How to Send a Text Blast for Local Service Businesses

Things change fast out there. Are you keeping up? 

Effective communication is hands down the key to success for local service businesses. One powerful strategy that has emerged in recent years is the text blast. But what exactly is a text blast, and how can local businesses leverage it?

Well, you’re in luck because, in this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to send a text blast, from building your contact list to crafting compelling messages—that’s right, the whole shebang. Let’s get started!

What Is a Text Blast?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty details, let’s start with the basics: what exactly is a text blast? 

A text blast, also known as an SMS campaign, mass texting, or SMS marketing, involves sending a single text message to a large group of recipients all at once. Unlike individual text messages, which are sent one by one, text blasts allow businesses to reach their entire customer base or specific segments with just a few clicks. 

Text blasts are highly effective for both promotional and informational purposes. Whether you’re announcing a flash sale, sharing important updates, or reminding customers of upcoming appointments, text blasts offer immediate communication that’s hard to ignore—we mean it! 

With open rates as high as 98%, text blasts ensure that your messages are seen and acted on by your audience (Forbes).

Build Your Contact List

The success of your text blast campaigns begins with a solid contact list. Start by collecting phone numbers from your customers through various touchpoints, such as website sign-ups, service calls, and in-person visits. 

But hold on a second before pulling the trigger. It’s incredibly important to ensure that you have explicit consent from customers to send them text messages, so be sure to offer clear opt-in options (and incentives if you like!) for signing up. 

In addition to building your contact list organically, you’ll also need to choose the right text blast platform to manage your campaigns effectively. Several popular platforms are available, each offering unique features and pricing options. With so many options, how can you choose?

Well, we recommend taking a step back and considering factors such as ease of use, compliance with regulations, and the ability to send personalized messages when selecting a platform that suits your business needs.

Choose the Right Text Blast Platform

When it comes to selecting the right text blast platform for your local service business, there are several factors to consider to ensure you make the best choice for your needs.

Popular Platforms

There are numerous text blast platforms available, each offering different features and functionalities. Take the time to compare and contrast platforms to find the one that best suits your business requirements.

Factors to Consider

As you evaluate text blast platforms, consider things such as ease of use, available features, and pricing. We recommend looking for a platform that offers easy-to-use interfaces, customizable message templates, and analytics tools to track campaign performance. 

Additionally, consider your budget and choose a platform that offers pricing plans that align with your financial resources.

Compliance with TCPA

Compliance with regulations such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is essential when sending text blasts to customers. Ensure that the platform you choose adheres to all relevant legal requirements to avoid potential fines or legal issues.

Broadly’s Campaign Software

As you explore text blast platforms, consider leveraging Broadly’s campaign solution. This powerful tool allows local businesses to send personalized texts and emails that engage customers, nurture leads, and boost sales with an AI-enhanced, user-friendly campaign builder.

With Broadly, you can assess proof of performance for every marketing campaign you send. Your team can replicate successful campaigns, improve on others, and explore your leads’ interest levels.

Craft Effective Text Messages

Now that you’ve built your contact list and chosen the right platform, it’s time to craft text messages that will reverberate with your audience. Here are some campaign best practices for writing effective text messages:

1. Keep it Concise and Engaging

Text messages have limited space, so get straight to the point. Use clear and concise language to convey your message and grab the recipient’s attention.

2. Use a Clear Call To Action (CTA)

Every text message should include a clear and compelling call to action that tells recipients what you want them to do next. Whether it’s booking an appointment, redeeming a discount, or visiting your website, make it easy for recipients to take action.

3. Personalize Messages

Personalization is key to engaging your audience. Address recipients by name whenever possible and tailor your messages to their specific needs and preferences.

4. Include Important Information

In addition to your main message, be sure to include important details such as your business name, what you’re offering, and how recipients can take action. This ensures clarity and helps recipients understand the purpose of the message.

5. Highlight Customer Testimonials and Reviews

Incorporating customer testimonials and reviews into your text messages adds credibility and encourages recipients to take action. Share positive feedback from satisfied customers to showcase the value of your products or services.

Timing and Frequency

In addition to crafting compelling messages, it’s important to consider the timing and frequency of your text blasts. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

Determine the Best Times to Send Text Blasts

Pay attention to when your audience is most likely to be receptive to your messages. Avoid sending texts too early in the morning or too late at night, and consider factors such as time zones and work schedules.

Find the Right Frequency

While it’s important to stay top-of-mind with your audience, you don’t want to bombard them with too many messages. While many digital marketing companies and affluent industry sites recommend 1-2 texts per week, not every recipient may appreciate this frequency. 

Try your best to find a balance that keeps recipients engaged without overwhelming them, and consider factors such as the nature of your business and the preferences of your audience.

By timing your text blasts effectively and finding the right frequency, you can maximize engagement and drive results for your business.

