Many organizations use a text blasting system in order to “text blast” large groups of people simultaneously. This is because a text message blast is simple to organize, inexpensive to run, and more effective at immediately reaching a large number of people than any other channel of communication.

SMS text blasting is most commonly used by the retail industry as a key part of a mobile marketing strategy. However, many different types of organization also take advantage of text blast services in order to generate engagement and build relationships within their communities.

One of the advantages that a text blasting system has over other channels of communication is that it is a permission-based activity. People have to opt in to receive text blast messages and are therefore more receptive to those messages, and more likely to engage with the sender or share the text blast messages with friends, families and colleagues.

Why an SMS Blast?

A text blasting system uses Short Message Service (SMS) technology because most all mobile devices support this technology. 98% of people have a mobile device that can receive an SMS blast, whereas only 68% of the population owns a mobile device that can receive email or support messaging apps.

Studies have shown that 91% of mobile device owners keep their mobile devices within reach at all times. Consequently an SMS blast is going to be more effective at reaching people than a message broadcast on TV (with a daily reach of 80% of the population), broadcast on radio (59%), distributed via the Internet (49%), or published in print media (13%).

An SMS blast also gives text message recipients the opportunity to reply. The same opportunity exists with messages sent by email and social media, but text blast messages have a much higher open rate than marketing emails - while only 29% of Tweets and 12% of Facebook posts are ever read. These figures help explain why Coca-Cola dedicates 70% of its mobile marketing budget to text blasting. 

Using the SMS Blaster Interface

In addition to being effective, text blasting is also easy. Companies and organizations wishing to send text blasts open an account with a provider of text blast services in order to gain access to the text blast software. Once logged into the text blast software, using the SMS blaster interface is as easy as 1…2…3.

  1. Choose to create a new text blast.
  2. Upload your opted-in contact list and write your text blast message.
  3. Either click “Send” or schedule your SMS blast to be sent later.

Within minutes of your SMS blast being sent, your opted-in contacts will be receiving and reading your message. You can monitor delivery rates, open rates and replies via the SMS blaster interface, which can be accessed from any device with an Internet service. This means that you do not have to sit behind a desk monitoring your campaign from a PC. The SMS blaster interface can be accessed from anywhere.

Features of the Text Blast Software

Text blast software has plenty of features to help accelerate your mobile marketing strategy, send reminders, run promotions and offer discounts. Sent messages can be saved as templates to be used in future text blaster campaigns, QR codes and tiny URLs can be incorporated into messages, and the features of the text blast software allow you to address each message to the individual recipient.

One of the most effective features of the text blast software is the poll builder. People love to express their opinions and reply to polls and, by using the poll builder feature, you can generate engagement with your customers, employees, students, or whoever is in your text blaster group. As people reply to your poll, you will be able to monitor the results in the text blaster interface.

Other features include the option to add multimedia (MMS) files to enhance your plain text message. Popular images, video and audio files are often shared between friends, families and colleagues, and can encourage many more people to opt into your text blast services. The more people you have in your contact list, the more effective your next text blast campaign will be.

Marketing with a Text Message Blast

Marketing with a text message blast gets your message heard in a crowded direct marketing environment. When used to complement other forms of advertising, a text message blast can help increase brand awareness and purchasing intent. Some brands - including those marketing to the highly coveted 15 - 25 year-old demographic - have reported reaching over 95% of their target audience by using a text blaster system..

Even as a stand-alone marketing tool, a text message blast can be exceptionally effective. It has been reported that text blaster messages containing tiny URLs have a ten-time higher click-through rate than emails containing the same links, and, when attached to a text message blast, digital coupons have a redemption rate up to eight times higher than when attached to an email.

An example of the effectiveness of marketing with a text message blast is provided in our video below. Please take a minute to watch it, as it contains some good ideas for generating engagement, increasing sales and building the size of your contact list for future text blast marketing campaigns.

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Show transcript

Speaker 1: How can SMS help my business grow? Here’s an example. Suzy is a marketing director for a museum. She uses CallFire to send her members text reminders so that they never miss a great exhibit. She even includes a link so smart-phone users can get all the exhibit details. Now that members know to visit the museum, Suzy’s got another marketing magic trick up her sleeve once they get there. She posts signs inviting visitors to text, “I love art,” to her CallFire phone number. Once they text in, they automatically receive a discount to the museum gift shop.

Suzy loves how easy CallFire makes sending and receiving texts, and her members love the timeliness and convenience of getting reminders, promotions, and discounts right in their pocket. CallFire works with both long codes and short codes and provides opt in and opt out support, all for just pennies per message. Developers can even use CallFire APIs to program SMS apps of their own. To learn more, visit CallFire.com or call 877-897-FIRE.

Other Uses of a Text Blasting Service

There are many, many other uses of a text blasting service - both commercial and non-commercial. Homebuyers can be kept up-to-date with new listings and price drops via an SMS blast. Parents can be sent school consent forms in a text blast, community volunteers can be coordinated with a text message blast, and voters can be encouraged to get out and vote using a text blasting service.

Access to text blast software can also be important during emergencies when data networks often get overloaded. Being able to remain in contact with employees, students, parents and personnel may be vital during security alerts, power outages or inclement weather. The text blasting service can help keep everyone safe, or advise them of last minute closures, cancellations or changes of venue.

Other uses of the text blaster interface include keeping fans up-to-date with the football score, alerting jobseekers to new employment opportunities and reminding parishioners to go to church. Indeed, many faith-based organizations have been able to engage the youth of their parish, using text blast services to increase attendances at church events and ensure the future of their congregations.

Find Out More about Text Blast Services from CallFire

Text blast services are not all the same. At CallFire, although we have designed our text blaster interface to be as simple as possible to use, we have also made our text blast software incredibly versatile. Consequently, organizations can integrate our text blaster interface with many popular web applications or use our APIs to build CallFire into their own apps.

We offer a wide range of subscription packages that suit the needs of every type of organization - many of the packages include keywords to help build your contact lists and increase sales. Opt-in widgets for use on websites and social media channels are also available from our industry-leading customer support team, who will guide you through the rules and regulations for using a text blasting system.

If you would like to find out more about text blast services from CallFire, or have any questions relating to using a text blasting system, do not hesitate to contact us. We have many years of experience in assisting organizations and businesses with their communications needs, and we would be delighted to help you set up your own text blasting system to effectively accelerate your mobile marketing strategy, send reminders, run promotions and offer discounts.