12 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
12 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Question on white label SMS

by ronr
10 replies
For anyone providing this type of service.

If you get your own whitelabel SMS service and sign up a client. Once you have them signed up and set them up, does the client send the txt messages out themselves or do you need to do it for them? How much is your involvement each month?

Thanks, Ron
#label #question #sms #white
  • Profile picture of the author IMguy123
    Originally Posted by ronr View Post

    For anyone providing this type of service.

    If you get your own whitelabel SMS service and sign up a client. Once you have them signed up and set them up, does the client send the txt messages out themselves or do you need to do it for them? How much is your involvement each month?

    Thanks, Ron
    Good question since I am attempting to start this also...I do see benefits of having both abilities especially since it would likely get labor intensive if I would have to blast texts every time my clients wanted it done. Since I am not offering this service as of yet, I will be waiting for others responses also.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4260946].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author ronr
      My favorite kinds of recurring income are the kind that where I provide software or service that the customer/client uses on their own and you just provide setup, customer/tech service etc) As you said this kind of business could be labor intensive. If each client is txting 1x per week and you have 100 clients...no thanks.

      If however it is basically self service after set up (other than the normal customer service issues) and for those clients who want it done for them wh are willing to pay a premium, then it makes a lot more sense.

      Ron


      Originally Posted by IMguy123 View Post

      Good question since I am attempting to start this also...I do see benefits of having both abilities especially since it would likely get labor intensive if I would have to blast texts every time my clients wanted it done. Since I am not offering this service as of yet, I will be waiting for others responses also.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4261069].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author ronr
        Hmm, no answer from anyone doing this and I've asked a couple of people in threads or a PM.

        Is it a secret?

        Ron
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4286342].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Seantrepreneur
    Hey Ron,

    Yes, it is a secret, but I will tell you as long as you promise to keep it to yourself! haha

    What I have been doing is giving ppl the option is running their own campaign if they would like to, but encouraging them to let us run it for them. When we do this we are, as you mentioned above, charging a premium for the service. The ppl who decide they want to run their own campaign are great too because its recurring income for pretty much not doing anything.

    On the flip side if your company doesn't have time or would rather have it run by professionals then we will gladly collect the said premium for the service. With our software's scheduling abilities it makes it easy to set it and forget it. I'll gladly have 100 clients paying the premium to have us run it.

    Feel free to PM if you have more specific questions. Hope that helped!
    Signature
    -------->Started with $500 on Amazon and building it from there. Week #1 income report is live ($593.78 in revenue)<----------
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4286412].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author ronr
      Thanks Sean I won't tell :-)

      If someone was going to offer this service, there are white label or other options. With more and more players are popping up it's just a matter of time when down the road a shakeup occurs and some SMS companies will go away. Is it easy to for a business to download and keep the list they create so they could move to another service if this happened or if they just found a company or price they liked better?

      Ron


      Originally Posted by Seantrepreneur View Post

      Hey Ron,

      Yes, it is a secret, but I will tell you as long as you promise to keep it to yourself! haha

      What I have been doing is giving ppl the option is running their own campaign if they would like to, but encouraging them to let us run it for them. When we do this we are, as you mentioned above, charging a premium for the service. The ppl who decide they want to run their own campaign are great too because its recurring income for pretty much not doing anything.

      On the flip side if your company doesn't have time or would rather have it run by professionals then we will gladly collect the said premium for the service. With our software's scheduling abilities it makes it easy to set it and forget it. I'll gladly have 100 clients paying the premium to have us run it.

      Feel free to PM if you have more specific questions. Hope that helped!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4287839].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Seantrepreneur
        Originally Posted by ronr View Post

        Thanks Sean I won't tell :-)

        If someone was going to offer this service, there are white label or other options. With more and more players are popping up it's just a matter of time when down the road a shakeup occurs and some SMS companies will go away. Is it easy to for a business to download and keep the list they create so they could move to another service if this happened or if they just found a company or price they liked better?

        Ron
        Super easy. They can export it to excel in a couple seconds. With solid pricing and great customer service you shouldn't have to worry about them uprooting and going elsewhere.

