you grow an opt-in list of customers that CHOOSE to receive news, updates and promotions from you on their phones - it is not spam, it is not intrusive - it is the most effective and low cost marketing and communications tool available to businesses today. Check out our new video on the homepage (see sig) for examples of customers using the service - and see http://www.txtlocal.co.uk/about/ for case studies in most business sectors.

Thanks

 

[Esk247]

SMS works for clubs, or even dental appointments etc.

I did sign up with Txtlocal a year or so ago, i've just never had any use for it at the moment :| sorry. Non of my clients can text, they're only just getting a grasp of emails so it doesn't fit with the business. I did stick a Txtlocal advert at the right hand side of my invoices last year, nobody even looked at the web link i put up on my website though, zero hits, so it doesn't seem to be appropriate for my current customer base.

It may come in handy if i start selling every day items though, i can text the customer when the order has been confirmed or if delivery is delayed etc.

 

[IndiCafe]

Hi. I started reading this thread with the view that SMS is an annoying marketing tool and I'd never use it, but now I'm seriously considering it for the business I'll be launching this year. Few questions:

1. How do you usually inform/reassure the customer that the text will cost them nothing? There have been so many cases of texts costing the sender several pounds, without warning, that many of the public are wary.

2. If a UK customer is abroad on holiday is there a way they can temporarily stop receiving texts? I find it frustrating if I switch on my phone when abroad and receive texts that have built up in my SMS stack, and as I'm abroad I get charged for them. Even if it's Opt In, there are times I wouldn't want to receive them.

3. What if someone opted in with, say, a Russian mobile phone number. Wouldn't that cost me more than 5p to send?

Cheers

 

[saxondale]

the wifes just cancelled her hair appointments for the whole of 2011 now - reason?



text reminder on Christmas day.

 

[DesignerNick]

I think SMS is a great tool but wouldn't really help my business I certainly recommend it to people though.

 

[IndiCafe]

the wifes just cancelled her hair appointments for the whole of 2011 now - reason?



text reminder on Christmas day.

Hope you like hairy women

 

[Textlocal]

Lol... your wife must change hairdressers a lot then. On 27th March you said:

"the wife just changed hairdressed because of these text alerts." (see earlier in this thread).

Surely it would just be easier for her to ask the hairdresser to remove her from their list? Leaving a business simply because of an SMS seems very OTT if they provide a good service??

the wifes just cancelled her hair appointments for the whole of 2011 now - reason?



text reminder on Christmas day.

 

[Textlocal]

I think SMS is a great tool but wouldn't really help my business I certainly recommend it to people though.

You could integrate a "send details to my phone" button onto the websites, or a "join our SMS mailing list" form - then resell SMS texts back to your own clients - buying from us (or somoene like us) for a low rate and selling for profit + monthly management fee. Depends how big they are if it would be worthwhile - just a thought

 

[Textlocal]

Hello

1) You simply put "Join our SMS service for the lastest news from xx business. Text INDI to 60777. Txts cost 1 std rate msg". That usually does the trick. Or you could use a long number like "text INDI to 07786200690". People may be less put off by something that looks like a normal mobile number.

2) The customer wold simply need to ask you to remove the number while away - and then ask to be added agoing afterwards. Yes, we can build clever systems to handle this automatically for you - but it is complex for your client to text exact commands into the system and has margin of error. A simple phonecall or email would work fine

3) Yes, with our service international messages can cost up to 2x UK rates. Depends what your service is.. if you run a local Fish & Chip shop you are not likely to get many non UK optins.. and even if you do you can easily prune them out.

Why not sign up for a free account (see below). I will happily give you 100 texts and a shortcode to get up and running - just PM me if you do.

Hi. I started reading this thread with the view that SMS is an annoying marketing tool and I'd never use it, but now I'm seriously considering it for the business I'll be launching this year. Few questions:

1. How do you usually inform/reassure the customer that the text will cost them nothing? There have been so many cases of texts costing the sender several pounds, without warning, that many of the public are wary.

2. If a UK customer is abroad on holiday is there a way they can temporarily stop receiving texts? I find it frustrating if I switch on my phone when abroad and receive texts that have built up in my SMS stack, and as I'm abroad I get charged for them. Even if it's Opt In, there are times I wouldn't want to receive them.

3. What if someone opted in with, say, a Russian mobile phone number. Wouldn't that cost me more than 5p to send?

Cheers

 

[saxondale]

Lol... your wife must change hairdressers a lot then. On 27th March you said:

"the wife just changed hairdressed because of these text alerts." (see earlier in this thread).

Surely it would just be easier for her to ask the hairdresser to remove her from their list? Leaving a business simply because of an SMS seems very OTT if they provide a good service??

exactly - the now ex hairdresser knew the reason she changed and blew it.

Bit harder to change hospitals mind - two txts for every appointment and "sorry but we have to confirm the appointment by txt, it`s the rules"



.

