By now you’ve heard the announcement about how SAGE users can send text messages directly from their CRM in the Clients module. It’s a big deal if you’re serious about effective communication. With email and phones, why would you want to add texting to the mix? A quick look at the data is pretty convincing.

Benefits of Business Text Messaging

It’s the ubiquity of mobile phones that give mobile marketing its reach. According to Pew Research Center, as of 2024, 90% of U.S. adults own a smartphone. HubSpot follows up by reporting that 91% of Americans always keep their phones within arm’s reach.

Beyond the benefit of reach is the efficiency factor. Ninety-percent of text messages are read within three minutes of being sent. They have eight times the response rate of emails. And 75-78% of consumers would rather text with a brand than speak with them on the phone. (Talking to you, millennials and Gen Z.)

Perhaps the reach and efficiency are enhanced by the natural brevity of a text message. There are no bells and whistles, just the key message and done.

Ways to Incorporate Text Messages into Business Communication

Now that your interest is piqued, let’s look at some ways to use text messaging in the promotional products industry. Any short message you would normally call or email about could become more timely by texting. Consider the following message possibilities. Each is time sensitive, personal, and benefits the recipient directly.

• Order updates
• Customer service response
• Billing reminders
• Notification when products are back in stock
• Day-to-day communication

Tips for Texting Clients

Best practices always begin with compliance. As with email marketing, text messaging requires compliance. Folks must opt in to receiving text messages from your company, and each message must provide them a way to opt out of future messages.

Secondly, your text messages should identify you as the sender. Don’t put your customers in a situation to say, “New phone, who dis?” Be up front about who you are and why you’re messaging them. For example, “This is Door Dash. Your driver has picked up your order and will be arriving soon.” Short and simple. Brevity is your friend.

Keep time zones in mind. Just because people will have their phones within arm’s reach while they sleep does not mean they’ll respond favorably to receiving a text message from you in the middle of the night. Stick to normal office hours for the recipient unless otherwise requested.

If you need the recipient to respond, make that very clear. In the case of the Door Dash message, there was no need to respond. Other messages might prompt the reader to confirm a shipping address, schedule an appointment, or reply with questions. Directives should be clear and easy to follow. That includes the directive about how to opt out of future text messages.

How SAGE Makes Texting (Even More) Convenient

The beauty of texting directly from the SAGE CRM is that it centralizes the messages so everyone on your team with access can see them, making customer service communication seamless. All the communication is logged in one location within SAGE Workplace™. This is great for larger teams with multiple customer service personnel, because everyone is on the same page and knows exactly what has been communicated, even if someone leaves the company or is on vacation.

Additionally, because the “send” number is specific to your SAGE CRM account, your personal information remains private. This provides validity to your business as well. It doesn’t feel as suspicious to receive messages from a vendor’s company number. You can still send and receive messages on your phone with the iOS or Android app, but your phone number is not shared, so clients don’t disturb you at all hours of the night. On the off chance somebody tries to call the phone number that “sent” the text message, you can have the call forwarded to your office number.

SAGE Client Text Messaging is a centralized, visible, and easy way to manage client communication.

To learn more, go here.

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