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SMS marketing / text marketing advice please

by Kazz
26 replies
I sell a product on Amazon and have phone numbers for my customers but not emails. I'd like to get their email addresses but amazon doesn't allow you to give website links to your customers.

I send a text message to someone who has bought a product from me to offer them a gift to get them to give me their email address. Doing this on my mobile phone is a nightmare trying to keep track of the different conversations.

At the start I like the communication to be personal (i.e. not bulk texting) to answer questions they may have but later will want to text out a coupon code to all my customers. I know nothing about text marketing.

Can anyone suggest software or a text service so that I can do this on my computer rather then my phone please?

Would I just be able to put my customer's phone numbers in or would I need to get people to opt in and if so how would I go about doing that?

Any advice on this or a course that covers this would be great thanks.
#advice #marketing #sms #sms marketing #text
  • Profile picture of the author imsolutionsgroup
    Do you have a Amazon FPS business merchant account?
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    • Profile picture of the author CJ Jones
      Just to clarify...we are able to send messages back and forth to subscribers through the platform just like we would using a cell phone
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      • Profile picture of the author Kazz
        Originally Posted by imsolutionsgroup View Post

        Do you have a Amazon FPS business merchant account?
        Originally Posted by CJ Jones View Post

        Just to clarify...we are able to send messages back and forth to subscribers through the platform just like we would using a cell phone
        Yes but using Amazon's email platform you can't send links to outside websites. So selling to your customers outside of Amazon or sending them to a opt in page isn't possible using their email platform.
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        • Profile picture of the author toddchaney
          Originally Posted by Kazz View Post

          Yes but using Amazon's email platform you can't send links to outside websites. So selling to your customers outside of Amazon or sending them to a opt in page isn't possible using their email platform.
          Yes, it will be helpful for the purpose you are looking for.
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          • Profile picture of the author Kazz
            Originally Posted by toddchaney View Post

            Yes, it will be helpful for the purpose you are looking for.
            Hi Todd, which suggestion are you referring to that might be helpful?
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            • Profile picture of the author toddchaney
              Originally Posted by Kazz View Post

              Hi Todd, which suggestion are you referring to that might be helpful?
              I was referring to FPS.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kazz
      Originally Posted by imsolutionsgroup View Post

      Do you have a Amazon FPS business merchant account?
      If this is their Flexible Payment Service no I don't. Would it be useful for what I'm trying to achieve?
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  • Profile picture of the author ASUService
    Actually there are several options for this. Search the WSO forum or Warriorplus and JVZoo marketplaces. A final decision boils down to budget and features needed. If you would like to discuss details PM me.

    If you're based in the USA or Canada you do need to be aware that legislation passed in late 2013 or 2014 in both the U.S. and Canada require the client to optin and confirm.

    Someone correct me if I'm wrong ... I'm not a lawyer ... considering they are a customer I believe you can send an initial message BUT it must adhere to the law ... info here:

    Canada: Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation & Notification Opt-in Best Practices

    USA: FCC’s Oct. 16 deadline for mobile opt-in looms for marketers - Mobile Marketer - Columns

    Be aware that unless they confirm the message you cannot send additional messages.

    One thought I had was to include in that message two options for optin. One would be a "reply to" situation and the other a link to a email optin page.

    I have found that the requirements for the initial message verbiage is tough to fit in a single text. Instead I link to a page that explains everything. If you did that you can include an alternative signup on the page that goes to email.

    Hope this helps.
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    Best Regards,
    Mike Allton
    ASU Service, Inc.
    The LAST SMS Platform You'll Ever Need! Easy Money!

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    • Profile picture of the author Kazz
      Originally Posted by ASUService View Post

      Be aware that unless they confirm the message you cannot send additional messages.
      Thanks for this info Mike, very useful.

      So does this mean I could use software to send a text message out in bulk to all my customers in one go as long as I only send ongoing text messages to people who reply to that?

      If I am just sending a text to a customer asking if they received the product they just bought are there requirements for that initial message verbiage? Would that be required if I'm doing it manually or only if I'm using an automatic dialing system?
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    • Profile picture of the author serryjw
      Mike, you are referring to B2C mobile marketing?
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  • Profile picture of the author justclick
    Sms marketing and text marketing both are good source to sell the product and do the product marketing through these sms and text marketing.
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    • Profile picture of the author mix87
      Originally Posted by justclick View Post

      Sms marketing and text marketing both are good source to sell the product and do the product marketing through these sms and text marketing.
      He is 100% right
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  • Profile picture of the author TrumpiaTim
    Assuming they have opted in and provided consent for you to solicit and communicate with the customer, you can use any mobile marketing provider that allows for one on one communication.
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    www.Trumpia.com

    Trumpia: The Most Completed SMS Text Messaging Software & API Solution.
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    • Profile picture of the author xlfutur1
      I use Twilio for all my stuff, and I could help you do this.