 

[ORDERED WEB]

Ok.. so why is it that all businesses are not using SMS text?

My belief is that that assume it is spam, think it will be expensive, assume it is just for the "big brands" or are scared of new technology.

With Txtlocal.com we are showing that SMS text is none of these things - if used correctly it is the most effective communications tool available to UK businesses - enabling you to send instant messages to your own customers who have chosen to receive them - for pennies - using a powerful yet very simple control system - or by integrating into your legacy systems using the API of email to SMS gateways.

Mass adoption of SMS for SME's is coming - those that do not embrace "mobile" risk getting left a very long way behind....

I cant stand texts, they are too short, take too long to type, and are very impersonal. and show a lack of commitment.

Call me old fashioned, I like a good well written e-mail, or a decent phone call

 

[UFOnaut]

It is surely SPAM. I don't thonk people are glad to see some advertising at their PRIVATE phone display.

 

[bjg123]

For Goodprint, I just don't see that it would be very beneficial. We use email marketing and PPC as our main two forms of advertising, both work very well. I know from a customer point of view, I wouldn't appreciate text messages from my printed stationery provider, but I do see the benefit for a lot of companies.

My girlfriend leaves university this year. She's decided to work really hard towards opening her own Café/Farm Shop/Deli as soon as she can and we manage to get the finances together for it. I'll be helping her out with all the marketing to help get her started. I was thinking about this just this morning actually, before I saw the thread, but I can't wait. Facebook and Twitter don't generate tonnes of orders for Goodprint, they're useful, but limited, as you'd expect. For a local shop though that's just started up, it's possible to get that all important brand awareness through them if executed properly, the same with SMS. Conversely, email marketing won't be as effective for a shop as for an online business, so I'm excited to see what I can do with more "social" marketing forms such as SMS once we're up and running.

 

[Textlocal]

Seriously... what part of "opt in" don't you understand??

You think it is spam if your customer ASKS you to send news and promotions to their handset? Or did you not read the pages above?

It is surely SPAM. I don't thonk people are glad to see some advertising at their PRIVATE phone display.

 

[Esk247]

I always find it difficult to get the Opt Ins though, most people don't tick the Newsletter box, they leave it blank, they don't want any contact at all after purchase of a product.

 

[bjg123]

The opt-in part is crucial, because text messages are more liable to be viewed as spammy by their very nature. Some companies have a mobile number as a required field on their site, and have the box auto-ticked, they're liable to annoy me if I didn't uncheck the box and I might not use them again.

How I envisaged it working in my previous scenario is thus. In the first few months of opening the person serving the customer would offer a small discount on the current purchase if they signed up to receive emails/texts/filled out a survey. You' explain through conversation the kind of thing you'd be sending them and make sure they were on-board and generally positive about it. This is much easier when there's physical face-to-face contact. I couldn't do anything like that with Goodprint as we have no human contact with the vast majority of our customers.

 

[Textlocal]

Agreed... for a print company it would be better to call to confirm the order, to add that personal touch

For the Deli... well. You could get people to text "DELI to 60777" to join your club. Print this on t-shirts, newspaper ads, on the blackboard outside the shop, on "tent cards" on the tables, on business cards and on the till receipts. Over time you WILL grow an opt in list of people who have chosen to receive the offers. You can then send out news and offers (come down today, show the message and get 10% off any order). You can even include a link to your "specials board"... basically a very simple web page with photography, a list of todays specials and a link to book a table.

Its all very simple - very low cost - 100% opt in and incredibly effective - and zero risk!! If you don't manage to get anyone to join then you have lost nothing for trying -- it is all free!

For Goodprint, I just don't see that it would be very beneficial. We use email marketing and PPC as our main two forms of advertising, both work very well. I know from a customer point of view, I wouldn't appreciate text messages from my printed stationery provider, but I do see the benefit for a lot of companies.

My girlfriend leaves university this year. She's decided to work really hard towards opening her own Café/Farm Shop/Deli as soon as she can and we manage to get the finances together for it. I'll be helping her out with all the marketing to help get her started. I was thinking about this just this morning actually, before I saw the thread, but I can't wait. Facebook and Twitter don't generate tonnes of orders for Goodprint, they're useful, but limited, as you'd expect. For a local shop though that's just started up, it's possible to get that all important brand awareness through them if executed properly, the same with SMS. Conversely, email marketing won't be as effective for a shop as for an online business, so I'm excited to see what I can do with more "social" marketing forms such as SMS once we're up and running.

 

[bjg123]

I always find it difficult to get the Opt Ins though, most people don't tick the Newsletter box, they leave it blank, they don't want any contact at all after purchase of a product.

Hello! Quick tip for you, just had a look at the Tiger Watches site, interested in getting another watch soon (I'm a bit of a collector). Very nice site, just one suggestion. Where you have men women and children, I found the click here link a bit difficult to find, and naturally clicked on the picture, which isn't a link. Might be worth making it a bit more obvious and making the image clickable? just an idea anyway.

