If you have yet to add text messaging to your marketing campaigns and sales cadences, you’re falling behind the competition. The status quo of calls and emails as the only acceptable forms of customer communication is quickly coming to an end in the era of smartphones and social media. Texting is a trusted, low-stakes alternative for consumers, especially compared to channels filled with robocallers and spam.
The reality is that consumers — 78% of them, according to Twilio — want to text businesses, but only 48% of businesses are ready to do so. By not meeting this demand, those businesses are ignoring a high-value lead generation and communication channel.
For consumers, texting is the new calling — and we’re here for it. Here are five reasons why businesses — including yours — need to slide into consumers’ messages.
1. Texting saves time and is more efficient for everyone
Compared to phone calls and emails, text messaging feels more immediate than other channels. Since 57% of consumers expect businesses to respond within 15 minutes, immediacy is more important than ever.
57% of consumers expect businesses to respond within 15 minutes.
Phone calls and emails are imperfect vehicles for today’s consumers. Emails can get lost in spam filters or consumers are in a place where calling isn’t an option. This can lead to unnecessary back-and-forth and repetition of work.
Texting can solve both of these problems. You don’t miss any details when sending and receiving texts, and a text going to spam is rare.
The recent 10DLC rules set by The Campaign Registry standardize a consent-based approach to business text messaging while validating the businesses tied to each ten-digit tracking number. These rules help ensure your communications reach their intended recipient without getting blocked by spam filters or running afoul of consumer protection regulations.
For consumers, texting allows them to respond when they have a moment, especially if they’re on-the-go or otherwise occupied. It relieves a lot of the pressure to communicate immediately when they aren’t necessarily prepared. And the reverse is true, too — texting allows you to respond in times and places when a call would be inappropriate.
Plus, when 98% of consumers open text messages, it’s hard to argue against texting’s efficacy for getting your message across quickly. CallRail is making it even easier for you now, with the introduction of text messaging as a permanent feature for Call Tracking users. Now, you can track every call and text directly in your CallRail dashboard — giving you greater visibility and control over the customer journey.
98% of consumers open text messages.
2. Texting keeps your conversations more focused
Content is digested at everyone’s fingertips. Whether someone opened a text or not, a message can be read through preview text and notification banners. The number of characters allowed in previews and banners are limited, so your texts have to be short, quick, and to the point. You’re forced to eliminate any filler to get your main point across upfront.
Research suggests the texting strategy is working: 86% of consumers now opt in for business text, a 20% increase since 2021.
86% of consumers now opt in for business text, a 20% increase since 2021.
For the businesses that capitalize on that trend, texting becomes a stellar channel to acquire and track new leads, thanks in large part to the speed and simplicity of text message follow-ups. Don’t stress about the increased communication volume. CallRail's message flows empower your business to create a seamless and well-coordinated messaging experience for your customers.
For companies with a registered 10DLC tracking number, CallRail allows you to respond to text messages from the CallRail dashboard and use message flows to help simplify your workflow and stay focused on the right conversations. CallRail Call Tracking users with a 10DLC registered tracking number can get started with texting and message flows now.
A key aspect of prioritizing the customer experience is maintaining compliance. If you’re reaching out for the first time, message flows can help ensure you include opt-out language each time. Once you’ve gotten consent, you can have quick, to-the-point interactions with customers, enabling them to trade out a game of never-ending phone tag for a quick text response — “Respond Yes/No” or “Respond 1 or 2” — to trigger the next stage in the flow.
3. Consumers prefer to communicate with businesses through texting
Cold-calling is no longer a viable communication strategy — 74% say they do not answer calls from unknown numbers out of fear they might be scams. With the rise of spoofed numbers and voice deepfakes, consumers are more wary of handling business over the phone, where urgency can be weaponized.
91% of consumers worldwide have signed up for SMS marketing campaigns.
Texts, on the other hand? Consumers find texting a better experience — in fact, “86% [of consumers report] they're more likely to engage with or redeem mobile offers sent to them via text message than those sent via email or offers in a brand’s mobile app.” This could explain why 91% of consumers worldwide have signed up for SMS marketing campaigns. And with a 10DLC registered number, consumers will recognize your tracking number and feel even more comfortable responding.
That’s why CallRail’s messaging capabilities pair perfectly with your Google Local Service Ads (GLSA) strategy. Your GLSA ranking is tied to the speed with which you respond. So, encouraging consumers to text you from your GLSA, rather than call or email, can improve your page rankings and get more eyes on your ads — especially when you use message flows to respond automatically as soon as a text comes in.
CallRail also supports MMS messaging. One use case we’ve seen work well with Google Local Service Ads is allowing customers to send pictures and videos via text for faster quotes. This allows faster responses, enhanced quoting, and quicker lead closures. Every word and image is available directly within the Call Tracking dashboard, so no part of the customer journey is missed.
People aren’t expecting businesses to stop relying on phone calls — especially for sensitive and complex matters. Still, many Americans prefer a quick and informal text in nearly every context, from contacting a doctor’s office to talking with family and friends. Contacting your business is no different.
Source: EZ Texting as reported in Eastern Progress
4. Handle more conversations — without impacting the customer experience
The very nature of texting allows you to be involved in multiple conversations simultaneously. While you’re waiting for one lead to respond, you can start conversations with other leads. That’s something you simply can’t do with phone calls and one voice.
Plus, texting allows you to tag-team with your coworkers. If you need to step away for a moment, another team member can pick up the text conversation right where you left off.
Whether you’re working leads individually or as a team, Call Tracking’s messaging feature is designed to give your customers more ways to reach you and make it easier to respond, thanks to helpful auto-replies, desktop alerts, and a familiar, easy-to-use interface.
CallRail also helps keep your SMS messaging conversations organized, just like your calls. Every text message is automatically tagged based on your unique parameters — from a follow-up tag for after-hours messages or product-specific tags based on the text message. These tags keep you — and your team — focused on delivering a personalized experience to each customer.
5. Texting enables you to connect with customers in the way they prefer
You may have noticed that the people in your life either prefer you to call or text — with little in between. The same is true for consumers when it comes to reaching out to a business — but only 48% of businesses are ready to text with customers. That means 52% of businesses aren’t able to meet the needs of consumers who prefer texting over calls. By communicating with customers in a way they prefer, businesses could actually obtain new leads they wouldn't have been able to reach by corresponding through calls alone.
Only 16% of Gen Z and millennials see phone calls as an effective use of time.
Why is texting preferred? A text feels much less weighty than talking on the phone. Calls from unknown numbers are too confrontational for many, and no one enjoys playing phone tag. Phone calls require you (and each lead you communicate with) to think on the fly.
You don’t necessarily have time to reflect on your answers, which can cause misinformation and frustration. With texting, everyone involved has less pressure to respond immediately if they need to think about the answer, with the added bonus of not having to drop everything to focus on the conversation at hand.
Dive into texting with CallRail
Texting has proven to be incredibly effective and efficient in business communication. Not only do your consumers prefer it, but it helps you save time and headaches. When added strategically as part of your multi-channel customer experience, it can help unlock phone-shy consumers and new modes of rapid communication for your business.
Call Tracking’s latest text and SMS messaging features can help you scale and automate your customer communications to create the best possible experience. Current Call Tracking users with a 10DLC registered tracking number can start using messaging now.
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