Virtually every individual and business sends an SMS to connect with people. After all, we live in a mobile-first and mobile-friendly society. This is why businesses from various industries have quickly adopted SMS as their marketing strategy. With the advent of bulk SMS, the process has become more cost-effective and personalized. As people are now becoming more responsive to text messages, bulk SMS will make sure to reach your target audience.

Bulk SMS types – What they are
A bulk message is a great way to share a large number of texts at the same time with a large number of recipients via an API. Typically, businesses use bulk SMSes to reach out to their target audience. They send the same message and add personalized elements for all the customers.
A series of factors, including a mobile app, a desktop software program, a website, and an SMS API, can contribute to sending SMS in bulk. They allow you, as an individual or business, to send SMS to millions of people across the world at a time. Here is how you can send bulk SMS.

Here are various use cases for bulk SMS:

• Service:  When you register on a website, you will get a message with an OTP (one-time password). Enterprises use this type of service to provide an extra sense of security for online audiences.
• Promotional:  A promotional message entails sending an SMS to customers explaining a product or service. Both businesses and individuals can use this service to gain more potential customers.
• Transactional:  Transactional is the type of message you receive when you debit or credit an amount from your bank account. The bank system usually preprograms the message.

Benefits of sending SMS online
There are billions of mobile users worldwide, and this number surges annually. Therefore, more and more people increasingly use SMS online marketing services as a part of their engagement strategies. We have put together its top benefits:

• Instant impact:  Unlike other communication modes, an SMS tends to reach the target audience within seven seconds or less. It also makes it easier for businesses to gain an instant response from their respective audience groups.
• Cost-effective:  The cost of sending bulk SMS is reasonable and relatively slow compared to other marketing forms. In addition, when you consider the Return On investment (ROI), you will gain double the investment figure.
• High open rate:  The open rate of SMS has been reported to be higher than that of emails. It has a higher chance of receiving a response from the recipient.
• Increasing conversion rates:  Experts have reported that email conversion rates are very low. However, the response rate is increasing, and people tend to respond to a text message within a few minutes.
• Customizable campaigns:  Bulk SMS allows businesses to target an entire database of contacts or even a single customer. Personalizing your marketing approach, like setting up templates or changing the world, will increase your generic rate more than the generic message.

Legal requirements to send an SMS to a mobile

SMS marketing can be powerful to your growth strategy, no matter the vertical. However, before you decide to do that, it is important to ensure that your SMS efforts comply with the rules and regulations.

Here are a few regulations for sending an   SMS without running into any legal problems:

• Get express written consent:  According to the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act), the audience must provide express written consent or permission to businesses to send automated promotion messages. The written consent should be explicit and precise so that people know what they are signing up for.
• Add a call-to-action in the opt-in method:  Whatever the opt-in method you choose for express written consent, make sure to have a compliance call-to-action in the SMS. CTA is the phrase that encourages the audience to take action.
• Automated marketing messages:  The federal regulations require customers to revise marketing messages, but not with the condition of compulsory purchasing.
• Purpose of the SMS campaign:  Let your recipients know the purpose, whether coupons or birthday reminders.
• Frequency of messages:  The recipient must be aware of the frequency of the messages they receive, like one-time coupon reminders or recurring campaigns about discounts and weekly deals.
• Message and data rates:  In today’s era, unlimited texting is the new norm. However, in certain cases, one has to pay a small fee to send an SMS to a mobile. You must inform the recipients about the charges.
• Send a confirmation SMS to new recipients : No matter how the recipient signed up for your bulk SMS list, your first text should be a carrier compliance text conforming to their decision. It should have necessary information like your identity, the frequency of the message, the applicability of messages and data rates, and how to opt out of the service.
• Avoid texting during quiet hours : According to the TCPA, you should not text contacts with promotional SMS messages during quiet hours, which are between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.

With increased personalization and targeted ideas, SMS messaging has become a sought-after approach. It has evolved constantly to meet the unique needs of modern business. When businesses send SMS to their customers and prospects, it will build a strong connection and become a part of their daily lives.