Selecting an SMS Service that is Right for Your Business

How can you reach every potential customer through their smart phone and get extraordinarily high open rates? No, the channel is not email, nor social media. The answer is Bulk SMS marketing.

Your business can use SMS to send messages to 85% of the world’s population. That’s significantly more than you could hope to reach using email. And your customers are more likely to pay attention to what you’ve got to say - and sell. SMS messages have much higher open rates than email—98% compared to 22% for email campaigns.

The best part? With bulk SMS services, your company can connect with customers for a very low cost. Plus, using SMS is easy and fast. You can send a coupon to every one of your customer contacts in less time than is takes to read this article.

It’s easy to get started. You just need to choose an SMS service provider that offers the basics along with must-have features that can give your campaigns a boost.

Choosing the right bulk SMS service provider, however, can be confusing. That’s because the cost of an SMS service provider should never be the only factor in making a choice. To achieve your SMS marketing campaign goals, look for an SMS provider who delivers key features too.

Twenty years ago, Clickatell created the world’s first SMS API. We’ve continued to lead with smart, scalable, secure SMS solutions that let you connect with customers across the globe. Let’s look at some key features to consider when selecting a bulk SMS provider—and how the Clickatell’s bulk SMS service can help your business.

Cost

SMS messaging costs vary by country. You want a provider that offers great rates in all the countries you plan to target with your SMS marketing. Providers typically charge based on the number of messages sent. In some markets, you may get a significant price break for sending more messages. Make sure you understand what’s included, such as setup fees and taxes. Clickatell makes it easy to browse SMS pricing by country.

Just as SMS costs vary by country, so do the rules. When you’re looking into costs, make sure promo prices include everything you’ll need to comply. For instance, in the United States you need two-way SMS. Clickatell offers low rates on both the long numbers that make two-way SMS more personalized and bulk messaging. Learn how long numbers build stronger customer relationships. Plus, with Clickatell Campaign Manager for SMS campaigns, there’s no charge for using the application—you only pay for the messages you send.

Reliability

SMS success requires reliability. You want your customers to get your messages. And, when you use two-way SMS, you want to get their replies. SMS communication reliability can vary. Some service providers may cut corners on their SMS infrastructure, reducing uptime and leading to delayed or missed messages. Just as importantly, you want an SMS provider that offers reliable customer support.

More than 15,000 businesses count on Clickatell for SMS reliability and reach. Each year, those businesses send a combined 10+ billion SMS messages using Clickatell. Clickatell employs innovative intelligent routing, so messages take the highest-quality path available. That means a higher percentage of messages reach customers reliably. And the Clickatell support team is there when you have questions.

User Friendly 

Quality bulk SMS services should be easy to use. A complex platform will slow your ability to create and run SMS marketing campaigns. At the same time, you don’t want to sacrifice functionality for simplicity. Look for a platform that blends ease of use with all the capabilities you need.

Clickatell brings together advanced SMS capabilities in an intuitive interface. Because Clickatell for SMS is cloud-based, you can access it from anywhere. It puts traffic routing and two-way setup options at your fingertips. Intelligent dashboards deliver the reporting you need to understand, refine, and improve your SMS marketing campaigns. You can also create your campaigns in a sandbox environment that offers unlimited free testing.

Easy Integration

You want to be able to seamlessly incorporate bulk SMS into the way you communicate with customers already. That means you’ll need to integrate SMS with your other communication channels, such as CRM systems and chat apps. Look for a bulk SMS provider that makes integration easy with a user-friendly API (application programming interface). APIs let multiple software applications interact. These APIs can be straightforward—or frustrating.

Clickatell created the world’s first SMS API 20 years ago—and the Clickatell team has kept innovating ever since. The easy-to-use Clickatell API lets you automate engagement across multiple channels, such as SMS, WhatsApp, and more. That reduces complexity as it opens the door to more communication possibilities.

Experience and Industry Knowledge

You want an SMS service provider with deep industry experience and expertise. That’s because proven leaders are more likely to keep leading the way with features, reliability, and service. An experienced SMS service provider can also deliver insights into the best ways to maximize the results of SMS campaigns.

Clickatell has over two decades of experience providing premium SMS communication services. Our team developed the world’s first SMS API—and we’ve been raising the bar for SMS features and ease of use ever since. Digital marketers also can turn to us for thought leadership and tips for getting the most out of SMS.

Global Reach

In our digital age, it’s more convenient than ever to expand your business globally. As you select an SMS provider, explore their global capabilities. You’ll want to ensure they support all the regions you need to reach today—and that you may expand into in the future.

With Clickatell as your bulk SMS provider, your business can enjoy a global reach via swift, secure messaging channels. The Clickatell infrastructure covers more than 2,000 territories and over 1,000 networks. Explore Clickatell promotions by country.

Transparent SMS Pricing

For many businesses, choosing a bulk SMS service provider comes back to cost after they’ve identified several with desired features. But some SMS providers may not be transparent in their pricing. Watch out for hidden setup fees. Other red flags include confusing pricing for different countries, two-way messaging, and volume. Avoid surprises by partnering with a provider that makes it easy to understand costs.

The Clickatell solution offers transparent and flexible SMS pricing. You get started with a clear view into costs. The Clickatell SMS Pricing Estimator empowers you to explore costs based on a number of variables. That’s because it accounts for reply-ability, global reach, and volume.

Get Started with SMS Today

Ready to turn cost-effective SMS marketing campaigns into a growth accelerator? You can sign up for bulk SMS services today. It’s free to create an account with Clickatell. You’ll access the leading SMS API, great pricing, and a helpful support team. Get started now.