{"id":1343,"date":"2020-07-21T11:56:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-21T09:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/?p=1343"},"modified":"2023-02-07T13:14:56","modified_gmt":"2023-02-07T12:14:56","slug":"4-baby-steps-to-begin-with-sms-messaging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/4-baby-steps-to-begin-with-sms-messaging\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Baby Steps to Begin with SMS Messaging"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Did you know that 61% of people check their phones within five minutes after waking up? We do shopping on public transportation, looking for discounts and checking products on Instagram &#8211; with our noses in our phones. Isn\u2019t it a great chance to send SMS with a significant discount to help the customer to make the purchase happen? Discover 4 simple steps to begin your journey with SMS messaging!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"database\">Work at the grassroots &#8211; build your customer database<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your SMS messaging campaign will bring expected results if you take care of the naturally built customer base. The database consisted of people who are willing to receive text messages from your brand is not only required by GDPR but also by your conscience and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/say-hello-permission-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">permission marketing<\/a> rules. There are several ways to create a database:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">paper forms in your store<\/span>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">during an online transaction,<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">loyalty clubs based on SMS messages &#8211; engage loyal customers with regular communication and special offers,<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/en\/newsletter-sms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Newsletter SMS<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; this simple widget allows you to collect contact data directly on your website, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/3-simple-steps-to-create-a-unique-consumer-database-for-your-sms-marketing-campaigns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">read how to implement it<\/a><b>,<\/b><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/en\/integrations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">integrations<\/a> with CRM (e.g. PrestaShop, Magento) &#8211; send automated <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/en\/sms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SMS notifications<\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">about the delivery status, confirmation of payment or order completion,<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">through <\/span>virtual mobile number<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during contests, events.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"infobox infobox--attention post-content--full-width\">\n  <div class=\"infobox__icon\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/smsapi-blog-2021\/assets\/icons\/exclamation.svg\">\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"infobox__title\">\n    <h4>Power of opt-out<\/h4>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"infobox__content\">\n    Remember, it\u2019s good to let your subscriber sign out of SMS newsletter. But how? Use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/en\/opt-out-sms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Opt-out feature<\/a> which allows customers to unsubscribe from SMS newsletter with a link added to a text message.\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"upload\">How to upload your database<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, so you have your database ready to perform high. Now it\u2019s time to put it to work. Here&#8217;s how to upload it in your SMSAPI panel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>begin with creating and naming a group;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/1.png\" alt=\"Creating a contact group in SMSAPI Customer Portal\" class=\"wp-image-1345\" width=\"650\" height=\"427\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click \u201cimport\u201d, prepare your file according to the information on the blue &#8220;Information&#8221; field, choose the file from your computer or copy\/paste data;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/2.png\" alt=\"Importing a contact database to SMSAPI Customer Portal\" class=\"wp-image-1346\" width=\"650\" height=\"398\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Assign columns from the file to the specific field types and choose the group which should contain these contacts;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/3.png\" alt=\"Selecting field types during import\" class=\"wp-image-1347\" width=\"650\" height=\"574\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Wait a while, and\u2026 ready!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/4.png\" alt=\"Successful import screen\" class=\"wp-image-1348\" width=\"650\" height=\"342\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"message\">Create 160 characters piece of art &#8211; the content of a text message<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You are halfway there to know the basics of SMS messaging. Now, for the next step, the quality of your campaign depends strongly on the message itself. Please find some golden rules of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/en\/sms-marketing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SMS marketing<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>introduce yourself &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/sender-id-how-to-send-branded-sms-company-name\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">use an SMS sender name<\/a> (11 characters long)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>create exciting &amp; engaging content with a <i>call to action<\/i> and time-limited offer,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>give a real value &#8211; discount, knowledge, entertainment,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>take communication further &#8211; use a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/en\/url-shortener\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">short link<\/a> in the message to bring customers to your website or any media,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/en\/personalization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">personalize<\/a> &#8211; use names and other data you\u2019ve collected to make this message personal,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/en\/targeting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">targeting<\/a> &#8211; divide users into groups based on any data you want: age, gender, shoe size and create different content for different groups,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>add the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/let-him-go-opt-out-sms-as-a-tool-to-keep-your-database-more-efficient\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">opt-out link<\/a> in the message.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-smsapi-blog wp-block-embed-smsapi-blog\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"SSSOyChfgr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/basics-of-content-marketing-in-your-sms-campaign\/\">Basics of Content Marketing in SMS Campaigns<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Basics of Content Marketing in SMS Campaigns&#8221; &#8212; SMSAPI Blog\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/basics-of-content-marketing-in-your-sms-campaign\/embed\/#?secret=bXZflRCQVA#?secret=SSSOyChfgr\" data-secret=\"SSSOyChfgr\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"measure\">Send and learn!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Then send again, and analyze the results. Rinse and repeat. Make A\/B tests. Use your imagination and every feature available to find your way to rock the SMS messaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Track traffic in Google Analytics with short links with UTM parameters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to track SMS campaigns with UTM parameters? | SMSAPI\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K8dEN0OXFzg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know that 61% of people check their phones within five minutes after waking up? We do shopping on public transportation, looking for discounts and checking products on Instagram &#8211; with our noses in our phones. Isn\u2019t it a great chance to send SMS with a significant discount to help the customer to make [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1344,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[41,35,20],"class_list":["post-1343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knowledge","tag-content","tag-database","tag-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1343"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1343\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5459,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1343\/revisions\/5459"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smsapi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}