Segment Your Audience

Segmenting your audience allows you to send targeted messages to different groups of recipients based on their needs, behaviors, and preferences. Here are four ways to effectively segment your audience for text blasts:

1. Identify Key Segments

Start by identifying different groups of customers based on factors such as their purchase history, demographics, and interests. Common segments include new customers, repeat customers, and customers who have expressed interest in specific products or services.

2. Create Targeted Messages

Once you’ve identified your segments, tailor your text messages to each group’s specific needs and preferences. For example, you might send new customers a welcome message with a special offer, while sending loyal customers exclusive discounts or rewards.

3. Use Data to Inform Your Segmentation

Use data from your CRM system or email marketing platform to better understand your audience and identify meaningful segments. Track customer interactions and behaviors to identify patterns and opportunities for segmentation.

4. Test and Refine Your Segments

Continuously monitor the performance of your segmented campaigns and use A/B testing to optimize your messaging. It never hurts to experiment with different segmentation criteria and message content to find what vibes best with each group.

When you segment your audience effectively, you can deliver more relevant and targeted messages that drive upward engagement and conversions.

Compliance and Best Practices

When sending text blasts, it’s important to ensure compliance with regulations and follow best practices to protect your business and maintain a positive relationship with your audience. Here are some key considerations you should be thinking about:

Ensure Compliance with Regulations

Familiarize yourself with regulations such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) guidelines to ensure that your text blasts comply with all legal requirements.

Provide an Easy Opt-Out Mechanism

Have you ever received a text from a store and at the end it says something like “Reply HELP for info; STOP to opt out,” if you have, this is what we are talking about. Include clear instructions for recipients to opt out of receiving further messages if they no longer wish to receive communications from your business.

Make it easy for them to unsubscribe by providing a simple reply option like we mentioned, or a link to opt-out. 

Include Your Business Name

Include your business name in every text message you send to ensure transparency and help recipients identify the sender. People are naturally weary of harmful spam or scammers, so reassuring them who you are goes a long way for building the trust you need for this strategy to work.

Avoid Overly Promotional Language

While it’s important to promote your products or services, avoid using overly promotional or salesy language in your text messages. It’s frankly cringey. 

Instead, focus on providing value and addressing the needs of your audience.

By following these compliance and best practices guidelines, you can ensure that your text blasts are effective, ethical, and compliant with regulations.

More Helpful Resources:

• 40 Sample Text Messages to Customers
• How to Send Automated Text Messages
• How to Send Bulk Text Messages to Customers

Analyze and Measure Success

Tracking key metrics is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of your text blast campaigns and making informed decisions to optimize your strategy. Here are some important metrics to track and analyze:

1. Delivery rate: The percentage of text messages successfully delivered to recipients’ phones. A high delivery rate indicates that your messages are reaching their intended recipients.
2. Open rate: The percentage of recipients who open your text messages. A high open rate indicates that your messages are compelling and engaging enough to capture recipients’ attention.
3. Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of recipients who click on links or calls to action included in your text messages. A high CTR indicates that your messages are driving action and engagement among recipients.
4. Conversion rate: The percentage of recipients who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or booking an appointment, as a result of receiving your text messages. A high conversion rate indicates that your messages are effectively persuading recipients to take action.
5. Opt-out rate: The percentage of recipients who unsubscribe or opt out of receiving further messages from your business. Monitoring opt-out rates helps you understand how your audience is responding to your messages and identify opportunities to improve your messaging strategy.

By regularly tracking and analyzing these metrics, you can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your text blast campaigns and make informed decisions to optimize your strategy and improve results.

Integrate Text Blasts with Other Marketing Channels

To maximize the impact of your text blast campaigns, consider integrating them with other marketing channels for a cohesive and holistic approach. Here are some ways to integrate text blasts with other marketing channels:

Promote Text Sign-Ups on Your Website and Social Media

Encourage visitors to your website and followers on social media to sign up for text updates by highlighting the benefits of receiving exclusive offers, promotions, and updates via text message.

Use Text Blasts to Drive Traffic to Your Website and Social Media

Include links to your website, blog posts, and social media profiles in your text messages to encourage recipients to visit and engage with your online content.

Coordinate Text Blasts with Email and Social Media Campaigns

Align your text blast messaging with your email marketing and social media campaigns to create a consistent and cohesive brand experience across multiple channels. Use text blasts to reinforce key messages and promotions featured in your other marketing channels. 

Do Mobile Better with Broadly

There’s no argument text blasts are a powerful tool for local service businesses to communicate with customers quickly, effectively, and directly. By sending targeted messages to your audience’s mobile phones, you can achieve immediate communication, high open rates, and increased customer engagement.

Throughout this guide, we’ve explored the key steps involved in executing successful text blast campaigns, from building your contact list and choosing the right platform to crafting compelling messages and analyzing campaign performance. 

By following these steps and best practices, you can better leverage text blasts to enhance your customer communication and drive meaningful results for your business. Just remember to always prioritize compliance with regulations and respect your audience’s preferences and privacy.

Ready to take your customer communication up a notch with text blasts? Sign up for a demo of Broadly’s customer engagement and relationship management software today and start engaging your customers like never before!