Historically, the 10DLC process has been difficult and tiresome for businesses to navigate. The team at SimpleTexting has updated our registration process to make it faster and easier than ever to get registered with a 10DLC SMS number.  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What is 10DLC?
• Register your number with SimpleTexting

But first, what is 10DLC?  

10DLC is a 10-digit long code that allows businesses to send text messages to customers from a local number, rather than by a short code or toll-free number. These local SMS numbers are approved by U.S. mobile carriers and allow businesses to register for permanent local numbers with area codes that are recognizable to customers.  

Since 10DLC texts are sent “application to person,” or A2P (meaning they’re sent from messaging software), they’re great for sending mass texts that feel personal and relevant rather than spammy.  

Why do you need to register your 10DLC number? 

Mobile carriers require businesses to register local numbers with The Campaign Registry (TCR) to prevent spammers from using 10DLC.  

SimpleTexting makes this process easier by partnering directly with businesses to get them registered with a 10DLC number in as little as a day. Once you sign up for an account, we’ll guide you through the registration process and let you know when your registration is approved. 

Register your number with SimpleTexting: updated process 

Before you begin, upgrade to a paid SimpleTexting plan and select a local SMS number.  We’ve built in our 10DLC registration request right into the SimpleTexting platform to be as easy to use while still meeting compliance requirements. 

Before you begin: Have your EIN and company name ready 

Have your EIN and legal company name ready before you start. Make sure to use the legal company name that is listed on your EIN and that matches the name of the company sending out text messages. This is especially important for businesses with affiliate or child companies.  

If your business is registered in Canada or you don’t yet have an EIN, let us know and our support team can help!

Step 1: Message content 

Select the primary type of messages you’ll be sending.

Next, we’ll ask you for two sample messages. You can write a new message or copy/paste a message you’ve texted in the past.  

You can also search through our sample templates if you’re unsure or want help generating sample messages. 

Step 2: Opt-in details 

This step confirms how subscribers will opt in to receive text messages from your business and whether messages cover sensitive topics (like financial information or age-gated topics like alcohol).   

You’ll also be asked to provide a link to your terms and conditions and privacy policy. If you don’t yet have these documents in place, SimpleTexting provides a template for you to use to generate them to include on your website. Simply click ‘generate’. 

Step 3: Business details 

Provide the contact details for the point of contact managing your 10DLC local number.  

You’ll be asked to provide: 

• First and last name 

• Business contact email 

• Website or online presence URL  

• Support email 

• Support phone number 

If possible, include a business email instead of a personal email. A business domain is more likely to receive a higher TCR trust score. Trust scores are connected to credibility and reputation. Your brand’s trust score determines the routing, delivery speed, and cost of your messages and can influence the volume of messages you’re able to send. 

The TCR trust score rates trustworthiness with a numerical range from 0 to 100 (with 100 being the highest).  

Step 4: Taxpayer identification 

Next, you’ll need to provide important tax-related information, specifically: 

• Organization name 

• Industry vertical 

• Business entity type 

• EIN 

• Legal company name 

Make sure your legal company name matches what would appear on any tax or official documents to prevent delays or issues with the registration process. If your business name contains ‘LLC,’ for example, make sure that’s included here. 

Finally, if your company is publicly traded, you’ll receive a one-time verification code sent from TCR to your email. You’ll need to confirm this code for your application to be considered complete. 

Step 5: 10DLC registration summary 

Finally, you have a chance to review your registration inputs and hit ‘Submit’ when you’re ready. 

Step 6: What happens next?  

Our team will review your application and send it to TCR to process your registration request.  

Unless TCR needs additional information or clarification, your number could be activated in just a few minutes, and you can start sending messages to your customers right away. 

If our support team finds that there’s a mismatch with your business information or they need clarity, they’ll reach out to resolve these issues directly before sending your request to TCR. 

You can log in anytime to review the status of your registration and reach out to our Support team with questions or to request help. 

For most of our partners, the 10DLC registration process takes less than a day to complete! 

The post 10DLC registration: process update 2025  appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

So why choose text messages to send your invites?

• Mailing invitations and tracking responses can take more time than throwing an actual party.
• Sending invitations over email is better, but they’re at risk of ending up in a spam inbox or at the bottom of the unread list without ever being seen.

The point? Old-school invitations are a pain.

Enter texting. 90% of consumers text every single day, and the majority check their text messages more than 10 times each day.

That means text message invitations are much more likely to be seen and responded to than other communication methods. 

I’ll show you how to breeze through the invitation-sending process with SMS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What are text message invitations
• How to send text message invitations
• How to request RSVPs by text message
• 5 benefits of sending text message invitations
• 12 sample text message invitations to events

What are text message invitations?

You can keep text message invitations simple, like this real-life example from Save the Boundary Waters:

This is a good example because it’s straightforward with all the info you need to attend:

• Who: A personal touch with a first name and the organization name
• What: An update on the campaign to save the Boundary Waters from pollution
• Where: The Moorhead Library (a local would know where this is)
• When: 5:30pm on Monday (including the actual date can be helpful, too)
• Call to action: A simple question prompts a reply to know who will join them (literally writing that the receiver can reply to the text may be helpful as well)

Another type of invitation sending an actual calendar link via text message:

When someone clicks the link, they see their phone wants to open a calendar file (at least on iPhone):

Lastly, your invitee will see that calendar file open in their default calendar application on their phone:

In this blog post, you’ll learn how to send a simple invitation via text message from start to finish.

How to send text message invitations

Still not sure about the process of sending out text invitations? Wait until you see how easy they are to set up with SimpleTexting.

SimpleTexting is a mass texting service that helps send text message invitations (among many other kinds of texts) to help you get attendance for your event, grow your business or organization, and engage your volunteers, employees, and customers.

1. Import your guest list

Whether you’re only inviting your closest colleagues to your event, or need to send invites via text messages to thousands of attendees, our platform makes it easy to upload your contacts via a CSV or Excel spreadsheet.

Make sure you have express consent to text your guests, especially if you’re sending an invite to more than just a few people.

Let’s add your event guest list into SimpleTexting with a spreadsheet.

First, let’s optimize your spreadsheet so the data imports nicely. Use row one to enter each of these as columns:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Email
• Phone
• Birthday

Here’s a spreadsheet template to get started.

Next, log into SimpleTexting and navigate to Contacts. Click the Add contacts button, drag and drop your event guest list spreadsheet, and name the list to which you wish you add the invitees.

Hit Next and follow the prompts. SimpleTexting will help you import your data and map the columns to custom fields in SimpleTexting.

Lastly, SimpleTexting will ensure everything is in compliance so you can send text message invitations with confidence.

2. Write your text message invitation or evite

Once you’ve uploaded the guests who will get your invitation, you’re ready to write your message. Be sure to include details like the date, location, time, parking information, and anything else your guests should know.

John, thanks for being a loyal member! You’re invited to the National Audubon Society picnic. It’ll be at Debs Park, 4700 Griffin Ave. Meet in the center courtyard at 11 am.

In SimpleTexting, you’ll write your evite text as a campaign. That’s simply the term SMS services call a text message for business purposes.

Log into SimpleTexting, click Campaigns in the left menu, and hit the New button. Name your campaign, then write your invitation in the Text message field.

Pro tip: You can leverage AI to write your invitation for you. Simply click Generate message and type in your who, what, where, when, and why. Then hit Generate a message and use one of the message suggestions.

3. Schedule your text message invitation

You can send your message right away or schedule it for a future date.

We recommend sending:

1. One text as soon as you have a set date for your event
2. A text reminder one week before the event
3. Another reminder the day before the event

That’s the beauty of the digital invitation: You can send as many as you need without having to worry about spending tons of money on printing and postage.

How to request RSVPs by text message

Our texting service allows for two-way messaging, which means guests can respond to your invitations. This makes simplifying your planning and managing your attendance a breeze.

There are a few ways you can go about asking guests to RSVP. Here are three of my favorites.

1. Ask guests to reply to your text

If you’re only inviting a handful of people, keep things simple by asking guests to reply to your invitation. Then just keep a running list of who has confirmed they’ll be attending. 

For fundraisers, conferences, or other events with more attendees, you may want to go with one of the options below.

In SimpleTexting, you’ll send the invitation as a Campaign. Then you’ll use the Inbox to view and reply to those who respond.

2. Create a text-to-join keyword for your event or party

A keyword is a word or phrase that people can text to your number in order to sign up for updates about your event. You simply advertise to your audience to text that term to your phone number via posters, fliers, website, emails, social media, etc.

For example, if your business name is Home Smart, and you’re throwing a launch party for your new product, you could create the keyword, “HSLAUNCH.”

Anytime someone texts the keyword to your number, our platform will add them to a separate contact list.

Whenever you need a headcount, you can just log in to the platform and see who has texted in the keyword.

Set up your event’s text-to-join keyword in SimpleTexting. Log into SimpleTexting, select Keywords from the left menu, type in your Keyword name and determine the list you wish those who text that keyword to enter (either Add to new list or Add to existing list).