 

[UFOnaut]

Seriously... what part of "opt in" don't you understand??

You think it is spam if your customer ASKS you to send news and promotions to their handset? Or did you not read the pages above?

If they ask, then you send. But I don't think you can give much info via SMS.Mostly people don't read full text of big SMS. SMS with text "New goods are available" or "New services are available" is not effective.

 

[Textlocal]

If they ask, then you send. But I don't think you can give much info via SMS.Mostly people don't read full text of big SMS. SMS with text "New goods are available" or "New services are available" is not effective.

... ANY SMS is effective if your contact list is opt in, and the end user is a "fan" of your business. "New goods available" works very well - I have hundreds of case studies that show this... even for small fruit & veg shops with just 30 opt-ins "hey, come down to Jims Veg Shop today - we have the first Asparagus of the year fresh this morning".

This message costs Jim 90p... and if just 1/30 people come into his shop that day they he makes profit and hopefully pulls some business back from the supermarkets and builds a more regular "fan base" for his small shop.

 

[UFOnaut]

... ANY SMS is effective if your contact list is opt in, and the end user is a "fan" of your business. "New goods available" works very well - I have hundreds of case studies that show this... even for small fruit & veg shops with just 30 opt-ins "hey, come down to Jims Veg Shop today - we have the first Asparagus of the year fresh this morning".

This message costs Jim 90p... and if just 1/30 people come into his shop that day they he makes profit and hopefully pulls some business back from the supermarkets and builds a more regular "fan base" for his small shop.

Maybe you are right, but not for all cases. I told my own opinion about this, because if I want something, I will search for it. I am so bored with advertising, that I don't need it in my phone. And about "fans", business must have then and when it has - it don't need advertising ...

 

[Textlocal]

Absolutely... which is why we have relationship marketing and retention. SMS is not about acquisition it is about building a very personal relationship with your very best customers -offering VVVIP membership and rewards.

We are talking ultra local - not some anonymous blue chip trying to push their wares - but Big Jim - the landlord at the Red Lion inviting you to the quiz night this week - and reminding you at 4pm. A letter would cost 40p and would require sending days in advance, a phone call would be far too impractical to 50 people, and an email would not necessarily be read in time... but a personalised SMS directly into the palm of your loyal customers hand a few hours before the event - from Jim @ your own favourite local would be most welcome.

"Hi UFO, don't forget the quiz evening at 8pm tonight - we need your help, we can't have Don taking the prize again this week, his head would be so big we would never get him out of the door! Free buffet from 7. Hope to see you soon, Jim x"

So... to 50 locals this would cost around £1.50. Quite simply the most direct, immediate and cost effective form of communication available. NOT spam, NOT intrusive.

This ultra personal model works for most sectors:

1) Accountants: last minute reminders regarding the Tax Return deadline. Valued added service to business customers "Hi Colin, don't forget the VAT rise next week. Call Scott any time on 016846654564 for advice"

2) Car garages: MAT reminders, special offers for oil changes & antifreeze in winter... air conditioning in the summer

3) All fast food - pizza, fish & chips, Chinese, Indian - anything - 2 for one offers and specials for the most loyal customers. Building close relationships..."Come down any days this week for 20% off our special: "Beef With Cashew Nuts - Malaysian Style" - with a link to a simple web page showing the kitchen and the meal being prepared.

4) Sports clubs - last minute match cancellations, fixtures, results

5) Gyms: Discounts off swimming pools at quiet times, motivational tips from your personal trainer, reminder to renew annual membership.

It works for any sector (with a little imagination)... and as long as you are texting your own, best customers who have *requested* information in the palm of their hand then it is perhaps the most effective method of generating loyalty for your business available - because it is so personal. Yes - it must be treated with the greatest respect - but you simply need common sense "is this message something that my customers would like to receive and will appreciate - or will it annoy them and damage my reputation". If the former... then you would be foolish NOT to do it!!

And about "fans", business must have then and when it has - it don't need advertising ...

 

[Esk247]

It works with customers who are 'switched on' to the world of texting.

It works very well for order confirmation by text (people ordering over the phone) or delivery information 'Your Order Is Being Delivered At 14:30'

It also works with nightclubs, big posters outside, Angel Txt Club, Free VIP Passes Text To Your Phone.

Like i say, i just haven't found a way of using it for my customers, they're all non-techy types, they can't even switch a mobile on so they won't use it. I have asked, they said they wouldn't want it.

May come in handy with ecommerce, when i finally get round to selling something!

 

[numbergroup]

Personally I think sms for 99.9% of businesses is too spammy. I mean ok if your in some retail, food industry, send your too good to miss offers etc. But I would find it really rude in a b2b environment.


Hey if you want to speak to us, call or email but text seriously ! Leave that to your family/mates