Business messaging is a powerful tool for business owners who want to reach a larger audience or stay connected to their clients or customers. However, legislation like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) requires business owners to adhere to specific messaging standards when sending marketing or promotional materials. Therefore, this article outlines how to use a business messaging app effectively to engage customers and comply with legal requirements.
Business messaging defined
Business messaging is a form of digital communication that allows businesses to engage with their audience. While it can be easy to assume that text messaging is the only form of business messaging, many other communication channels exist, such as email campaigns or social media announcements.
As technology and consumer preferences change, business messaging has become more popular for marketing and promotional purposes. Younger generations, like Millennial consumers, are likelier to engage with businesses via text messaging and social media. Therefore, companies interested in attracting new customers would benefit from personalization and real-time communication through business messaging.
Additionally, business messaging can be used in the office to communicate with employees and key stakeholders through unified communication tools. For example, many remote and distributed teams use workplace messaging platforms to communicate and collaborate on projects.
The different channels of business messaging
There are many different messaging channels that you can utilize to communicate with your audience. Each has unique benefits for small business owners that you can learn more about below:
Text messaging
Texting is the top mobile activity for customers, with 83% using their mobile device to communicate throughout the day. Hence, businesses would greatly benefit from sending SMS or MMS messages to interact with customers or potential clients. Adopting a text messaging service is one of the easiest ways to automate announcements or send mass messages to promote your business and services.
Email is one form of business messaging with two uses: internal and external communication. Internally, you can use email for more formal engagement with employees and clients, creating a clear record of correspondence between your business and key stakeholders. Additionally, email marketing allows you to engage with an external audience.
Gmail is an excellent option for internal and external business messaging. (Source: Google)
For example, email campaigns are one of the most affordable and efficient ways to reach customers. While text messaging works well for short messages, emails allow you to share more information, such as images, videos, or sponsored content. Businesses that sell products or services can also use email correspondence to contact customers who have purchased from their company.
Team chat
Team chat messaging has become a popular method of internal communication, staying connected to team members within and outside the office. Some of the most popular messaging platforms, like Slack and Microsoft Teams, allow you to share files, images, and video messages in one place. This communication channel also works well for asking questions, brainstorming ideas, or continuous engagement.
Message coworkers using a Slack channel. (Source: Slack)
Social media
Social media marketing is one of the best ways to build your audience and brand loyalty. It can also broaden your reach and increase your business’ visibility. Use social media and marketing tools to gather customer feedback and gain valuable insights into your brand’s reputation. Some top social media marketing platforms, like Sprout Social and Hootsuite, allow you to schedule content and manage your business messaging online.
Sprout Social lets you schedule social media content and messaging. (Source: Sprout Social)
Instant messaging
Instant messaging is often a form of business messaging found within an app that allows users to communicate quickly through easy-to-access and navigate platforms. Some of the most popular messaging apps, like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, can be used to support and engage with customers directly. Conversational CRMs like Zoho CRM and Kommo allow users to manage their messaging apps in one place.
Kommo integrates with multiple messaging apps, like Facebook Messenger. (Source: Kommo)
Live chat
While most other business messaging methods focus on asynchronous communication, live chat services allow you to communicate with customers in real time. Most businesses use a website widget to provide live chat support through customer support representatives or artificial intelligence agents who answer questions about their business or how to navigate their digital platforms.
Ruby Receptionists is a live chat service that virtually manages customer interactions. (Source: Ruby)
Push notifications
Push notifications are an effective way to encourage customers to engage with your platform when using a business messaging app. You can notify customers of an important event, sale, or other time-sensitive information through automated messaging, leading to improved click-through rates and sustained interactions.
How business messaging can benefit your business
No matter the industry or size, businesses can enhance their communication strategies by utilizing various channels to engage a diverse audience. These channels can serve multiple purposes, from sending marketing and promotional materials to keeping team members in the loop on internal operations. Below are some examples of how effective business messaging can improve your communication strategy:
- Increases customer reach: When building your customer base, sending messages across multiple communication channels is important to reach a wider audience. While some customers will prefer social media outreach, some will interact the most with text messages, so the more channels you have, the easier it is to meet potential customers where they are.
- Improves cross-channel support: Many customers prefer business messaging because it allows them to receive faster customer service than making a phone call. So, while many businesses prioritize phone support, it is beneficial to diversify your offerings with other support channels, like live chat, email ticketing, and text messaging.
- Boosts responsiveness: Compared to other forms of communication, business messaging tools like SMS messages and automated messages are sent directly to a phone number or mobile device. This makes it more likely for potential customers to engage with the messages.
- Builds brand loyalty: The more you communicate with your customers, the more they learn about your business and why they should invest in your products and services. Through business messaging, you can develop a stronger relationship with your audience.
AI & automation in business messaging
As automation and artificial intelligence (AI) become more integrated into communication platforms, they also significantly influence business messaging development. One benefit of using AI in marketing and promoting your business is that it allows you to create a more personalized experience for your customers and increases the frequency of communication.
For example, AI chatbots can be customized to simulate human conversations and interact with customers on behalf of your business. Often, chatbots can act as customer service agents, providing 24/7 support and availability for inquiries. These bots can also provide a more personalized service by analyzing user profiles and past interactions, improving customer experience.
Chatbots can be used to provide more immediate business messaging.
In addition to artificial intelligence, marketing automation allows you to scale your outreach by increasing the breadth and frequency of messages you send. For example, you can set up automated messages or schedule promotions to increase the messages you send to your customer base.
