Managing Bulk SMS Opt-in

Thinking of casting your bulk SMS net as far and wide as possible with the hope of catching as many new customers as you possibly can? While the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of 2002 allows you to SMS individuals who have not yet opted to receive communication from you, it might not be in your company’s best interest. Receiving opt-in confirmation from current and prospective clients is beneficial in more than one way.

Unsolicited Bulk SMS = a Bad Idea

The ECT Act, as it is more commonly known, states:

Any person who sends unsolicited commercial communications to consumers, must provide the consumer with: a)        the option to cancel his or her subscription to the mailing list of that person; and b)        the identifying particulars of the source from which that person obtained the consumer’s personal information, on request of the consumer.

This means that you’re allowed to send out unsolicited bulk SMS messages, but must provide the option for recipients of your messages to opt-out and, should they request it, tell them how you got their contact details. From a marketing perspective, sending out unsolicited SMS messages is perhaps one of the worst things you can do. Here’s why:

• The recipients of your message may reject the mobile phone as a marketing medium completely, since their initial interaction with this medium was negative.
• Current and prospective customers could reject or even come to actively dislike your company, brand, product and/or service after receiving unsoliticed SMS messages from you.

Less pointedly, but still relevant, is the fact that unsolicited bulk SMS messages can prove to be deceptive. “4 Bedroom house, double garage, swimming pool only R1.4m” may be a source of frustration or disappointment for someone in a lower income class. The repercussions of this type of unsolicited SMS message can be huge.

Why Should You Use an Opt-in Bulk SMS Strategy?

Because it’s clever marketing and could potentially increase your brand reach more effectively than any other medium. Figures have shown that the response rate for mobile marketing can reach up to 25% on a single bulk SMS marketing campaign, quite simply because customers who opt-in to receive further communications from you may have a current or future need for what you have to offer. In other words, you have an eligible audience and a potent platform for targeted marketing.

How To Get Bulk SMS Opt-in Confirmation

Getting opt-in confirmation from current and prospective customers is actually easier than it seems: you ask for it. Bulk SMS as a marketing vehicle works best in conjunction with special offers, coupons and other promotional incentives. “SMS your name for a discount…” or “SMS to win…” are sure-fire ways to engage your target audience. After receiving the initial communication, opt-in is as easy as “Reply with YES to receive further promotional SMS messages”. However, remember to provide those on your contact list with the opportunity to opt-out at any time they want. If your product or service is something they are truly interested in, then chances are they won’t opt-out at all. Technically, sending out bulk SMS messages is an easy  feat and can be achieved in a variety of ways, using any of the available API’s. However, to receive opt-in confirmation from your target audience, you’ll have to ensure that the API you are using can handle two-way communication. In most cases the HTTP/S and SMPP API’s are those most frequently used to both send and receive bulk SMS messages. Other API’s that exist include FTP, SMTP, SOAP, XML and .COM objects. These can easily be combined with one another to ensure  effective two-way bulk SMS communication to suit any B2C communications strategy. Essentially, it’s all about giving your current and prospective customers the freedom to opt-in and opt-out as they see fit. This will ensure that you always have a willing audience to send bulk SMS messages to and, as a consequence, a potential for increased profits.

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Tags: API's, bulk SMS, Bulk SMS messages, bulk SMS messaging, Bulk SMS text messages, Clickatell ZA, SMS, SMS messages