Use AI Assist to write your Auto-confirmation message. Good confirmation text messages include:

1. The brand or organization name
2. The kinds of updates to expect
3. The frequency of how often you’ll text
4. Opt out and data rates (SimpleTexting does this automatically for you)

3. Use data collection to request more details

You may be wondering, “But how will I know if my guests are bringing a plus-one?” I’ve got you covered. 

Data collection lets you automatically ask guests who have RSVP’d using a keyword for additional details. 

Find out their name, their plus-one’s name, whether they’re vegetarian, or anything else you may need to know.

5 benefits of sending text message invitations

Still not convinced SMS invites are the way to go? Let’s talk about some of the highlights of texting.

I’ve already mentioned the convenience and reliability factor, but here are some of the other biggest reasons to use texting for your invitations.

1. Message and invitation tracking

When you send your invitations out via text message, you can easily keep track of how many you’ve sent, who has replied so far, and other important details (especially if you send a link to more information about the event, like speakers and parking information). 

Platforms like ours can even keep your Analytics organized in one place so you can see who is and isn’t engaging with your messages.

2. Save money on sending texts

Ditch the expensive stationery and postage — sending out mass text invitations is a much smarter investment. With software like SimpleTexting, you can send hundreds of event text messages starting at $29/month.

3. It’s fast and reliable

Texts won’t get lost in the mail, and they can be pulled back up for reference with just a few clicks. 

Plus, you can schedule reminder messages leading up to your event to ensure none of your attendees forget about your big day (and to make sure you don’t forget to remind them).

4. Personalized text messages and invitations

A big misconception about text invites is that they’re impersonal. That idea mostly comes from the overly general marketing texts many of us have received, and it couldn’t be less true.

Using custom fields, you can make each text invitation unique by including first or last names (or any other details you know about your contacts) in your message. Send personalized invitations to all your guests with just a few clicks.

5. It’s environmentally friendly

Paper invites are nice to hang on the fridge for a while, but eventually, they’ll end up in a landfill. Send invitations by SMS to do your part in going paperless and saving the Earth.

12 sample text message invitations to events

It might be good to review successful text message invitation samples while you craft your own. Here are 16 examples of text message invitations for various events:

1. Invitation to a soft opening

The following is an example of an invitation for a grand opening of a retail establishment.

2. Invitation to a store’s anniversary party

This is an example of an invitation to a party celebrating the opening of a grocery shop.

3. Invitation to a networking function

An invitation to a business function may look like this:

4. Invite to a benefit for charity

A sample invitation to a charity event reads as follows:

5. Announcement of product release party

This example invites people to a product launch party:

6. Announcement of grand opening party for new location

Promoting a new storefront is demonstrated here; take note!

7. Invitation to a job fair

To help you promote an event to attract job seekers, below is a sample that you may use as a guide:

8. Invitation to a pop-up event

Here’s a case in point that exemplifies how to attract attendees to a pop-up event or to any other entertainment event:

Definitely don’t want to miss this!

9. Invitation to a reception

An invitation to a company event may look like this:

10. Announcing the grand opening of a restaurant

An example invitation that a new restaurant may send out looks like this:

11. Invitation to a company party

This is an example of an invitation that a business may use for a formal event:

12. Invitation for a closing event

In the case that you are shutting down a business, you may send out an invitation for people to attend the ceremony with a text message invitation that looks something like this:

Make your next event a success with text message invitations

You’ve worked hard on your event, and you want to make sure you have as many guests as possible on your big day. Get their attention with text message invitations (trust me, it’s easier for both you and them).

Pssst…If you’re still not sure whether you want to start sending invites via text, try SimpleTexting out for 14 days, totally free. If you need any help, our support team is available every day of the week to answer any questions you may have.

This piece was originally published March 12, 2019. It was refreshed March 16, 2023, August 1, 2023, and August 22, 2023. Rana Bano and Nathan Ellering contributed to this piece.

The post How to send invites via text for your next event appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Don’t panic. 

We’ve learned a thing or two after helping thousands of customers send out millions of messages, and let us reassure you:

It’s possible to retrieve deleted text messages. 

Follow this step-by step guide to quickly and safely recover your deleted messages.

How to restore deleted texts on Android

The good news is that if you accidentally delete messages from your Android phone, your data sticks around–but only for a limited time. 

That means the best way to recover your messages is to act quickly. 

Google Drive backup 

This option requires you to have Google Drive backups enabled on your device already. 

If so, all you need to do is navigate to your phone’s Settings app, choose “System,” then “Backup,” to locate your backed-up data.

The other way to restore your data in this case is to initiate a factory reset. 

When your phone prompts you to sign into your Google account, use the account you used to backup your data in the first place. 

Finally, just choose the “SMS Messages” button to recover your texts.

How to retrieve deleted text messages using iCloud

Most iPhones automatically back up text messages to the iCloud. All iPhone users receive 5GB of free iCloud space. 

If you’ve upgraded your account, it’s likely that all of your text message data is stored safely.

1. First, check to see if there’s a backup from before the messages were deleted. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups 

(Note that anything added to your device after the backup you select will not be restored and will require its own backup).

2. Once you find the right backup, you’ll need to reset your device by going to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

3. Your device will ask how you’d like to set up the device. Select the option to restore it from an iCloud Backup.

4. Your device will then restore its data to the selected backup and the lost messages will be recovered.

How to retrieve deleted text messages using Finder

If you regularly backup your iPhone to your computer, this is the easiest way to recover your lost text messages.

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer. 
2. Open Finder (or iTunes in macOS Mojave and earlier) if it does not automatically open.
3. Go to the side bar and select your device.
4. Then click on “Restore iPhone.”
5. That’s it. All the texts from your most recent backup are now on your device.

Please note that this method will replace your current data with your most recent backup.

How to restore deleted texts using third-party apps

Just because you clicked “delete” doesn’t necessarily mean your message is gone. 

If you don’t use iTunes or iCloud to keep your data backed up, you may still be able to recover deleted iPhone data using a third-party data recovery app. These apps also work with Android devices. 

Be aware, though, that there is a large market for data recovery apps that don’t actually work very well. 

If the companies don’t have a clear explanation of how the recovery process will work or any contact information on their websites, it’s best to stay away. 

Two companies with good reputations are Tenorshare Ulta iPhone Data Recovery and PhoneRescue by iMobie.

Tips for getting old messages back

Now that you know how to recover your messages after they’re lost, let’s go over a few more helpful tips for preventing and retrieving lost messages.

Avoid headaches with regular backups

It’s always a good idea to maintain an up-to-date backup of your important data and messages. 

That way, you never have to worry about accidentally deleting an important text message and losing it forever.

Don’t use your personal phone

Every day we hear from customers who use their personal phones for business matters. 

This is tempting, especially if you’re a small business owner on a budget. 

But while this may be convenient at first, it soon becomes hard to manage. 

It can also lead to costly mistakes if you delete important business messages when all you really meant to do was remove yourself from a group text you’re not interested in. 

If you’re sending texts for a professional purpose, it’s best to use a business texting service instead.

Contact your carrier

One last method you can use to potentially recover your deleted or lost texts is to raise the issue to your cell phone carrier.

How long carriers keep text messages varies by company, and you may need a court order to access your old data, but it’s worth the effort if you can’t recover your messages any other way.

The wrap on recovering deleted texts

Mistakes happen, and everyone loses a message now and then.

But if texting is a huge part of your business’ communication strategy, it pays to keep all your messages safe and central in one location (not your cellphone).

Try streamlining your SMS efforts with a 14-day SimpleTexting trial–no credit card required.

The post How to recover deleted text messages appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Texting lets you connect with customers on the go, and it’s often less obtrusive than calling or emailing. 

But texts become less convenient when you’re juggling dozens of conversations and mass text campaigns from a small screen.

How can you enjoy the benefits of SMS marketing without sacrificing convenience?

You need a computer texting app that’s affordable, has business-friendly features, and provides an intuitive user experience. 

Take a look below at the nine most popular small business texting platforms for computers to see which is right for your business.

How I chose these 14 text apps for computers

The nine apps on this list are the most popular service providers that you’ll come across when you look for an SMS app. I spent hours testing and researching these apps so you can compare their features, pricing, and device support.

1. SimpleTexting
2. MightyText
3. Google Messages
4. Google Voice
5. OpenPhone
6. PulseSMS
7. mysms
8. Pushbullet
9. AirDroid
10. Microsoft Phone Link
11. Apple Messages for Mac
12. SlickText
13. TextUs
14. Textedly

1. SimpleTexting

SimpleTexting’s business texting software lets you send texts from a computer in seconds. It syncs your messages to the SimpleTexting iOS or Android app so you can send MMS messages, manage text campaigns, and chat with customers on the go. 

We’ll help you text-enable your existing number, if you have one, or set up as many new business text numbers as you need. Each plan comes with three user seats, and you can purchase additional seats if your whole team wants to text customers and sales leads. 

Want to automate tasks and sync customer data? Integrate SimpleTexting with the tools your business relies on, like appointment reminder software, customer relationship management platforms, invoicing apps, email marketing apps, and more.

