This is a guest post by BluText SMS.
SMS can be a powerful way to reach your customers. The downside is that you run the risk of annoying your customers, especially if the text messages are automated. In this article, we'll show you how to strike a balance with the four best times to use texting automation.
#1 Contacting new online leads
The first few moments following someone's web form submission are when they're most likely to convert. The longer you wait, the higher the chances they'll get distracted or have second thoughts and decide not to move forward. Don't let that happen!
Instead of waiting for an email or phone call, take advantage of texting automation to connect with customers while they're still on your website or app and before they have time to forget about their interest in what you offer. A fast, friendly text from your company provides instant validation that their submission was received and assures them that a human (not just a bot) will be there for them if questions arise.
#2 Meeting reminders
Texting is one of the most effective and immediate ways to remind your customers of upcoming appointments. If you have many customers, it can be difficult to commit all of their appointment times to memory. The best way to ensure that your customers always show up on time is by sending them a quick text reminder 30 minutes before their appointment. This will not only help them remember to come in, but it will also make them feel more valued.
Meeting attendance can have a positive impact on your calendar, as it promotes optimal scheduling. It can also prevent no-shows for clients who may have forgotten to mark the meeting time in their calendar. You can send a reminder 30 minutes before each meeting through text automation or even automate appointment confirmations so you don’t have to worry about keeping track of all your scheduled appointments manually.
#3 Collecting payments
Most of us don't enjoy receiving bills, but it's even more unfortunate when we forget to pay them on time. Customers often benefit from reminders that they owe money to your business.
Sometimes, customers may forget to pay their bill or don't receive it for one reason or another. Sending automated text messages to remind customers about their bills shows that you haven't forgotten about them and are actively helping them pay on time. This is especially useful if you're consistently receiving late payments. If you're having trouble collecting, try sending payment reminders via text message to see if it improves your cash flow.
#4 No responses from a customer
Chances are, you’ve been in a situation where a customer or lead hasn’t responded to your emails. This can occur for many reasons, and it can be frustrating when you don’t know what's causing the lack of communication. Maybe they're not interested, or maybe they just missed your message.
If this happens to you, there's an easy fix that can help you get some answers from your customers: send them a text message! A friendly text greeting the customer and asking “Have you received my emails?” is powerful. It provides a simple outlet for the customer to explain their position and even allows the opportunity for renewed communication. They may even answer back with “Oops! Sorry about that—my spam filter caught it by accident. I replied via email!” This response also helps you understand where the initial line of communication was interrupted.
Solution
The BluText SMS for Zoho CRM helps you send automated text messages to groups of people with custom information for each recipient. It's the perfect way to personalize SMS campaigns so you can:
- Maintain a personalized relationship with hundreds of contacts
- Send instant, scheduled, or automated messages so they're sent exactly when you want them to go out
Try BluText SMS for Zoho CRM
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