        Hope that helped!
        Signature
        -------->Started with $500 on Amazon and building it from there. Week #1 income report is live ($593.78 in revenue)<----------
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4289033].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author thehypnoguy
    Availability of list will be heavily dependent on the kind of SMS company you are white labeling. Many of these are white labeled over DotGo. In fact, there are white labels of white labels of DotGo. One of these companies you will never see the actual list, DotGo doesn't release. It is run by DotGo who then hits your website for information.

    If the list is available and you have access to the list then you have to watch that you are actually SMS text messaging them when you broadcast. Many of these flat price unlimited plains are using SMTP email blasts instead of SMS when they blast your message.

    The best solution is a bounce back service. These will never cause you an issue with spamming as they only get the message when they have caused it to be sent. Text mybestbone to 333888 and they get back your offer.

    Now the best solution, but it will require you to be regional as a minimum as you will have to have a great amount of revenue to make the model worthwhile. That is to have your own short code and have set up your own software and database. Then you will control the list and be SMS text messaging. This will cost about $10,000 plus software development and server costs. Ongoing wiil likely be over $1,000 a month.

    Remember too that now is the time to strike, just like email didn't last forever SMS won't either. Eventually enough idiots that are not restrained in their messaging will start causing a backlash from end users. Rules will be made and then the fun will be over.

    What ever you do be sure to have an array of services in your basket so that when one dies your business won't die with it

    Martin Blakley
    Signature

    The power of the mind to change things for the better.
    Stop letting Facebook control your links. Clickmetogo gives you complete control over image, title and description. No more blocking your affiliate links. Check it out now.

    Grab the best Mobile Directory on the Market

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4290377].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author TheLocalCoach
      With any true SMS service, and a reputable provider, you should own and be able to access or export your subscribers.

      As for managing service, we recommend it in most cases. Unless you are selling a very basic platform that only sends/receives and does not have any full SMS functionality (contests, reminders, appt confirmations, web forms, voting, games, etc), then clients will benefit, and you can charge much more, for teaching them or managing their program. Most small business owners not only don't know how to use the technology effectively, but don't have the interest or time to learn a platform.

      A model I see working is to sell SMS as a managed service for some period of time (60-90 days) with the idea of transitioning the client to learn how to do it for themselves. You can always give them the option to stay with a managed solution. This way, you dramatically improve results (and retention) by managing the relationship at the beginning.

      One last thing, I always advise our resellers to turn over the log-in information to your clients, so that if your're on vacation for a few days, or if your client wakes up in the morning and wants to send out something, the client doesn't feel stuck because they can't get to you at all times. Teach the client some basic functionality. They will still respect and value your guidance and management of the service.
      Signature
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4296514].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author xlfutur1
    I setup OpenVBX so that the business owner can send out messages to their list directly from their cell phone. I first teach them the basics of 160 characters, and including an unsubscribe keyword at the end of every message however.

    They have to know that being able to send out from their cell phone to hundreds of subscribers is a power that should not be treated lightly. They do love it though, and this makes it super easy for them and also eliminates the need for them to "log in" to anything. I don't want them to have to log in and possibly mess up anything.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4304988].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author zenyatta
    Originally Posted by ronr View Post

    For anyone providing this type of service.

    If you get your own whitelabel SMS service and sign up a client. Once you have them signed up and set them up, does the client send the txt messages out themselves or do you need to do it for them? How much is your involvement each month?

    Thanks, Ron
    Hi Ron,

    I run a hybrid setup with my SMS clients. I have found if you leave it completely to them they aren't as successful, they get discouraged or overloaded, don't understand all the features of the platform and end up stopping the service.

    When I initially setup a client I will quickly put 10-12 campaigns together including mobile coupons with images. Then I can schedule those campaigns weekly for the next 3 months. I can schedule out a year in advance if I wanted.

    Then the client can also send 1 or 2 special offers throughout the month if they see real slow nights in their restaurant. The platform allows them to send texts directly from their mobile phone so they can stay on the restaurant floor and don't have to run to their office desktop

    This way we only send 4-6 texts a month so we don't oversaturate the list and risk opt outs. It also keeps the list responsive and we continue to build the list while moving the client up the ladder to more expensive packages. You will have a lot better retention with this hands on approach even though it provides room to set it and forget it.

    If you are interested in the platform take it for a text drive for free at seattlemobilesolutions dot com.

    Good Luck,
    Zenyatta
    Signature



    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4415886].message }}

Trending Topics