Though I’m a tad biased and see SimpleTexting as the best text app for computers, I’m not alone:

• Over 17,000 businesses and organizations across North America trust our text messaging services to power their communication with customers and prospects.
• Business.com contributing writer Mark Farlie called SimpleTexting the “ideal text message marketing supplier for small businesses.”
• As of early 2024, SimpleTexting has a 4.7/5 stars score on G2, based on 625 reviews.

Key SimpleTexting features:

• Bulk texting
• Two-way messaging
• Group texting without reply all
• Scheduled and recurring texts
• Autoresponders
• Segments
• AI message composer
• Three user seats

Pricing

SimpleTexting has flexible pricing options for businesses of every size, with the lowest plan starting at $29/month for 500 messaging credits. 

If you don’t use all your credits in one month, they’ll roll over to the next month. If you need more credits, you can easily add them anytime using the self-serve billing dashboard.

Try SimpleTexting free for 14 days to see how user-friendly it is for sending texts from your computer.

Download links

• Browser app
• iOS app
• Android app

2. MightyText

Have an Android phone number? MightyText’s messaging app allows you to send and receive messages from your Android device, Mac, or PC. The company’s mission is to make it easier to send SMS and MMS messages from multiple devices. 

Customers have reported that the application is slow or glitchy at times, but others say it’s sufficient for sending messages to clients from their desktop. 

Key MightyText features:

On the free version, you can: 

• Text from your email account
• View multiple conversations at once
• Get phone battery alerts

Paid users get access to the features on the free plan, plus:

• Scheduled texts
• Message templates
• More than 25 messages per month

Pricing

MightyText has a free version with limited functionality, and the MightyText Pro plan is $11.99/month.

Download links

• Browser app
• Android app

3. Google Messages

Google Messages is a sleek, simple app that allows you to send texts from your computer. It’s intended to help you manage conversations with friends and family, but you could use it for business if you only have a handful of customers that you need to connect with.

Like MightyText, you need an Android device and a text-enabled number to use Messages.

Key Google Messages features:

• Rich media capabilities
• MMS and SMS
• Two-way messaging 

Pricing

Google Messages is free for all users.

Download links

• Browser app
• Android app

4. Google Voice

Google Voice for business is another communication app from syncs your calls, text messages, and voicemail across multiple devices. 

I don’t recommend this computer texting service if you plan to send text campaigns. There’s a contact limit for group text messages, and your account can be flagged for spam if you send too many bulk messages. 

If you just need to send one-on-one messages to clients, though, Google Voice is a cost-effective option. Just keep your messages under 160 characters, since the application will break up larger messages into multiple texts.

Key Google Voice features:

• Unlimited text messages
• Voice calls and voicemail
• Multiple user seats

Pricing

Google Voice for business plans start at $10/month per user, and you’ll need to sign up for Google Workspace for $6/month.

Download links

• Browser app
• Android app
• iOS app

5. OpenPhone

OpenPhone’s messaging system brings your calls, texts, and contacts together in one multi-device platform. 

One key advantage it has over most other texting platforms is that you can send texts outside of North America. Plus, it integrates with third-party apps so you can connect with other tools your team uses.

For group messaging, you’re limited to nine contacts per group, and the feature isn’t available on toll-free numbers. 

Key OpenPhone features:

• Send and receive MMS and SMS messages
• Collaborate with team members
• Set up auto-replies
• Save message templates
• Schedule texts

Pricing

Try OpenPhone free for seven days. Paid plans start at $19/month per user.

Download links

• Browser app
• Android app
• iOS app

6. Pulse SMS

With Pulse SMS, you can sync your text conversations on all Android devices, including Android TV, Apple devices, and popular web browsers. I like how clean the platform’s user interface is and the fact that there’s no limit to the number of contacts you can add to a group text. 

The drawback is that, from what I can tell, you can’t organize contacts into lists or send one text to many people at once (without them seeing other contacts’ replies).

Key Pulse SMS features: 

• Scheduled text messages
• Message templates 
• Conversation search function
• Text backups

Pricing

Pulse SMS is free to use (with ads) on mobile. A subscription for multi-device usage is $99.99 for lifetime usage, $12.99 per year, or $1.99 per month.

Download links

• Android app with in-app purchases for multi-device usage

7. mysms

With its synchronization feature, mysms allows you to access your entire message history across all devices—like your computer, tablet, and phone. The platform also supports multimedia messaging, including pictures and videos. 

Its user-friendly design, reliable delivery, and message encryption make mysms a top choice for multi-device texting. Like Pulse SMS, though, you can’t send mass text messages where contacts can’t see each other’s responses.

Key mysms features:

• MMS and SMS messaging
• Message history
• Theme customizations

Pricing

mysms is free for multi-device usage and basic messaging features. For scheduled texts, full message history, and other premium features, you’ll pay $9.99/year. You can try the platform’s premium plan free for 14 days.

Download links

• Browser and desktop apps
• Android app

8. Pushbullet

Like the other apps on this list, Pushbullet’s platform gives you access to your text messages on your computer and mobile devices. It also lets you send and receive files, share links, and sync your clipboard across devices.

Pushbullet is easy to use, but it lacks advanced features like contact lists, personalization, and message scheduling. This app is better suited for businesses that only need one-on-one messaging features and don’t plan to use it for SMS marketing.

Key Pushbullet features:

• See your phone’s notifications on your computer
• File and link sharing
• API access
• Universal copy and paste

Pricing

Pushbullet is free with limited features and a sending limit of 100 messages per month. For full access to its features and unlimited messages, subscribe to the Pro plan, which is $4.99/month or $3.33/month paid annually.

Download links

• Android app
• Chrome app
• Firefox app
• Windows desktop app

9. AirDroid

AirDroid, an Android device management company, offers tools to connect your calls, texts, and app notifications to your computer. On its Premium plan, you can import contact lists and sync messages across 10 devices (even iOS devices).

Unfortunately, you can’t send MMS or group text messages with AirDroid’s app, but you can message customers one-on-one.

Key AirDroid SMS features:

• Contact importing
• Two-way messaging

Pricing

AirDroid Personal is free for basic features and starts at $2.50/month for its Premium plan.

Download links

• Browser and desktop apps
• Android app
• iOS app

10. Microsoft Phone Link

If you use Windows 10 or 11, you might already have a text app on your computer. Microsoft Phone Link comes with these Windows versions by default and syncs with Android and iPhone devices.

After you connect your phone with Microsoft Phone Link, you can read texts and respond to them on your PC. On top of its SMS features, it offers phone calls and contact management. As a virtual go-between for your phone and PC, Microsoft Phone Link also features notification and camera roll sync.

If you use an iPhone, keep in mind that only the Windows 11 version of Microsoft Phone Link connects to that brand.

Key Microsoft Phone Link features:

• Sync with Android devices running Android 8.0 or later (Windows 10 and 11) and iOS devices running iOS 14 or later (Windows 11) 
• Two-way texting
• Phone calls
• Notification management
• Photo sync with your 2,000 most recent images

Pricing

Microsoft Phone Link is free to use for Windows 10 and 11 users.

Download links

If you own Windows 10 or 11, you will automatically have Microsoft Phone Link on your computer.

• Android app
• iOS app

11. Apple Messages for Mac

Apple Messages for Mac computers wraps your favorite iOS communication apps into a computer texting software. Like Microsoft Phone Link, this app comes standard with MacOS Sonoma computers.

Messages gives you two options for messaging on your computer: Messaging other Apple users and texting through a synced iPhone. If your recipient uses an Apple device (even an iPod), you can send as many messages as you’d like from your computer. To text anyone with a phone number, you’ll need to sync your iPhone.

On top of its text messaging features, Apple Messages also lets you make FaceTime calls from a message, collaborate on documents, and share your screen.

Note that unlike Microsoft Phone Link, Apple Messages only syncs with iPhones, not Androids.

Key Apple Messages features:

• Message any Apple user without syncing your phone
• Sync your iPhone to text any type of number
• Make video calls through FaceTime
• Share files, Safari tabs, notes, and other documents
• Browse content shared with you

Pricing

Apple Messages is free for Mac users.

Download links

Apple Messages on Mac and text message forwarding on your iPhone both come default on their respective devices.

12. SlickText

If you’re looking for software to send bulk text messages from your computer, SlickText is a highly-rated option. According to G2 reviewers, it has great customer service. It also includes built-in automation workflows, including drip sequences.

While SlickText helps you get granular with your text marketing through its automation, you’ll have to invest in a higher pricing tier ($139+ a month) to take advantage of it. Some G2 users also highlighted the plans’ limited integration options and keywords.

If you’re willing to invest more in your text marketing and want to manage your integrations all in your text app, SlickText could be a good fit for you.

Key SlickText features:

• Bulk texting
• Two-way texting
• List growth features such as text-to-join keywords and forms
• Automated workflows (higher-tier plans only)
• Analytics
• Contact management
• API and webhooks
• Android and iOS apps

Pricing

SlickText’s plans range from $29/month to $1,250/month depending on the text credits, keywords, and features you want. Text credits rollover from month to month.

