Group Texting

Businesses can use a group SMS service to simultaneously connect with a select number of people. Recipients of a group chat would be able to respond to it, allowing the business to reach out to interested contacts. 

How Does Group Texting Work?

The process of sending a group text message depends on the platform or device you’re using. Although the concept is the same, the steps vary from one method to another. Here’s how to text a group in three different ways:

Sending a Group Message Via an SMS Platform

1. Upload your contact list: Start by creating a CSV or Excel file with names, phone numbers, and other contact information. Then, upload the list to the texting platform’s system. 

2. Formulate your message: Compose a message that’s short and to the point. Make sure to take the purpose into account. While a serious tone can be ideal for weather emergencies, promotional messages should be more uplifting. 

3. Schedule or send on the spot: You can either send the text on the spot or schedule it to be sent at a specific time. Scheduling can be ideal when you want your messages to reach the audience during peak engagement hours. 

4. Analyze delivery reports: Once you’ve sent your message, keep track of delivery reports and be ready to handle responses. Gauge the success of your messages by analyzing click-through rates. 

Sending a Group Text on Android

1. Open Google Messages 

2. Create a group for texting by tapping on “Start chat” and selecting “Create group”

3. Pick the recipients from the texting list and hit “Next”

4. Type a name for the group (or select “Skip”)

5. Compose the message and tap on the paper plane icon next to the message field

Sending a Group Message Via iOS

1. Open the Messages app and tap on the pencil icon in the top right corner 

2. Add people by selecting the plus icon to the right of the “To:” field and choosing them from the contacts list

3. Compose the message and hit the up arrow icon to send it

Benefits of Group Messaging

Businesses and organizations of all kinds can greatly benefit from group SMS messaging. The advantages revolve around affordability, convenience, and effectiveness. 

1. Inexpensive and Time-Saving

Group messaging is a cost-effective way to connect with customers, considering the high response rate and low cost of SMS. This guarantees that the SMS marketing ROI will be notable.

Also, group SMS texting is known to save a great deal of time. All you need to do is create a group, type the content, and click “send.” Many messaging software programs even enable automated text messages for groups. 

2. Easy to Implement

The process of SMS group messaging is straightforward and doesn’t require any professional coding skills. You pick the intended recipients, compose the SMS, and send the text message. Users can interact with groups of people using their phone’s native messaging app or group texting software. 

3. Better Engagement

With a significantly high open rate, SMS has great potential for customer engagement. One of the main reasons for this is its universal accessibility. Any mobile device with a data pack—smartphone or not—can receive text messages. This guarantees that every recipient in an SMS group can easily reply to the group text. 

4. Personalized Experience

Using SMS broadcast software, you can reach out to contacts in a text message group on a more personal level. This can include attracting customers with tailored and exclusive offers on special occasions. Studies show that personalized group text messages have a 45% response rate, making them an effective way to interact with consumers. 

Who Uses Group SMS Texting?

Group text messaging is a common practice in a variety of industries. It allows companies and organizations to interact with multiple contacts with a single message as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Common industries that make use of group SMS include:

• Healthcare organizations: Medical professionals use group messaging for various purposes like sharing surveys, sending payment reminders, and notifying about vacancy openings for appointments.

• Educational institutions: Schools and universities use group conversations to communicate with students, parents, and faculty members. This includes sending examination dates to specific individuals and informing them about closures.

• Home service businesses: Using SMS group text services, contractors keep in touch with homeowners to ask for feedback, share updates about appointment changes, and more.

• Real estate: Group messaging is an efficient way for real estate agencies to carry out a range of communications like sending updates on open houses, gathering feedback from clients, and running SMS marketing campaigns.

• Recruitment agencies: An agency can utilize group messaging for recruitment purposes like sending interview reminders and sharing updates on job openings.

• Non-profit organizations: With a texting group, non-profit organizations can connect with community members to share updates about projects, express acknowledgment to volunteers, and other purposes.

• Fitness centers: Constant participation and engagement with customers is key for gyms and fitness centers. Group communication can be useful for sharing deals, perks, upgrade offers, motivational messages, and more. 

Use Cases of Group Messaging in Business

Group messaging serves a variety of purposes for both businesses and organizations. It’s a convenient way to inform recipients about payment reminders, feedback, and appointments. 

1. Sending Payment Reminders

Most people use their mobile phones to make payments. A great way to remind them of those payments is via mass text messaging. This involves creating an SMS text group with customers whose due dates fall on the same day and sending them a reminder text. 

2. Requesting Feedback

Discovering how customers perceive your products and services is key to improving your business. Group SMS texting is an effective way to obtain these valuable insights. For instance, you can send a survey to everyone who shopped at your store on a particular day or within a certain period of time. 

3. Appointment Reminders

Group SMS messaging is an effective way to remind clients or customers of their upcoming appointments. Service-based businesses like barber shops and medical clinics can send these to clients who have bookings on the same day. These appointment reminders can be helpful for recipients, who'll confirm their attendance and stay organized. 

4. Emergency Alerts

Another case where text message groups can be valuable is for immediately reaching out about emergencies or critical updates. For example, a company can inform its staff about a closure due to severe weather or send safety notifications during security incidents. 

5. Event Invitations

Group messaging can be useful for inviting clients, partners, or employees to events, workshops, and seminars. You can easily communicate updates like changes in time or location, making sure that attendees receive prompt information and plan their day accordingly. 

6. Sharing Important Updates 

Sending crucial updates about your business ensures that your customers are always in the loop. Should you need to close your clinic due to an emergency, you can send a group SMS to inform those who have an appointment on that day. This is a great way to save time that would otherwise be spent reaching out to contacts individually.

7. Generating Reviews

Reviews left by customers help shape the online reputation of businesses. Group texting can be a useful tool for generating more reviews. For example, you can create an SMS group for patients who had appointments at a certain time, asking them to leave a review, and send it an hour after they leave.

8. Conducting Internal Communications

Aside from interacting with customers, group messaging can also be applied to internal communications. This can include keeping in touch with freelance employees, informing them about workplace changes, and sharing business updates. You can send a group message to a particular team, notifying them of a postponed meeting. 

Texting Large Groups With Dexatel 

Dexatel offers a solution similar to group messaging in the form of SMS blasts. This feature allows you to instantly reach a large number of recipients. And with tools like automation, integration, and personalization, you can make the messaging process more convenient, efficient, and effective. The platform also provides dedicated customer support to assist you with any questions or technicalities every step of the way.