Security & data privacy in business messaging
Although implementing business messaging as part of your communication strategy offers many exciting benefits and opportunities, you should also consider consumer protection, security, and data privacy. Over the past several years, institutions like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have passed legislation protecting consumers from unsolicited marketing materials — influencing businesses.
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) regulates how businesses can send marketing messages to consumers. This means that business messages should only be sent to consumers who express permission to receive them. Businesses are also not allowed to send messages to people on the Do Not Call Registry (DNCR), and there are restrictions on how to send automated and recorded messages.
When it comes to email campaigns, the CAN-SPAM Act, or the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003, also provides best practices and regulations for sending business messages. For example, businesses should not send false or misleading information and each email should be identified as an advertisement. Additionally, marketing emails should contain clear opt-out protocols, so subscribers can stop receiving emails from your business anytime.
Under the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), now known as The Wireless Association, these regulations are supported by guidelines and best practices for businesses to follow when sending and receiving consumer messages. To learn more about these guidelines, visit the CTIA’s most recent outline of messaging principles and practices for business communications.
Compliance & legal considerations
Another method of protecting consumers is ensuring the safety and security of customer data collected through business messaging platforms. In the era of big data, many institutions have implemented policies and legislation to ensure that data is collected ethically and responsibly, so you should be aware of how these regulatory frameworks influence your business.
The European Union (EU) passed the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, which applies to businesses with a regional presence or global reach. This privacy law introduces new security and privacy laws and limits how customer data can be handled. The laws prioritize receiving consent before collecting data and ensuring businesses adhere to the EU’s data protection and accountability standards.
Similarly, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) allows California residents to receive information about how their data is collected and stored. This means that customers in California have the right to delete their personal information, opt out of sharing their information, and correct or limit how sensitive data is collected and shared.
As a business owner, you should review these regulations and understand how these laws may influence your data collection and messaging practices. If they do, choose a business messaging platform that makes it easy to adhere to these regulations. For example, you should find software that offers enterprise-grade encryption and methods of securing customer consent.
Best practices for effective business messaging
Now that you understand the benefits and uses of business messaging, I have created a step-by-step guide outlining what you need to know to effectively engage with customers based on customer data, audience profiles, and messaging requirements.
- Register your business phone number: Once you have chosen a virtual phone number provider, you must register your phone number with the campaign registry (TRC) to ensure you can send customers business messages. This initial step is essential to complying with regulatory requirements regarding business messaging.
- Analyze your audience: Before you begin sending messages, it is essential to understand your business’ audience. You can do this by creating user profiles or analyzing customer data you already have. Then, you can use this information to plan your communication strategy.
- Develop a brand voice and schedule: Once you know your audience, you can develop a distinct voice and tone in your messaging that reflects that audience. Personalizing messages to your audience builds a stronger relationship with them. Your data analytics can also help you determine the best times and schedules to send messages to your audience.
- Tailor messages to communication channels: The type of message you write should reflect the method you are using to communicate. For example, SMS messages should be short and include clear intent, greetings, and sign-offs. In contrast, emails should contain more detailed information, such as a clear subject line, message, and personalized business signature.
- Track customer engagement: Depending on the VoIP provider you use to send business messages, you can collect customer data, like email subscriber lists and phone numbers, to track key metrics like click-through rates, open rates, and customer satisfaction scores. You can then use this information to continue tailoring your messages’ tone, quantity, and timing.
- Securely store and gather customer data: As you gather customer feedback and data, you must also ensure that your business messaging app securely stores this information. Therefore, look for platforms that offer data encryption, secure cloud storage, and compliance certifications.
Examples of effective business messaging in action
Depending on your industry, business messaging has many benefits to engaging with customers, clients, and employees. Click on the tabs below to learn more about industry-specific use cases for this type of messaging, which can help you streamline communication and increase sales.
Medical offices and healthcare providers can use business messaging to send clients reminders and updates. For example, businesses with a cancellation policy can send an appointment reminder via email or text, making it easier to confirm or cancel an appointment in advance. You can also send reminders to refill prescriptions or view messages in a patient portal.
Access to real-time updates is crucial for travelers in tourism and hospitality. Travel agents can use business messaging to send updates or changes to an itinerary. In contrast, hotels can use messaging to send updates about rooms, such as check-ins, check-outs, and customer feedback surveys. Businesses focusing on transportation can also use business messaging to send updates, real-time links, and tracking data for car services and rentals.
Retail and sales industries benefit the most from business messaging. You can use your CRM to send promotional offerings and advertisements encouraging customers to make a purchase or visit your store. Additionally, you can link your messaging and campaigns to an online shopping platform, creating a straightforward customer journey from the initial message to making a sale.
Although sending messages about financial accounts requires another level of data security and compliance, banks and financial apps can benefit from incorporating business messaging into their systems. SMS messages are a faster notification method when customers need time-sensitive information or account updates, such as an impending overdraft or suspicious activity.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The primary purpose of a business message is to inform or respond to the audience for your business. This could be through sharing announcements or updates to potential customers via social media or engaging with returning customers through emails.
To get a business phone number for messaging, you should find a provider that offers it. To learn more, check out the guide on VoIP phone systems to find a provider with business messaging. Then, if required, you can register your business number with 10-digit Long Code (10DLC) compliance to start sending messages.
Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), you must obtain express written consent before sending business messages to customers for marketing or promotional purposes. You can do this by establishing clear opt-in and opt-out messages in your messages.
Bottom line
Business messaging is one of the easiest ways to contact customers and keep them updated about your services. For example, by sending social media blasts or promotional texts, you can build a dedicated consumer base invested in learning about your products and services. You can also use tools like email and team chat to send updates and keep team members in the loop about important projects. Therefore, business messaging is an essential tool for the 21st-century workforce.