You can try SlickText free for 14 days and send up to 50 text messages.

Download links

• Browser app
• Android app
• iOS app

13. TextUs

Bulk texting can also lend itself to recruiting and sales functions, which TextUs thrives on. This text app for the computer is geared toward all sorts of businesspeople, including recruiters, salespeople, HR professionals, and marketers.

Since it’s more focused on business functions outside of marketing, TextUs includes features like inbox organization, shared phone numbers, and shared inboxes to help you switch from mass texting to one-on-one conversation. It also directly integrates with CRMs such as Salesforce and HubSpot.

Key TextUs features:

• Mass texting for businesspeople
• Two-way conversations
• Texting campaigns and automation
• Inbox management for multiple users at the same time
• Integrations with popular CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce
• API

Pricing

TextUs pricing starts at $300/month, with higher plans adding enriched campaign and automation features. While you can’t get a free trial for this app, you can request a free demo to talk about pricing with a salesperson.

Download links

There are no public download links for TextUs.

14. Textedly

Those of you who want to manage all of your messages, whether over SMS or online, might enjoy Textedly. It has an omnichannel inbox that manages these types of messages:

• SMS
• Email
• Facebook Messenger
• Instagram
• WhatsApp
• Slack
• Shopify
• Payments

Outside of the inbox, you can perform all of your favorite text marketing activities, including mass and two-way texting. Notably, it also offers extended messages with up to 455 characters for SMS messages.

Higher plan tiers also include payment and review management features.

Key Textedly features:

• Omnichannel inbox for SMS, email, Slack, and social media messages
• Bulk texting
• Two-way text messaging
• Team texting with multiple phone numbers
• Text-to-pay
• Review and reputation management

Pricing

Textedly pricing starts at $26/month for 600 monthly credits and tops out at $2,999/month for 240,000 monthly credits. You can try it for 14 days for free and send up to 50 text messages.

Download links

• Browser app

How I chose these 14 text apps for computers

The fourteen apps on this list are the most popular service providers that you’ll come across when you look for an SMS app. I spent hours testing and researching these apps so you can compare their features, pricing, and device support.

Computer texting app FAQs

The post The 14 best apps to text from your computer appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Outlook to SMS is particularly valuable for businesses looking to communicate with employees who need to send timely updates directly to colleagues’ mobile devices.

While Outlook to SMS has many practical benefits for workplace communication, it also offers personal advantages. It allows users to archive text messages in their email inbox, reducing clutter on their phones, and provides the convenience of sending texts directly from a computer.

This is especially useful in situations where accessing a phone isn’t possible or when direct communication is necessary.

Read to learn how to send SMS from Outlook.

Disclaimer: Please note that this advice is for informational purposes only and is neither intended as nor should be substituted for consultation with appropriate legal counsel and/or your organization’s regulatory compliance team.

What is Outlook to SMS?

Outlook to SMS refers to the capability of Microsoft Outlook to send text messages (SMS) directly from within the application.

This feature allows users to compose and send SMS messages to mobile phone numbers from their Outlook email client, making it a convenient way to communicate with contacts who prefer or require text messaging.

It is often used in professional settings for quick and efficient communication with colleagues and clients.

How to send SMS from Outlook

Sending text messages directly from Microsoft Outlook is a convenient way to streamline your communications. By following these steps, you can ensure your messages reach their recipients efficiently:

1. Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer.
2. Click on “New Email” to create a new email message.
3. Type your message in the email body as you would for a regular email. It must be less than 160 characters to be SMS.
4. Locate your recipient’s phone number, determine their wireless carrier, and input that information into the “To” section (see steps below for details).
5. Optional: If you haven’t added your Sender number to Outlook, click on the “From” field and select “Other Email Address.” In the “From” field, enter your mobile phone number, and Outlook will prompt you to verify it. If you don’t want to send from your phone number, Outlook will simply deliver the SMS from your email address, which is why this step is optional.
6. Click “Send” to send the email, which will be converted into an SMS and delivered to the recipient’s mobile phone.
7. The recipient will receive your message as a standard text message on their phone.

The outline above is a basic overview of sending SMS messages through Outlook. For a more comprehensive understanding, let’s explore each step in greater detail to ensure you have all the information needed for effective and accurate SMS communications:

Step 1: Obtain recipient’s phone number

Ensure you have the recipient’s 10-digit phone number. This number is essential for directing the text message correctly.

Step 2: Determine the recipient’s carrier information

Next, determine the recipient’s wireless carrier. You can use a service like FreeCarrierLookup to find out the carrier associated with a given phone number.

Step 3: Choose between SMS or MMS

Figure out what type of message you’re sending. SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, while MMS messages can include more text and rich media like images or videos.

Step 4: Find carrier gateway email address

Based on whether you’re sending an SMS or MMS, find the appropriate carrier gateway email address.

Here is a list of many carriers’ SMS and MMS email gateways for SMS and MMS from SimpleTexting’s parent company, Sinch.

Additionally, here is a quick table of some of the most common carrier gateway email addresses:

Step 4: Create the phone number email address

Create the email address using the recipient’s 10-digit phone number and the gateway address.

For example, for a Verizon number, it would look like 1234567890@vtext.com to send an SMS.

Next, enter the phone number email address you created in the “To” field of a new Outlook email.

Step 5: Compose and send your message

Write your message in the body field of the email. If you prefer to avoid adding content to the subject line, you can leave it empty to prevent awkward formatting in the text message.

After that, you’re ready to finally hit send. Your message will be delivered to the recipient’s phone as a text message, appearing as sent from your Outlook email address.

A simpler way to send SMS from your business

If you just read all those steps, you might be wondering if there’s a better way to text people from your business.

There is.

SimpleTexting is business texting software. People use it for SMS marketing, communicating with team members, recruiting and hiring, customer service and sales use cases, and a whole lot more.

An actual business texting service makes sending a text to a single person a lot easier than all those steps with Outlook to SMS. Plus, a service like SimpleTexting helps you send group messages and mass texts much more efficiently.

With SimpleTexting, all you’ll need are the recipients’ phone numbers and their permission to text them.

That’s it.

No hoops to jump through to determine what phone numbers belong to what carriers, whether your message is SMS or MMS, what the carrier gateway addresses are for every recipient… etc.

See for yourself. Try SimpleTexting and send a text to yourself today to see how it works.

Why Choose SimpleTexting for text messaging instead of Outlook?

SimpleTexting offers an intuitive, feature-rich platform for sending SMS. Our service makes your communication smoother, more reliable, and more impactful. 

With advanced features and tools, our platform elevates your messaging experience, ensuring that your texts reach their destination and make the desired impact. 

Here’s a glimpse into the powerful features that set us apart:

• 24/7 Support: Our team is ready to help you seven days a week to reach your audiences.
  
• Automated SMS: Schedule messages hours, days, or months in advance then sit back, and relax. We’ll do the rest.
  
• SMS Templates & Duplicates: Save time by reusing your frequently sent messages, campaigns, inbox replies, autoresponders, and keyword confirmation messages.
  
• AI Assist: Streamline your messages with our SimpleTexting AI Assist, a powerful copywriting tool that helps you send more effective text messages.
  
• Self-Cleaning Lists: Our system automatically checks for dead numbers every time you send a message and removes them when they’re spotted. No need for you to constantly monitor!

Learn more about our capabilities to see how we can help you.

Get started with SimpleTexting today

SimpleTexting provides a seamless, effective, and innovative solution sending text messages from your business.

From small businesses looking to enhance their marketing strategies and larger enterprises aiming to improve internal communications to individuals seeking more efficient ways to connect, SimpleTexting caters to all your needs. 

With user-friendly features like 24/7 customer support, message scheduling, link tracking and shortening, and an API, SimpleTexting elevates your communication experience. Embrace the power of efficient texting and make every message count with SimpleTexting.

Ready to transform your communication strategy? Sign up today for a free trial and discover the full potential of SMS with SimpleTexting. Or, for a more personalized experience, book a call with our experts. We’re here to guide you every step of the way.

The post How to send SMS from an Outlook email address [step-by-step] appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Here, we’ll walk you through how to identify spam texts, put up digital barriers to block them, report them to the authorities, and adopt best practices to prevent them.

Understanding spam text messages

Have you ever received a text message from an unknown number promising a too-good-to-be-true deal or urgently asking for personal information? These are spam text messages, the digital equivalent of a pesky mosquito buzzing in your ear.

Spam texts are to regular texts what junk mail is to your treasured snail mail. Spam texts are unsolicited messages sent in bulk, typically with the intent of deceiving the receiver. Unlike genuine marketing SMS, which requires opt-in consent from text message recipients, spam texts are uninvited.

Legitimate marketing texts play by a set of rules. These messages must comply with regulations like the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act), ensuring they respect your space and only show up if you agree to invite them in.

