How to hire a text message marketing company for a small business?

What is Text Message Marketing? Text message marketing is a form of mobile marketing that uses text messages to deliver public, private, and opt-in messages. It’s an inexpensive way for any business with a captive audience to send targeted ads straight to their customers’ phones.

Text message marketing can be used in many different ways: it can be used as the sole method of contact with customers, or it can supplement other methods like emailing or advertising on websites.  It’s also an easy way for businesses to reach out to people who are not currently interested in what they have offered—customers who haven’t spent money with them yet but might be persuaded by the right kind of text message.

However, to know how to hire a company of text message marketing for small business then stick around till the end of this article.

Find SMS Marketing Company Near You:

The first step is getting to know which companies serve your area. If you’re in Canada, there are hundreds of text message marketing companies to choose from. Some are big and some are small, but most follow very similar business models with only cosmetic differences between them. 

In the United States, you have a bit more choice when it comes to companies. However, there are still many reputable SMS marketing firms that you can choose from if you’re looking for something in particular—like a company with experience in B2B or software products.

The best way to find a text message marketing company is to look them up online. You can search for “SMS marketing” in your city, state, province, or country (depending on where you are) and see what comes up.

Another option is to check out the directory over at Your Business Name Sucks! It’s a business name generator that suggests relevant company names. The company names are either clever or silly (occasionally both), but the directory links to real websites that people can visit.

Check Out Customer Reviews:

The next step is to read reviews of all the different services. Make sure they have a solid reputation by checking for instances of quality customer service, attention to detail, and fairly competitive pricing.

If you’re in Canada, there are many local SMS marketing companies that have a strong following because they serve small businesses well. You can find plenty of testimonials from people who use them for things like invoicing or appointment reminders.

If you’re in the US, here are some companies to check out:   Marketlokal.com, Textlocal.co.uk, SMS Group. Also see these online companies that charge $100 per month for mobile marketing services: TinyPulse (US), TextMagic (US), Thryv (US).

Decide on a Service:

Step three is to decide if you’re going to go with a reseller or an end-to-end provider. The biggest difference between them is that resellers will take care of many details for you, but the final say in what’s done and how much it costs rests with you.

By contrast, end-to-end providers will give you a quote and then take care of everything. You just need to sign off on what they’re doing along the way.

Some companies even let you use their SMS gateway to send your own messages without requiring any technical knowledge or creating an additional account. The company’s servers handle all delivery so you can relax and use a familiar interface.

Choose a Package:

Step four is to choose a package. You’ll be able to find several different packages from most companies, each with unique features that help you get the most out of your money.

In this step, don’t forget to ask about billing rates so you know which plans will cost more as your business grows. You’ll want to avoid paying extra as you acquire more customers over time.

Sign a Contract:

The final step is to sign an agreement with the company and let them know how best to keep in touch with you going forward. Some companies will send you a contract for signing, but others may require a separate email or request a follow-up phone call.

You can either sign by phone or ask for electronic signatures instead. Most companies will know what to do, but some may need you to explicitly request this before moving forward with the sale.

Let’s Recap:

So now that we’ve gone through the process of how to hire a text message marketing company for a small business, let’s recap the steps.

Start by searching online for “SMS marketing” or related options. Look for reviews on different companies and decide whether you want to go with an end-to-end provider or a reseller instead. If you’re feeling extra motivated, you can even ask customers about their experience with various services.

Now that you’ve chosen a service, decide on a package and then sign an agreement with the company. If you’re feeling extra motivated, consider requesting electronic signatures or even giving online reviews of your experience.