Texting has increasingly become a popular way for businesses to communicate with customers.
Key details
Texting as a marketing tool holds great potential, providing quick communication and allowing customers to opt in or out of receiving texts from a company. It’s growing more popular.
In the last year, texting has become 7% more popular as a means of communication.
Texting messages work especially well for “convenience messaging.” Of those surveyed…
- 75% prefer to receive appointment reminders through a text message
- 7% prefer a phone call
- 16% prefer email
In fact for appointment reminders, emergency notifications, payment reminders, and delivery confirmation, texting is preferred.
When it comes to order confirmations, flash sales, even invitations, customer support, payment support, and promotional offers, emails are preferred. Phone calls are never preferred.
Text messages are read quickly as well, with 55% of respondents reading a message within five minutes of receiving it.
Why it matters
Finding new ways to interact with customers can be a tricky balance. A majority of customers tend to have their phones nearby, making texting an alluring option.
More than half of 3,000 U.S. adults surveyed have their phone nearby 97% of the time, according to a EZ texting survey.
While texting may be a convenient marketing tool, businesses must be careful not to overdo it, especially since it is typically easy for consumers to opt out of texts.
Survey respondents seemed split on the amount of texts they considered appropriate, with 30% saying more than once a day was acceptable, 26% a few times a week, and 16% once a day.
Surprising statistic
Overdoing the texting will likely result in potential customers unsubscribing. In fact 67% of respondents said they unsubscribed due to too many messages. Timing may have an effect as 63% of respondents prefer to be messaged on weekdays during normal business hours.