So, what constitutes a spam message? Here are some common characteristics:

1. Unsolicited nature: If you never signed up to receive messages from ‘Great Deals Galore,’ but they keep texting you, that’s spam. If you reply STOP and you keep getting texts from the same number (aside from a single opt-out confirmation message), that’s spam, too.
2. Deceptive content: Messages that try to mislead you, like promising a free vacation (only if you provide your credit card details), are spammy by nature.
3. Pushy and urgent tone: Texts that demand immediate action, especially involving personal information or financial details, often fall into the spam category.
4. Unknown or suspicious sender: If the message is from a number that looks like it was mashed on a keyboard, chances are, it’s spam.

How to identify spam texts

While they may appear harmless at first glance, spam texts often carry tell-tale signs. Spotting these signs is key to keeping your personal information safe.

First off, if a text message feels like it came out of the blue, offering extravagant rewards (think: “Congratulations! You’ve won a free yacht!”) or urgent requests for personal information (“Urgent: Update your banking details now!”), your spam alert should go off. 

Links to suspicious websites are another red flag, especially those that look like a jumble of letters and numbers trying to pass off as a legitimate URL. Keep an eye out for how that link changes domains, too. If one link forwards through several others, that is a sign of spam.

For example, you receive a text saying, “You’ve won $1,000,000 in the Global Lottery! Click here to claim your prize.” Or, “Your device is at risk! Download this app now to protect it.” These are prime examples of spam texts, often leading to phishing scams or malware downloads.

Here’s the golden rule: Do not engage. Replying, clicking on links, or calling the numbers in these messages is like opening the door to a world of headaches. It confirms to the spammers that your number is active, potentially leading to more unwanted messages.

How to block spam texts

After identifying a spam text, it’s time to play defense by blocking text messages from unwanted senders. Most smartphones come equipped with a built-in feature to block pesky numbers. And for an extra layer of protection, you can even consider third-party apps or carrier services that specialize in slamming the door on spam. These methods are pretty effective at keeping unwanted texts at bay.

How to stop spam texts on iOS 

Got an iPhone? Here’s how to block messages through the iMessage app and set up your first layer of defense against spam texts:

• Open Messages and tap “Edit” and tap “Select Messages”.
• Select the conversation containing the text you want to block.
• Tap “Delete” then select “Delete and Report Junk”.

How to stop spam texts on Android

For Android users, the process is equally straightforward. Here’s how to block spam texts directly from your Android device:

• From the text conversation screen, click on the contact or number above the conversation.
• Select the three dots at the top right of the screen, where you’ll see the “Block numbers” option.
• Click “Block” on the popup.
• To see lists of your blocked contacts, just head to the Contacts app, click “Fix & manage,” and select “Blocked numbers.”

How to report spam texts

When you report a spam text, you’re shining a light on spamming activities, which can lead to action against the spammers and a safer digital environment for everyone.

So, where can you send your digital SOS? 

Agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are the cyber police in this scenario. Filing a complaint with them is easy – you can file a complaint with the FTC here or lodge one with the FCC here. 

Another handy trick is forwarding the spam text to 7726 (SPAM). It’s like dropping a pin on the spammer’s location for the cellular authorities, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), to investigate.

How to prevent text spam

Prevention is better than cure, especially when it comes to spam texts. Keep your phone number under wraps and share it sparingly online or offline. 

Also, don’t forget to regularly check your privacy settings. Are they too lenient, rolling out the red carpet for spammers? Tighten them up. Lastly, team up with a reputable text messaging service – they can be your knights in shining armor, warding off spammy dragons.

Read on for more tips on preventing spam texts.

Using spam filters 

Spam filters scrutinize incoming messages and filter out unwanted ones based on certain criteria, and setting them up is usually a breeze.

Whether it’s on your phone or through your carrier’s services, a few taps or clicks can activate these digital guardians. While they might not catch every rogue message, they’re pretty good at keeping your inbox clean and stress-free.

Avoiding opt-in mistakes 

Dodging spam texts sometimes feels like tiptoeing through a minefield of opt-in traps. The trick is to stay vigilant. Double-check what you’re signing up for – those check boxes at the bottom of forms aren’t just for decoration. 

Also, be wary of ‘free’ offers that ask for your number; they often come with a hidden subscription to a never-ending stream of texts. Reading the fine print might be a chore, but it’s a small price to pay to keep your inbox spam-free.

Conclusion 

When it comes to warding off spam, knowledge is your strongest weapon. These unwanted messages are more than just a nuisance; they can threaten your privacy and security. Remember, each step you take to fight spam protects your personal information and contributes to the broader effort against spammers and scammers. 

And if you’re looking for a hassle-free way to communicate with your customers without the spammy drama, SimpleTexting is your go-to solution. Our platform ensures a spam-free experience, allowing you to connect with your audience in a TCPA-compliant fashion.

The post How to stop getting spam texts appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Sometimes, workers phone the morning of their shift or minutes before to say they can’t make it.

However, nowadays, workers text as much as they phone when they are sick. No matter how they communicate, here’s how you can handle an employee texting in sick.

Disclaimer: I’m not your business’s legally represented human resources professional. Please use the information in this article as a guideline to reply at your own discretion and risk. The contents here are in no way legal advice and are purely meant for informational purposes. I advise you to communicate with your HR and/or legal staff before taking action.

Is it OK for employees to text their boss when they’re sick?

The short answer: It’s OK for employees to text in sick if the business’s absence management policy documents text messaging as an acceptable form of this communication.

In many professional settings, it’s permissible and commonplace to communicate with teammates by text message, instant message, and email.

In general, the best practice is to tell the manager about the absence via the most commonly-used form of communication between the employee and that manager.

Therefore, it’s fine for an employee to text in sick if you — as the direct manager — communicate regularly with that employee by text message.

However, if you usually talk on the phone, there might be better ways to get in touch than a text message. It is also not generally acceptable to ask a coworker to relay an absence message.

Employees should give their managers as much notice as possible, regardless of how they break the news. Some employers may mark a “no call, no show” on an employee’s record if that person doesn’t contact them before they are meant to be at work.

Pro tip: Having an absence management strategy in place will help the company know what to say to employees who call in sick. In this approach, businesses won’t have to worry about getting the job done without employees.

To ensure that all of your employees are aware of their obligations if they need to call in sick, you should document your strategy and make it available to them in an online knowledge base or employee handbook.

How should a boss respond to an employee texting in sick?

A bout of sickness might occur any time, even while you and your teammates are at work, necessitating a request for a sick day. You may also be stepping in for a sick employee or responding to an employee’s request for a sick day.

Using these strategies as inspiration, draft a thoughtful response to a request for sick leave, taking care to use the appropriate language and format.

1. Communicate with your employees

If an employee calls in ill at the last minute, it’s important to check up with them to see how they’re doing. After all, employees are your top priority.

Verify that the sick worker has access to all necessary resources. Inquire about their diagnosis for recovery or follow up in a day or two to see how they’re doing.

Encourage your employees to see a doctor and remind them of any regulations, such as the need for a doctor’s note. You could ask as to whether or not the employee would be returning to work the next shift. This is useful for foresight.

1. Reply quickly and show empathy.
2. Make sure they have what they need from you, if anything.
3. Remind them of your relevant policies, like the need for a doctor’s note.
4. Check in on future shifts to plan changes or aid in projects as needed.

2. Keep open lines of contact: Show you care

Continue talking to your sick employees after you’ve taken their initial call. If you want your staff to get better, you’ll also need regular updates.

The timeframe for your team member’s return to work is crucial. Whether or not the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to their condition is also essential information.

Call or text your employee after they have taken their first sick day. Again, with genuine curiosity about how they are doing, inquire whether they are “feeling well” today. Determine if the time they said they could return to work is realistic. Likewise, you may ask, “Do you need to take tomorrow off from work?”

1. Proactively check in before their next scheduled shift.
2. Encourage them to keep you in the loop.
3. Depending on the circumstances, remind them of their benefits and provide resources to learn how to use them.
4. Consider proactively offering them another shift off, depending on the severity of their issue.

3. Tend to employee happiness and productivity

According to a Gallup post-pandemic survey and covered extensively in a CNN article, “Employees who feel cared for are 71% less likely to report burnout, three times more likely to be engaged at work, and five times more likely to strongly advocate for their company as a good place to work. In addition, workers are 36% more likely to say they are thriving in their overall lives.”

Care for your sick team members. But remember you have responsibilities beyond caring for your sick employee, too.

Employees who text in sick often cause other team members to work overtime or take on additional responsibilities. They might have to show up for work even if it’s not their shift. Their physical and emotional health may suffer due to the extra pressure.

Consult with those on the team who will most feel the absent worker’s effects. Determine the extent of these workers’ abilities and the resources they require. Incentives and awards can be used to motivate these employees. Be sure to let them know how much you appreciate all they’ve done to help a sick coworker.

1. Communicate with team members who cover for the sick staff member.
2. Provide encouragement, incentives, and/or awards to those who go above and beyond.
3. Check in on how your team as a whole is doing while a team member is absent.

4. Protect your business

Management and leadership are sensitive to the fact that employees become sick. They also worry that some employees would take advantage of compensated sick days or sick days without being unwell.

Last-minute ill calls from employees might increase pressure on the whole group. Also, unplanned vacation time might cost your company money.

