Category Archives: SMS

Marketing, Messaging, Mobile, Mobile marketing, Short Message Service, SMS, Text messaging

Top 5 Reasons Your Brand Should Invest in SMS Marketing

As more customers access information on-the-go, SMS is increasingly becoming an important tool in multi-channel marketing. However, there are still a number of businesses that believe mobile marketing demands significantly large budgets and heavy investments in applications.

In truth, gaining access to mobile communications is easier than ever and engaging with mobile users is as simple as sending out personalized and targeted text messages. Initiating two-way SMS communication between a brand and a mobile user is not only convenient but also essential to make your brand a household name. 

Here are some key benefits of adopting SMS marketing as a promotional tool: 

1. Direct and Real-Time Communication

Text messaging is one of the most immediate channels for marketing communication. Statistics suggest that 97% of recipients will read your text within 15 minutes of its delivery. Time-critical messages work best using this tool. Studies also suggest that 45% of SMS campaigns generate successful ROI. These figures have the potential to go up to 50% when combined with other popular tools.

2. Building Databases and Simplifying Interactions

Encourage your customers to interact with you through SMS messaging services. Adding creative copy, short codes or keywords to your printing material and other marketing communications allows both existing and potential customers to easily respond to your message. When audiences can contact your brand easily, you may build databases of high-intent customers more efficiently.

3. Easy Integration with other Channels

While SMS is an excellent standalone channel, it also provides the ability to improve and support other media, including television ads, social media and e-mail. For instance, customers may use this tool to enter opinion polls and contests released on alternative platforms.

4. Learn More about your Customer

SMS is an excellent channel to receive feedback from your customers. Studies suggest that 31% of your target audience is likely to respond to an SMS-enabled survey. The average response time recorded is as short as 5 minutes. This means businesses can accumulate quick insights on the psyche of their target groups and use this information effectively for enhanced service delivery.

5. Increase Customer Engagement

Just imagine the number of ways in which SMS can help your brand improve engagement across the customer lifecycle! Especially for e-commerce businesses, this channel may be effectively used to introduce new product ranges, send order confirmations, delivery information and assistance for product returns and exchanges.

Finally, SMS services are best leveraged to track meaningful ROI, identify receptive customers, monitor delivery rates and use this information to improve business processes. A commonly believed myth that SMS is a difficult channel to track is being rapidly debunked; this tool is at least as effective as e-mail when it comes to customer engagement. By using analytics intelligently, businesses are able to create well-targeted and profit-making campaigns for their brands using SMS services.

IBM, M&A Activity, Marketing, Messaging, Mobile, Short Message Service, SMS, Xtify

IBM Acquires Mobile Messaging Startup Xtify

IBM today announced the acquisition of Xtify Inc., a ventured-backed company based in New York City. Xtify provides mobile messaging tools via the cloud to help organizations increase mobile sales and improve brand loyalty. Xtify mobile capabilities will be delivered through IBM’s SaaS portfolio and will run on IBM’s SoftLayer cloud infrastructure.

Xtify will expand IBM’s Smart Commerce initiative helping CMOs, digital marketers, mobile application developers with mobile campaign creation, content targeting, dynamic real-time segmentation and analytics across all mobile device platforms and browsers. Xtify’s technology is designed to deliver real-time, personalized offers via in-app mobile messages and push notifications.

The acquisition of Xtify has implications across IBM’s business: 

  • Xtify will expand IBM’s Smarter Commerce initiative to help digital marketers develop relevant push notifications delivered via mobile devices and browsers. Smarter Commerce is among IBM’s most profitable business units boasting more than $3.5 billion in acquisitions since 2010.
  • As part of IBM’s MobileFirst strategy, Xtify will make it easier for developers building mobile applications using IBM’s WorkLight platform to deliver relevant and timely cross-channel marketing messages to customers based on open standards.

Messaging, Mobile Computing, SMS, Wireless Data

Infinite Convergence Launches Cloud-Based Enterprise Mobile Messaging Service

Infinite Convergence Solutions, a carrier-grade next-generation mobility technology provider, today launched its Enterprise Messaging Service (EMS). The cloud-based messaging service is specifically designed for enterprises to securely exchange information with customers, employees and business partners globally. With customization and systems integration services, Infinite Convergence’s experienced end-to-end service team can help enterprises expedite the introduction of value-added mobile messaging.

“Enterprises are increasingly using mobile messaging to communicate with their customers, employees and partners. In addition, enterprises are becoming more discerning in their messaging delivery service requirements, moving beyond commoditized bulk messaging and towards high-quality, highly reliable services, which also allow them to add value to their own offerings,” said Pamela Clark-Dickson, Senior Analyst, Mobile Content & Applications at Informa Telecoms & Media.

EMS builds upon Infinite Convergence’s innovative carrier-grade messaging platform, which currently enables 130 million subscribers to exchange 900 billion mobile messages annually. With features such as global reach, delivery assurance and end-to-end secure delivery, as well as a user-friendly web portal, campaign manager, opt-in/opt-out capabilities and messaging analytics, Infinite Convergence’s EMS maximizes its leading-edge platform to provide superior enterprise messaging capabilities. Customizable for a variety of industries, including financial institutions, travel and hospitality and healthcare, enterprises can use Infinite Convergence’s EMS for their most time-sensitive and confidential communications.

“In today’s mobile world, it’s necessary for enterprises to establish close connections with their clients. Text and multimedia messaging continues to be the most ubiquitous form of communication across the globe,” said Anurag Lal, CEO of Infinite Convergence Solutions. “EMS enables organizations to engage with their customers, employees and business partners in the most effective and compelling way.”

EMS’s scalable, secure and proven technology boasts 99.99% reliability with the ability to deliver messages to mobile subscribers in over 180 countries. Its API-based approach allows the service to be seamlessly integrated with existing business applications and IT infrastructures. Moreover, with Infinite Convergence’s ability to provide scalable and cost-effective customization, enterprises can focus their efforts on enhancing their own customer-specific offering instead of being boxed into standard, commodity-based of-the-shelf services.

Chrome Web Store, Google Chrome, Messaging, Mobile phone, SMS

Bulletin Messenger VI Now Available as Chrome App

Bulletin.net has made its service, Bulletin Messenger VI, available through the Chrome Web Store from Google Chrome. Consumers are now able to access from the Chrome Web Store the cloud-based service that allows organizations large and small to easily send multiple SMS messages to communicate directly with their audiences globally.

Bulletin.net’s patented IP provides Conversational Message Threading (CMT), the backbone of Messenger VI. Users can organize, send and receive SMS messages from the convenience of their desktop, mobile device or web browser, and deliver their message directly to their audience where they are sure to receive it – on their mobile phone. Leveraging SMS communications is a cost-effective method to connect businesses with mobile customers around the globe.

“SMS is ubiquitous, almost spam-free, and boasts a 96% open rate. It is the single most effective form of what we call ‘conditioned response marketing,’” said Michael Messner, Director of Marketing. “Customers have been conditioned to immediately check and respond to text messages.”

“SMS represents a key channel for mobile marketing and strongly complements other business communication strategies,” said David Hayes, Australian Country Manager.