      When you text them the first time, ask if they would like to get a free gift by replying their email address.

      When they do, your system will enter their phone number into an SMS list AND an aweber list simultaneously (or any autoresponder that you can subscribe via email)

      Once you have them subscribe to both, you can then communicate by both email or SMS, trading off. You will probably want to do double opt in for both SMS and aweber to be on the safe side.

      Once they are subscribed, a simple SMS survey is easy to create as well. Check my sig for lots of free tutorials on building apps like this. PM me if you have any questions.
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  • Profile picture of the author SMSMobileMarketer
    XLfutur, are you a white label reseller for twillio?
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    TEXTPEDITE

    SEND MASS TEXT MESSAGES FOR FREE!
    www.Textpedite.com
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  • Profile picture of the author xlfutur1
    There is no such thing as a white label seller for Twilio itself. They just provide the developers platform for sms and voice apps.
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  • Profile picture of the author bobbyvhillman
    Hey buddy!! SMS marketing is the permission based marketing, from that service each customer must have provided a permission to the organization to send text messages to their cell phones. It can boost your small business. It contains reason, such as its opt-in facility and much more that why you should have to consider this service. There is one beneficial service for those individuals who wants to send SMS from their laptop rather than their mobile phones that has recently launched "ultra sms marketing software" that is developed with the help of Twillo framework.
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    http://www.ultrasmsscript.com/
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  • Profile picture of the author BenMiller12
    I think now many people consider this as scam
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  • Profile picture of the author JTV
    You're right. Doing all of that on your phone has to be a nightmare. That's why most people who do some form of SMS marketing use some sort of white label platform to send out messages to a large amount of subscribers at once. We offer such a platform, but you should definitely shop around, get some quotes, figure out what packages best suit your needs. If you have any questions, message us.
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    ULTRA SMS SCRIPT - A Powerful and Complete Text Message Marketing Platform

    Whether you’re promoting your own business, or offering SMS marketing services to your clients, we give you maximum impact at minimal cost
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexis Wilke
    On thing I've noticed is that most of the platforms allowing you to send/receive SMS messages will use what is called a "short number", those are usually 6 digits, although T-Mobile has a 3-digit number! (451 if I'm correct.)

    To my point of view, the problem with those is that it looks like you are a marketer even before your prospect opens the message. This is why I created https://SMSFromMe.com/ although in your case, it won't work (i.e. it does not help you manage conversations.)

    Now you say that you do not know anything about Text Marketing but at the same time you are already doing it (since you said that it was "too much" on your phone.) So I would say you already know enough. :-) If it's personal, then you don't really need to go much further than talking with people. If you automate the process, that's where you need to allow for the user to stop the messaging (i.e. Reply STOP to prevent further texting at this number.)

    I would do a search about SMS + Desktop (I would assume you wanted to move that to your main computer?) There are quite a few apps that will read/write SMS from/to your phone as if you were in Skype, Telegram, etc.

    For example, there are 4 that are mentioned on this page:

    https://www.greenbot.com/article/210...r-desktop.html
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    Alexis Wilke, Made to Order Software Corp.
    Turn Watcher (D&D Initiative Tracker) and Becoming an Internet Affiliate
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  • Profile picture of the author tane
    I've used 160.com.au (Australian based company) in the past for an eCom store. We used it for add to cart but no purchase and the results were well worth the cost of sending out an SMS. Their website and user-interface is like strolling back into the "90's" but they are very reliable.
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  • Profile picture of the author megakits
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    SMS marketing is a technique that uses permission-based text messaging to spread promotional messages. To receive text message specials, new product updates or more information, customers are usually required to opt in to an automated system by texting an initial short code.
    A marketing campaign that uses text messages to deliver advertisements or promotions to users.
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    Check this profile: https://www.fiverr.com/megakits

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    • Profile picture of the author Alexis Wilke
      It's true that I don't really get much spam on my cell phone. So I would imagine that most pay attention to the "User has to Opt In." I would imagine that you could lose your right to use such numbers if you don't follow the rules to some level.

      SMS From Me is expected to to that. The main difference is that it is expected to use your own personal phone with your phone number instead of a short code. That means you get a one on one conversation and it will look that way.
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      Alexis Wilke, Made to Order Software Corp.
      Turn Watcher (D&D Initiative Tracker) and Becoming an Internet Affiliate
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  • Profile picture of the author Jonas Heiskets
    Yes, you can use online platform such as Co-Sender.com, $0.02 per SMS, worldwide, with personalization, automation and delivery tracking.
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