Learn the rules around sick leave in order to safeguard your business. Workers may be eligible for up to 12 weeks of job protection under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for a sick family member or themselves.

In addition, the District of Columbia and some states require companies to give paid sick days to their employees. These states and the District of Columbia include Arizona, California, Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Vermont, and Washington, DC. If you want to be sure you’re providing the legally needed amount of time off to your employees, you may wish to speak with a labor lawyer.

Absence policies, absenteeism measures, and sick leave requirements should all be reviewed by a lawyer to ensure they do not violate any anti-discrimination statutes. For instance, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that businesses accommodate disabled employees. An employee with an impairment who requires time off to receive medical treatment may be entitled to special consideration.

4 thoughtful text reply templates to use when an employee texts in sick

It’s helpful for the boss to text employees if they’re allowed to text in sick. However, not all businesses permit this; some need advance notice through phone, email, or web form.

The best methods to reply to a worker who texts in sick are outlined here, whether you’re granting their request, you suspect them of lying, or they need a reminder of the policies.

How should a manager address pattern sick days with the employee?

What if an employee only texts in sick on Fridays? What about Mondays? What about the days immediately after holidays?

Treat employees like grownups and offer them as much sick leave flexibility as possible. If someone claims they’re too sick to work, believe them. Don’t presume; let people decide.

However, unless there were exceptional circumstances (which there could have been), sick leave isn’t meant for extended leave. Therefore, they should probably use another kind of PTO instead. Trust them to know their conditions and needs better than you.

Address an increasing pattern of someone not acting like a responsible adult, such as calling in ill on the one day a month they’d have to perform inventory. Otherwise, sick leave is for sick people. That also answers your last-minute question — most sick leave is taken at the last minute since it’s rarely scheduled.

How do you communicate with your employees about pattern absenteeism?

1. Document the pattern behavior

The first step is to determine the root cause of the employee’s frequent or extended absences. You can start this by documenting the patterns of absenteeism before discussing it with your employee.

Next, have an open and frank discussion with the worker to understand what’s going on and how it’s affecting their productivity on the job. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and your company’s attendance policy all have ramifications you should be aware of.

If the employee’s performance does not improve or if they continue to take excessive or protracted absences, you must confront the problems immediately and aggressively.

Follow the disciplinary procedure established by the company and include documentation of the employee’s absences and any conversations you’ve had with them. You should also avoid any form of prejudice or retaliation and act in a fair, consistent, factual, and polite manner.

2. Review attendance, sick leave, vacation, and PTO policies

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees employees the right to take unpaid time off to care for themselves or their immediate family members in certain circumstances. However, the human resources department still has no obligation to share the employee’s medical history with their manager or other employees under any circumstances.

3. Check regional laws

You should familiarize yourself with the various paid time off payout rules that exist in each state so that you are aware of what is legally required of your organization.  

4. Review company disciplinary policies

Having an absence management strategy in place will help you know what to say to employees who call in sick. In this approach, you won’t have to worry about getting the job done without the staff. You’ll have greater composure and confidence in moving forward.

To ensure that all of your employees are aware of their obligations in the event that they need to call in sick, you should document your strategy and make it available to them in an online knowledge base or employee handbook. If an employee is sick, they need to know how to get in touch with you. You can ask employees to call, but they might not be able to if they are sick. Another issue is that workers could have trouble getting in touch with the appropriate individual.

5. Prep for a crucial conversation

Be kind even if you have doubts about the worker’s illness. Employees may occasionally call in sick with a phony ailment, but you can’t assume that everyone who texts in sick is doing so.

Take action based on what you know, and don’t make any snap decisions. It won’t help the problem if you text back anything accusatory or passive-aggressive, and it will make you look insensitive if the employee really is unwell or has a good cause for taking the day off.

If an employee is being dishonest, it is necessary to confront the issue, but this must be done in a professional manner. If you have reason to believe there is an issue, collect proof (such as a pattern of absences) and have a conversation with them at their next office visit.

6. Meet with the employee

It’s important to talk things out. Maybe your employees needed a day off to regroup and/or deal with a personal situation that had been too much for them to handle. They may be reluctant to share further information due to their own feelings of shame.

Have a chat with your frequently absent coworkers. Even if someone’s absences from work due to illness are justified, it’s still important to check in with them and try to resolve the underlying issue.

You’re doing this because you want to be of service to them, not because you want to punish them. They probably share your desire to avoid frequent illness and have the same goal as you.

However, you can make a passing reference to the fact that the employee’s frequent absences are bad for business (by referencing the company’s attendance policy).

If you want them to be more forthcoming in the future, you may want to consider boosting their confidence in your human resources team and text messaging for human resources. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employees to take unpaid leave for certain reasons related to the health of themselves or a family member.

Know how to respond to employees texting in sick effectively

Each employee at your company will likely call in sick occasionally. Flu season, colds, and more serious diseases are normal.

Know how to respond to an employee texting in sick. A good strategy balances sympathy for the sick employee with protections for coworkers who require extra attention.

You should also protect your company. Though you demand the best from your employees, fraud happens. Abuse of sick days undermines productivity and profits.

Therefore, knowing how to verify a worker’s illness and having a punishment plan are crucial. Because of this, bosses can rest easy knowing that no employees will be misusing the sick leave system to gain more time off than they are legally entitled to.

The post How to respond to an employee texting in sick appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

For instance, the Bin Blasters account is a gold mine of advice about small business marketing and management.

Founder Casey Evertsen started Bin Blasters, a trash bin sanitization business, in 2020. Now, Casey oversees ten franchises in four states and somehow still finds time to create content for his quarter-million TikTok followers.

If you follow Casey, you know that timely text messages to customers is key to his strategy. I’ll show you the three SMS marketing campaigns Casey uses to get more bookings and how you can use them to get repeat business too. 

But first, let’s look at how Casey gets permission to send promotional texts to customers.

How Bin Blasters puts SMS contact sign-ups on auto drive

When Bin Blasters’ bright blue and green cleaning trucks roll through a neighborhood, people notice. The advertisement on the truck wrap invites people to scan a QR code to book a garbage can cleaning.

The QR code opens a mobile landing page with a deal to sign up for 50% off your first month of service. 

At the end of the form, Casey includes an SMS call-to-action and disclaimer to comply with industry regulations for collecting contacts.

3 text campaigns to get repeat business

Once someone signs up for a Bin Blasters’ cleaning, they receive a series of SMS marketing messages. These texts help move homeowners through the sales funnel — all the way from new lead to repeat customer. 

Here are the three text campaigns Casey sends to turn one time bookings into ongoing subscriptions. 

1. Welcome messages that set expectations

New customers receive an automated welcome text with an FAQ video about what to expect with their bin cleaning service. 

The automated message saves Casey’s team time on answering questions and helps set customer expectations.

What to include in your welcome message:

• A thank-you for signing up or making a purchase.
• Next steps and resources for their service
• What kinds of texts you’ll send and how often
• Optional: A discount on their next purchase or service

2.  Review requests that boost visibility

Customer reviews are marketing gold for independent businesses. 

Not only do reviews provide potential customers with social proof, but they can also help increase your search engine rankings. The higher the rankings, the more visibility you have in search results.

Bin Blasters’ customers receive a Google review request after every job is completed. Casey automates the review request texts with Zapier and SimpleTexting, just like he does with the welcome texts.

Once a job is marked as done in Jobber, Bin Blasters’ CRM tool, SimpleTexting sends a text message to the customer with a link to leave a Google review.

Watch Casey’s review request set up on TikTok.

What to include in your review request message:

• An invitation to write a review of their experience and/or your products
• The link to your review page on Google, Facebook, or other third-party site
• Optional, but recommended: How their review helps others learn about your business
• Optional: An incentive, like a coupon for future purchases

3. Upsell offers that encourage subscription signups

Sending a video text message is one of the best ways to stand out in your customers’ inboxes and show off your brand’s personality. 

Because of this, Casey sends upsell text messages with a video and a discount on monthly services to customers who book a one-time cleaning.

@caseybinblasters

This is a simple automation that we use every day wuth our customers.

♬ original sound – Bin Blasters

What to include in your upsell video message: 

• A thank-you for using your products or services
• A tempting offer on future purchases
• How to redeem the offer — whether it’s replying to the text, filling out a form, or visiting a product page
• A link to the video explainer, or embed the video in the message by sending it via MMS

If you’re using SimpleTexting, here’s how to add a video to a text:

1. In your inbox, select a conversation and type a message in the composer.
2. Click the media button.
3. Upload your video and select it. Click “Include 1 file”.
4. If everything looks good, hit “Send SMS” or click the clock icon to schedule it for later. 

Here’s what your message might look like:

To run text campaigns that drive more sales like Bin Blasters, sign up for a free 14-day trial of SimpleTexting. Our free trial lets you text your own number so you can see exactly how it works before you text your customers.

If you have questions about SimpleTexting, click the blue chat button at the bottom of your screen to book a demo with our SMS experts. They’ll learn about your specific texting goals and show you how we can help you reach them.

