Companies can appeal more to their customers by using a personalized marketing strategy. This approach must use methods tailored to a well-defined target audience. One good example of a strategy like that is SMS marketing.
SMS marketing has a tremendous open rate of 98%. Around 95% of recipients open text messages in the first five minutes of receipt. It’s a very fast and very cost-effective way of engaging with existing and potential customers, leading to increased reach, revenue, and loyalty.
Long Code SMS is a type of SMS marketing method gaining popularity in the business SMS marketing scene. Let’s discuss why.
Long Code SMS
By definition, a long code is a standard 10-digit phone number that begins with a three-digit area code. It’s named because a long code is longer than a short code, phone numbers that only have five to six digits.
When planning an SMS campaign, businesses can choose the best way to communicate with their audience. And they often get stuck choosing between long code SMS and short code SMS.
Both methods can be text-enabled to communicate with customers, but using long codes has several advantages.
Advantages Of Using Long Codes
Using long codes is a good approach to personalized text message marketing. Because of its 10-digit setup, it feels like an actual person is sending the message and not a bot and can be associated with local area codes of target markets.
Some of the aspects where it has an advantage over short code SMS include:
- Quick application. After filling out a form or making a call, you can get a long code on the same day and start sending out text messages right away.
- Accessibility. Using long codes for business purposes is supported by most local mobile carriers. With major mobile carriers dropping shared short codes, 10-digit landline numbers may be the only viable option for text marketing soon.
- Universality. With a long code, a company can use the same number to send messages, make calls, and even send faxes. This is great for branding.
- Personalization. Using long codes allows clients to save a company’s number on their phones. If a client saves a company’s long code, they will know the next time the company sends a message.
- Added customer service. Long codes are actual 10-digit numbers, and this may appeal to local customers. Couriers prefer this SMS type in informing their clients that their packages are for delivery. A company can add a personal touch and make it seem like the delivery staff is sending the messages.
- Cost-efficient. Using long codes is an inexpensive way to communicate with clients, even internationally. Don’t expect to use a short code for less than $1,000 per month, yet you can get started with long code SMS marketing for $25.00 / month.
Long Code Service Provider
Long code service providers (like Txtra), enable businesses to engage in two-way communication with their clients using dedicated 10-digit landline numbers.
Here are some of the other solutions that a long code SMS service provider can offer:
- Mass SMS messaging. This feature allows businesses to communicate with several clients at a given time. SMS marketing is permission-based, and businesses must have consent to send SMS messages to clients.
- Create scheduled messages. This is a great tool to use for promotions announcements or holiday greetings.
- Create scheduled autoresponders. We can increase personalized communications with clients by sending a welcome message, discount codes, or social media invites. This is a great way to save time on certain marketing campaigns.
Long code SMS can be a powerful marketing tool. If you’re looking for an easy, affordable way to send and receive messages to and from your clients, this is the right tool for you. Combined with a great marketing plan, this method can exponentially increase reach, revenue, and loyalty.
