98% open rates on text marketing compared to 20% open rates for email? (Eztexting.com)

What?

Yes, this is the case now.

The statistics are overwhelmingly showing that text marketing reaches a minimum of 40% higher open rates than email, depending upon which report you are reading, and what age group you are targeting (according to EZ Texting SMS Marketing Statistics.)

→Text marketing has played a vital role in all businesses I’ve help build, regardless of industry.  

Whether it’s trying to get more calls into the business, book more calls, or sell your thing, it’s vital to any type of business.  

It works because most people have their smartphone within arms reach at all times, and notifications are more likely to be on with text than for email. Plus there isn’t a spam folder to get in the way of your message. 

All this combined, it’s immediate, effective, and creates more intimate engagement with your tribe/community, thus in turn helping your brand get more attention.

As intimidating as it sounds, text marketing is incredibly easy to do and automate given you have the right tool for the job to make your life easier. 

Below you will find my list of my favorite SMS marketing softwares. 

There are just so many softwares in the marketplace, this list will help you narrow it down completely so you can make an educated decision fast, and move on to more important things like building your text list and actually messaging your tribe. 

Let’s dive right in.

What is the Best SMS Marketing Software?

Here are my top-rated SMS marketing software picks to use this year.

 1. EZTexting

This is one of my favorites that I’ve used for a few years and it’s very easy. It’s a fast, easy to use option making it a fantastic tool for sms marketing. There is an app as well which is nice if you are on the go a lot. It’s more expensive that email marketing that’s for sure, just remember that list segmenation can guide you with reducing overall number of credits to purchase to whats required for your business to be the most effective. 

2. Texting Base

This is another one of my favorites. The interface looks a little aged in my opinion and my personal experience in the past is if you have over 10k contacts, it gets glitchy upon login with additional sub-accounts. 

But it served its purpose for many years until we found EZ which provided a better platform for doing a higher volume of contacts and better-negotiated rates on bulk SMS credits. There is no app to use, just a mobile web version. 

You need to do this on your computer or from an internet browser on your phone.  

Which I do it there anyways but it would be nice to have an app to check messages and reply back easily from anywhere.

→I really like how people can click to call the phone number you text them from and it forwards to you, that is a really cool feature that EZ Text does not have. 

3. SlyText   

4. Salesmsg

Grant Cardone’s office uses this per the logo splashed on their homepage. Success leaves clues my friends and if GC is using this, this is definitely something to explore. Although he has a massive empire, Salesmsg serves small and medium-sized businesses and are great for integration with Hubspot and Keap. There is an app as well.

5. BONUS: If you happen to have a Ring Central account already, they have a way you can bulk message 100 people at a time, without them seeing each other, here’s how. If you have a list of over 100, this will not work for you and will very inconvenient for you. Getting a text marketing software from the list above is the most effective option to save your time and sanity for bulk text marketing messages. 

What is SMS Marketing Software?

How Does Text Marketing Work?

I broke it down into 5 easy steps for you below. 

Step 1. First, you will need to sign up for a bulk messaging SMS Marketing software, so you can message multiple people WITHOUT it being a group text where they can see each other. 

Step 2: Select your plan

Step 3. Upload your contacts (and yourself so you can test).

Step 4. Create a new message under 160 characters (include the first-time opt-out messaging for 1st message)

Step 5. Click send!

Once you have your account set up, you can start crafting your messages and testing different compelling CTA’s (calls to action).

To automate your list-building efforts, Integrate your CRM, website, and/or landing pages via Zapier and ensure you get opt-in approval. 

List the phone number as an optional field for any freebies or opt-in pages you have as a select percentage of people will put it. 

Ensure you include proper opt-out messaging on text per the guidance of the software company you are using. 

Is Text Marketing Effective?

Online statistics everywhere show overwhelmingly how much higher the open rate is because people always have their phone just an arm’s length away from them, and love to be in their text messaging app. Since it’s going directly to their messaging app, it dings right away as long as  do not disturb isn’t on. It’s also a more intimate way to connect and engage with your customers. There isn’t usually a spam filter that will block this message from arriving like email service providers have. You will definitely need to navigate it differently than email marketing with shorter punchier messages (160 characters for 1 text) and less messaging than what you would typically do with email marketing. I’ve never seen such a great response to digital marketing than I have to SMS marketing. It’s something you have to start and get better with over time.  

How Do I Get Started in Text Marketing?

Select a text marketing software from the list above, preferably #1 as they have a free 14-day trial so you can test drive to ensure you like it. Import contacts that are safe for you to contact so that you have their approval. Craft a short message under 160 characters and include a compelling CTA. Then click send. Now test different CTAs, and optimize your copy. Tracking the results of the CTA is helpful so you know what worked, (the time, the day, the message, the CTA) and can do it again. Always repeat what works. I have swipe files here to get your juices flowing here so you aren’t starting from ground zero.

How to Build Your SMS Marketing List

To start with, export your current CRM or customer list, and powerbase, and add it to your text marketing software. This will get you started. On your landing pages & website for freebies or orders, simply add an optional field for phone number as such [insert image]. Integrate that with Zapier so it automatically flows into your SMS software. This is a little more advanced but You can also create keyword-specific campaigns, i.e. text “keyword” to 898989 [shortcode]. If you have an email list, then you can encourage them to sign up.

SMS Best Practices 

• Utilize a Character Count Tool to keep your messages at 160 characters and under. 
• Images are not needed and it’s preferred not to use them because of spam filters and cost, so use sparingly.
• Add a clear opt-in to your landing pages, websites right under the email capture field, as an option field to build your text marketing list.
• Invite/request readers from your email list to join your text marketing list. Be sure to incentivize them. (This works really well for building your Youtube or Podcast followers as well.) 
• Ensure you use opt-out language within your text messages per requirements of the SMS marketing software.
• Time correctly – Be mindful of the time you are sending the message and THEIR timezone (Don’t do outside of these windows: 8am and 8pm local time ) Be sure to check compliance guidelines for your state and country as they change over time. 
• Make sure you identify yourself in the messaging. Here’s a tip, automating it so they understand the first message and there is a chain of texts to remind them it’s you.
• Be consistent, stay top of mind, create your schedule, and at a bare minimum send out at least two to four times per month. Ideally much more than this, but don’t drop off their radar completely as this is something you can batch out ahead of time and schedule to make your life easier.
  
• Bring value to your tribe. Consider pushing to a helpful Youtube video that you have made that serves them well. 
• Be personal by considering how they entered your list from the beginning.  Not everyone found you the same way to don’t forget to speak to something that compliments the first interaction with your business. 

Best SMS Software – Summary

Whatever your industry niche or business size is, SMS marketing is an untapped goldmine that many businesses are not utilizing. Those that are using it to compliment their business, wish they would have started sooner! 

My Top Rated SMS Marketing Software Picks Are:

1. Ez Texting

2. Texting Base

3. SlyText

You learned the best possible SMS marketing software that is on the market, why it’s so effective, how to use it, and how to build your SMS list. It’s a lot, I know! So here’s what I’d like you to do next to apply this material. 

The world REWARDS action takers. Here’s your ONE action step for today to make this become real for you. It’s very fast and easy. That way you are taking massive action towards getting more eyeballs on your brand. 

If you have any questions about text marketing software or how to build your SMS list,  message me here.