Want to explore your SMS service options? See how we compare to other popular texting platforms, and check out my breakdown of the nine top SMS marketing services.

* featured image source: Binwashtrailers.com

The post Inside Bin Blasters: 3 text campaigns that fuel their repeat business strategy appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Whether you’re a digital multitasker juggling multiple cell phones, a team player wanting to share a lengthy message with your team, or a master communicator trying to forward business texts to another phone or email address, text forwarding is the easiest way to stay in sync. 

In this article, we’ll share three seamless and quick ways to forward a text message. Let’s dive right in!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• How to forward text messages from Android devices
• How to forward text messages from iPhone devices
• How to forward a text message with SimpleTexting

How to forward text messages from Android devices

To forward a text on your Android device, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Messages app from your Android device.

2. Open the text conversation containing the message you want to forward.
3. Press and hold the SMS message you intend to forward until it’s selected.

4. Tap the three vertical dots located at the top-right corner of the screen and tap on Forward.
5. A list of contacts will appear. Choose the specific contact to whom you want to forward the message. 

In case the message is for someone not on your contact list or a group of contacts, select New message. Then, enter the phone number or pick the desired group for message forwarding.

6. When you’re done, tap on Send. Your forwarded message will then be on its way!

How to forward text messages from iPhone devices

Let’s break down the steps for forwarding text messages on an iPhone:

1. Launch the Messages app.

2. Open the text message bubble you want to forward and tap and hold it. From the ensuing pop-up menu, opt for “More…”

3. A blue checkmark icon accompanies the selected message, allowing you to select additional messages to forward. Next, locate and tap the arrow icon located in the lower right-hand corner of your screen.

4. Enter the name of the contact to whom you want to forward the text, followed by tapping the Send arrow.

5. Once the task is complete, exit the text message forwarding selection screen by selecting Cancel at the top-right corner of your screen.

How to forward a text message with SimpleTexting

While forwarding texts from your Android or iPhone might seem simple at first, the process can swiftly turn overwhelming when you’re dealing with several messages sent to multiple recipients. This is precisely where a texting service like SimpleTexting steps in, offering a convenient solution to ease the burden.

Let’s assume you’ve already signed up for your free SimpleTexting trial. 

When it comes to forwarding texts where they need to be, we’ve got you covered with two nifty methods: Account Level Forwarding and Keyword Opt-In Forwarding. Let’s break it down into easy steps:

Account-level forwarding

What is it? This is for the big picture — all incoming messages, whether they’re keyword opt-ins or direct replies, can be forwarded to you.

How to get started:

1. Go to your Profile — you can find it by clicking your profile icon on the top right of your Dashboard and selecting Profile).

2. Head to the Notifications tab, and use the Email tab to have messages sent to your email. Alternatively, you can use the Desktop tab for browser notifications when SimpleTexting is open.

3. Click Save to save changes after tweaking your settings.

If you want to stop getting forwarded messages, simply remove your email from the settings. Note that these settings are personal; each team member can tweak them to their liking.

Keyword opt-in forwarding

What is it? If you only care about certain keywords or want specific team members to know when someone joins certain keywords, this is for you.

How to get started:

1. Head to Keywords on the left-hand side of your dashboard.

2. If you don’t have a keyword yet, create one. If you do, choose the keyword you’re interested in.
3. Scroll down to Additional parameters. Check the email box and enter your email to get notifications when someone opts in.

4. Repeat the same steps if you want text notifications. Note that text notifications cost 1 credit each.
5. Select Save keyword to activate the notifications.

To stop text notifications, simply uncheck the respective box. You can also create a group email and forward it to your team if you want emails sent to multiple addresses.

A note about call and text forwarding

You can text-enable your existing landline business number with SimpleTexting. That allows you to receive calls at the number you already have while sending text messages through SimpleTexting.

If you create a new number with SimpleTexting, it will initially work for text messaging specifically. If someone calls that number, they will get a message like, “Your call cannot be completed as dialed.” However, SimpleTexting offers a call forwarding option so when someone calls your SMS number, it can forward the call to a phone of your choice.

Embrace the power of omnichannel with SimpleTexting

Experience seamless text message forwarding by trying out SimpleTexting. This exceptional all-in-one business text messaging service not only streamlines SMS marketing campaign management but also enables you to send messages from landlines, computers, and mobile apps. User-friendly and budget-conscious, SimpleTexting is designed to meet your communication needs. If phone calls are a big part of your strategy, worry not – with SimpleTexting, you can activate call forwarding, ensuring your audience can be reached through calls and SMS alike.

Begin your free journey into mass texting today!

The post How to forward a text message: 3 effortless ways to share across numbers appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.

Okay, maybe that’s not a perfect comparison, but they both involve an important first contact followed (hopefully) by more meetings/conversations before a commitment gets made.

Do you hope that your prospect will fall head over heels for your product at first sight? Of course. But since only 2% of sales happen during first contact, it’s unlikely.

That means you’ll need to follow up with your leads at least once to help move the sale along. There are countless ways to conduct these follow-ups, but as you may have guessed, I recommend texting.

I’ll explain why and how to follow up with sales leads using SMS and throw in some easy templates you can take and use in your own business — whether that’s real estate, software, hospitality, or home security.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Why use SMS for sales follow ups?
• Pre sale follow up templates
• Post sale follow up templates
• Should you follow up after no response?
• 9 follow up tips real sales pros use to get responses
• How to automate sales follow up SMS
• Sales follow up text best practices

Why use SMS for sales follow-ups?

Other than the fact that I work for an SMS service provider, why on Earth would I recommend texting as the number-one way to follow up with your prospects? I could go on a tangent, but instead, I’ll give you a few of the most important reasons.

• It’s fast. First off, texts take only seconds to send, and statistically, 80% of consumers check their text notifications within just five minutes of receiving a message. 
• It’s reliable. Around 97% of Americans own a phone, meaning you’ll have a hard time finding a prospect who can’t receive texts.
• It’s personal. When you send an email, you show up alongside hundreds of other brands vying for your lead’s attention. When you send an email, you show up next to their friends and family. Texting can go a long way toward building trust with your prospects (as long as you have their permission to text them).
• It’s what your prospects want. Last, but definitely not least, your prospects want you to text them. In 2024, 79% of consumers are signed up to receive texts from businesses.

Send follow-up texts:

• After a prospect gives you their phone number.
• After a discovery call.
• After you give the customer a demo or test drive.
• After you provide a consultation or quote.
• After their free trial ends.
• After a prospect experiences a success of some kind, like media coverage.
• After a prospect has lost touch or goes cold.
• Suggesting relative, valuable content.
• Before an event like a webinar.
• Before your calendar becomes fully booked.
• After a successful sale.
• Cross-selling complementary products and services.
• Asking for feedback.

Here are way more templates for sales text messages for the full sales process.

Pre-sales follow-up templates

You came for templates, and templates you shall have. Use these example texts to follow up with prospects before a sale is made to help them decide on you and your business.

After a prospect gives you their phone number

So, your prospect has put their number into your web form or texted in your keyword. Use a text like this to get the conversation started.

After a discovery call

After meeting a prospect to understand their challenges and desired outcomes, you can use a text message to book your next meeting. We recommend showing your appreciation for the prior conversation and being clear about the next step in your sales process.

After a product demo

If you offer a demo as a precursor to buying your product, follow up with your lead after the demo is complete to answer any questions or help them get signed up.

After a consultation or quote

Similar to the demo template, you’ll want to touch base about next steps after providing a quote or consultation to a potential prospect.

After a free trial ends

If your product comes with a free trial before prospects commit to a purchase, don’t drop the ball as that trial comes to an end. Keep up the momentum by getting in touch as their trial is about to expire.

After a prospect’s success

Your prospects love to know that you’re invested in them as an individual, not just a number. If they’ve achieved something big recently, reach out to congratulate them.

After a prospect has lost touch

Sometimes prospects get busy or lose interest — it happens. That’s when you can follow up with a text message to re-establish contact and get the conversation back on track.

Suggesting relevant content

Your conversations with prospects can also go beyond strictly driving the sale forward. You also want to show them that you have value to add aside from the product you’re offering. Do this by reaching out with a link to content that might help them.

Before an event

If you’ve got a webinar or conference coming up with information your prospects could use, be sure to send them a message with an invitation and a link to register.

Before you run out of availability

There’s nothing like a little fear of missing out (FOMO) to motivate prospects who are on the fence to go on and buy. Let your prospect know that you’re reaching out to give them a limited-time opportunity.

Post-sale follow-up templates

Just because your new client made a purchase doesn’t mean you should lose touch with them. Use these templates to keep clients coming back for more after their initial purchase.

After a successful sale

Hooray! You made a sale. Now’s the time to strengthen your reputation as an attentive, client-focused sales rep by reaching out again to stay top-of-mind.

Cross-selling complementary solutions

After a prospect has made their initial purchase, it’s a good idea to call their attention to other products they might like related to that first item.

Asking for feedback

As a business owner, you’re always looking for ways to improve. The easiest and most efficient way to pinpoint what you can do better is to ask your clients. Send a follow-up text after each sale asking for thoughts and suggestions.

Should you follow up after no response?

It can be disheartening getting crickets in response to your lovingly crafted text messages. So much so, that it can be tempting to just stop completely for fear of annoying potential leads.

But research shows that a little perseverance can pay off. Sending “just one more” follow-up text can increase your average response rate by 11% and campaigns with at least one follow-up message convert 22% more leads than those with none.

9 follow-up tips real sales pros use to get responses

I was curious as to how salespeople get responses, so I reached out and looked at the social feeds of a handful of sales folks I respect. Here’s what I discovered.

Sales follow-up tips:

• Get an answer — whatever it is.
• Personalize the follow-up.
• Send a follow-up immediately after the first contact.
• Keep it clear and concise.
• Provide the most relevant information.
• Add a splash of humor.
• Include a call to action.
• Use follow-ups to get to know your leads.
• Automate the process.

1. Get an answer — whatever it is

Noah Kagan, Chief Sumo at AppSumo says he “always follows up,” adding that “50% of the sales I’ve made recently are from my second email. A lack of response doesn’t always mean a lack of interest. Everyone is busy. Make sure to make sure you get a no or a yes.” 

2. Personalize the follow-up

The more tailored your follow-up texts are, the better. “I feel like if you know a person or business well, there’s a higher chance of closing — especially if you know their pains and if they can afford what you’re selling,” says Sandra Djajic, Chief Marketing Officer at Klu. 

The easiest way to make sure you’re sending the right follow-ups to the right people is to segment your list.

“The better you can segment, the better your follow-up can be,” says former sales agency owner Zac Gawn. “Segment on customer type, product type, and stage in the buying cycle. Now we can send super personalized messages based on those, not some bog standard newsletter follow-up.”

3. Send a follow-up immediately after the first contact

As the saying goes: Strike while the iron’s hot. 

“Sending a follow-up text message immediately after a potential lead makes the first contact is one of our most effective lead generation and nurturing techniques,” says Lisa Richards, the CEO and Founder of Candida Diet. 

With research indicating that over 70% of customers will make a purchase from the first company to respond to their initial queries, this seems like a good game plan — but what does “first contact” actually mean?

“First contact entails anything from filling out a contact subscription form, sending an inquiry through private DMs on social media, or even sending us an email,” says Lisa. “After this initial contact, we send a follow-up text to the lead to inform them of potential next steps, such as scheduling a quick consultation to get to know them better.” 

4. Keep it clear and concise

Leads don’t want to have to jump through hoops to understand what you’re selling them or what you want them to do. Lay out exactly what you expect and be as clear as possible in your follow-ups. This is particularly important in text messages because you’re so short on space.

“Maximize lead generation through follow-up text messages by minimizing user effort,” says Normand Chevrette, the President and CEO of CME Corp. “Craft concise, compelling messages that highlight value and incentivize action.” 

5. Provide the most relevant information

Along with keeping things short and sweet, make sure you’re sending relevant information to each lead. This goes hand-in-hand with personalization tactics, but it also relies on you knowing what information a lead might need at each stage of the sales cycle. 

“In my experience, the best way to generate new leads with follow-up text messages is to use them as a way to get people in touch with you the next time they need something,” says Gauri Manglik, CEO and Co-Founder of Instrumentl. “For example, if you’re selling a product or service that takes multiple steps to sell — like a home security system — you could send a quick text message immediately after a customer leaves your office telling them about how easy it’ll be to get started.”

6. Add a splash of humor 

There’s a time and a place for joking around, but when you’re landing directly in someone’s personal SMS inbox, there’s often room for tasteful humor — if only to forge a deeper connection. 

“Integrate humor in your follow-up text messages to lighten the tone and create a memorable impression,” says Riva Jeane May Caburog, the Media Coordinator at Nadrich & Cohen. 

But there’s a caveat: “Ensure that the humor aligns with your brand’s voice and reflects the recipient’s preferences. Consider the nuances of your target audience’s humor sensibilities and customize your approach accordingly. Humor can make your messages more relatable and engaging, but the key lies in striking the right balance between being witty and staying on-brand.” 

7. Include a call to action

Let leads know exactly what steps you want them to take next with a clear call to action (CTA). 

“Every follow-up text should have a straightforward CTA, such as scheduling a callback or asking for more information,” says Matt Little, Co-Owner of Damien McEvoy Plumbing. 

8. Use follow-ups to get to know your leads

The goal of SMS sales is to open a dialogue between you and the lead and learn more about them with every message.

“Very few first engagements will result in a conversion,” says Ryan Rottman, Co-Founder and CEO of Online Sports Database. “The follow-up text creates the foundation to begin an ongoing conversation in which we are able to learn more about the customer, their pain points, and their motivations. This allows us to gradually tailor our promotions to match their interest and needs.”

9. Automate the process

Remembering to follow up with every lead at the perfect time can be a real headache — especially as your business starts to grow. To avoid being on your phone 24/7, automate your follow-up process.

“There are many amazing tools today that allow us to automate and optimize the follow-up text messaging process, and you can set it up to trigger both before and after the sales process,” says Tom Golubovich, the Head of Marketing at Ninja Transfers.

How to automate sales follow-up SMS

If following up at several points in the sales cycle for each prospect sounds like a lot of work, the good news is that it doesn’t have to be. 

Provided you use an SMS platform, you have a few ways of automating these follow-up messages to get your texts out quickly and with very little effort on your end. 

The process will look a little different based on the software you use, but I’ll walk you through each automation method in SimpleTexting. 

Auto-confirmation messages

If you use a text-to-join keyword to bring contacts onto your list, you have the option to fill out an auto-confirmation text that will send automatically when they text your keyword to your number.

This is a great opportunity to instantly start the sales conversation off on the right foot. 

1. Go to Keywords on the left-hand menu, click New keyword, and name your keyword.
2. Fill out your auto-confirmation message.
3. Decide which contact list contacts who use the keyword should be added to or create a new one.
4. Add any triggers you’d like to include (for instance, you could invite contacts to reply to the auto-confirmation message with DEMO to book a demo, at which point they would receive another automatic message with a booking link).
5. Save your keyword.

Autoresponders

Autoresponders are similar to auto-confirmation messages, except that you set them up to send at a designated time — which could be right after a contact texts in your keyword or hours, days, or weeks later.

1. In the Autoresponders tab, click New autoresponder and choose which keyword to attach it to.
2. Write out your autoresponder message.
3. Decide if it will send on a delay and set the delay if needed.
4. Add any other timing parameters you’d like with Advanced scheduling options, then hit Save autoresponder.

Integrations

Unlike the two automation methods I mentioned above, there are lots of ways to automate follow-up messages using software integrations. 

Be sure to check with your SMS provider to see which software they can integrate with, but SimpleTexting prospects often choose to integrate with platforms like Shopify or Salesforce to trigger sales follow-up texts based on prospect behavior.

Others choose to connect their account with an appointment scheduler to send messages before or after appointments or with Zapier for a wider range of text customization options. 

These are some of the software pieces that SimpleTexting integrates with (including the option to create your own custom integration).

Sales follow-up text best practices

You’re almost ready to start sending! Before you do, here are a few tips to help you start (and keep) your sales conversations on the right foot.

• Make sure to introduce yourself. No one wants to get a random text from an unidentified stranger. Make sure to tell your prospects both your name and your business’ name when you start the conversation.
  
• Consider your timing. It doesn’t matter how good your offer is, your prospects won’t like hearing it if your text wakes them up before their morning coffee. Aim for business hours when you send your message.
  
• Stay in touch (to a point). As I mentioned before, you won’t always make the sale on first contact (or even second). In fact, 60% of prospects say “no” four times before they say “yes,” so don’t give up.
  
  That said, use your common sense in deciding how many times you reach out. If you’re hearing, “No, I’m never going to buy from you” or, “Stop contacting me,” it’s time to cut your losses.
  
• Add a personal touch. 52% of consumers expect offers to be personalized every time (that’s up from 49% in 2019), so make personalizing your texts a priority. Include any details your prospects have voluntarily shared with you, like their names, locations, or birthdays.
  
  Pro tip: Make sure your SMS software offers things like Data Collection and Custom Fields to make personalization easy.

• Be clear about your CTA. You won’t make many sales if your prospects aren’t sure what you’re asking them to do. Include a clear CTA letting them know what steps to take, whether that’s clicking a link, replying to the text, or completing a purchase.

Meet your new favorite sales flow

When all you want to say is, “Buy this, it’s worth the investment,” it can be tough to find the perfect balance between persuasive and polite.

Thankfully, these templates will take some of the guesswork out of how to effectively communicate with your prospects to keep them engaged and motivated to buy.

Meghan Tocci, Lizzie Davey, and Nathan Ellering contributed to this piece. Lizzie Davey sourced original contributions from Lisa Richards, Normand Chevrette, Gauri Manglik, Riva Jeane May Caburog, and Matt Little.

The post 13 sales follow-up text SMS templates (plus best practices from real sales pros) appeared first on SMS Marketing & Text Marketing Services – Try It For Free.