Make Sure Your Marketing Doesn’t Generate Fines

Make Sure Your Marketing Doesn’t Generate Fines

Compliance is Key

In less than a decade; consumer disputes regarding the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) have spiked more than 500%, leaving companies in all industries paying millions in damages. It’s critical to build effective, low-cost strategies to be sure that your business is fully compliant.

TCPA, What Is It?
The TCPA is a federal law that safeguards consumer privacy through the regulation of telephone solicitations and the use of prerecorded messages, auto-dialed calls, text messages and unsolicited faxes. The rule has been modified and through regulatory agencies more clearly defined over time.

Those who are found guilty of violating TCPA regulations incur steep fines that can range from $500 to $1,500 per violation! Companies unaware of their own violations have had to pay out hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars. Protecting your company’s livelihood needs to be a paramount concern.

Textmaxx Pro is fully TCPA compliant. Given that text message marketing and communications are the preferred method of contact for the overwhelming majority of adults of all ages, it’s vital today to have strategies and solutions in place to assist with marketing, advertising, client communication, collections, etc.

Learn more by calling or texting our Texting Experts at 866.367.6889.

What If You Could Get Customers To See 90% Of Your Marketing?

What If You Could Get Customers To See 90% Of Your Marketing?

Customers Simply Prefer Text. Whether it’s being reminded of a payment, an appointment, or notification of a special offer, today’s busy consumer prefer texting as their preferred means of communication. Obnoxious spam phone calls give people plenty of reason to not answer their calls, however, if they get a text, they can easily see who it’s from and what it’s about in seconds.

Texts Get Read. The reason so many states are adopting laws to prevent texting and driving, and the reason you should shut off your phones in a theater or during an event is the recipient almost immediately looks at the text. They also respond quickly — 90% within minutes or less. We have become adept at this quick communication.

It’s just quicker. You don’t have to be a Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos to know that it’s just quicker to read a short text and reply with a Y or N, or OK, to understand that it’s far faster to communicate with a text for simple messages than it is to send an email, or make a phone call.

Texting Allows for Versatility. As mentioned the information you can impart to your clients and prospects is almost endless. Send them a thank you for a payment, ask them to rate a recent transaction or encounter with your business, or just let them know the product they ordered is on the way. Whatever you need to communicate, you can do it in a short, quick, almost-guarantee-to-be-read message.

Four Ways to Incorporate Texting into Your Marketing Strategy

Four Ways to Incorporate Texting into Your Marketing Strategy

Grow Your Lists
You know texting works because you use it all the time. Your doctor, dentist, furniture store, Amazon, and your favorite pizzeria all send you texts regularly to confirm your appointment or your ’Za order. The first goal of any text marketing strategy should be to grow your list of subscribers.

You need to set up a campaign using a keyword to solicit opt-ins. Offer them something of value, and ask to subscribe to specific number. Don’t know what to offer? Put yourself in their place and ask what would be value to you, and how would you expect a business or service company to interact with you.

If you’re a car dealer or other business that directly interacts with clients and prospects regularly, ask them to subscribe for special offers, news, and notifications. Much like going into a big box store for an electronics purchase and being asked whether you want an extended warranty, asking for Text Message opt-in should became part of every communication with clients and prospects.

Strategic Reminders
Sending reminders for appointments, reservations, or just to confirm an appointment gives you a good reason to communicate with text. You know nearly 90 percent of text recipients see the text within a few minutes, and most will respond in that time, if the text calls for it. Now that you have access, don’t blow up their phone, but use text messages to provide value. If you have a seasonal special such as an oil change, or sale on a new HVAC system, shoot them a text letting your customers know.

Notifications
If you have a special Customer Appreciation Event, a Holiday Savings Sale, or other important event going on at your business, keep your customers and opted-in prospects in the know. Text them with incentives to attend. Perhaps send them special offers only those that received and responded to the text will receive. Keep your messages concise, and again, be sure they create value. People love tracking their packages and deliveries. If you send your clients something, let them now when it shipped and when it may arrive. By notifying your customers and prospects, you give them information they can use — that in itself offers value.

Promotions
If you’re a new car dealer and your brand is launching a new vehicle, make a special day out its delivery to your dealership. Let your customers and prospects know about this special promotion. Barbecues out in front of your business, large acquisitions of new inventory, or any special promotion you can dream up are perfect opportunities to communicate via Text! Make sure the customers feel this offer is especially for them, that it is exclusive, and make them feel special for being among those presented with the promotion.

Create Value with Your Clients Via Text

Create Value with Your Clients Via Text

Should I Use Texting?
The short answer is, of course. Think about it. If you leave your place of business for lunch, you’ve likely texted a family member, friend, associate or business before you return home. If you’re doing it, so are your clients and your prospects. It’s a very personal means of communication, and nearly 90 percent of your outbound texts are seen by the recipient within just three seconds. Texting allows you to quickly receive feedback from your clients through replies, immediately deliver your message, and get hundreds of link clicks within minutes.

The open rate for an SMS message is about 98 percent, with a 3-second response rate. Texts lead to higher engagement rates and return on investment. In addition, brands that use SMS marketing typically reach 95 percent of targeted users.

You Had Better Do It Right!
It is vital to implement permission-based marketing. To be compliant with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, you must get permission to send your clients SMS messages. If a prospect engages you through your website via text, you can engage them, but you must soon get their permission to text. This can be done by having them text a specific number via a form on your website, or engagement campaign. You must also provide clear instructions on how they can opt-out (i.e.- texting the word ‘Stop’). Our system will not allow anyone who opts out of text via our platform, unless they opt-in again themselves.

Limits on Number of Characters
The character limit of most text messages is 160 characters, so keep your messages short and to the point, but with a CTA for the fan to take action. Some platforms allow for longer messages, but as a rule, keep them short and use commonly used shorthand for some messages. BRB for Be Right Back, and TY for Thank you. You know this.

Fresh is Good, and Show Respect.
You don’t want to send boring, confusing, or old texts. Don’t use common expressions or marketing clichés. “We carry a full array …” “We provide a wide variety of services …” Contact us today, to get the best pricing on 65-inch TVs this year!” Create a sense of urgency, and get to the point. Don’t be disingenuous. If you’re saying it’s a great deal, be sure it is! You can make texts more engaging by using media like MMS picture messages, emojis, calendar invites, and interactive content like polls and surveys. Polls and surveys work well, but be sure you let them see the results of the poll without having to enter contact information first. Experts agree texting between 8 am and 9 pm work best. You don’t respond to business text while you are at work, and neither to your clients. Send out CTA texts before and after work.

Add Value to the Equation
When you’re creating a text, ask yourself, what’s in it for the recipient. Is this text about what you want or need, or is about what they want or need. Recipients who get texts to offer them exclusive value or important information hold much greater value for the recipient. Texting your clients with SMS-only offers is a great way to make them feel like a VIP. In fact, call it a VIP program, or other value-laden name.
Yep, This Is Personal
Better results occur when you personalize the message, rather than sending our generic messages. Use the recipient’s name, or provide information about an event that’s local to them. Create customized audiences and them messages specific to them.

Do you need assistance? Would you like even more best practice information. Please contact use for a free consultation on how to set up an easy-to-use, fully compliant platform for your clients and prospects!

Not sure where to start with SMS marketing? Contact us for a free consultation on how you can implement SMS campaigns within Tradable Bits to your fans.

Textmaxx Pro Announces Integration with ComSoft Automotive Software Provider

Textmaxx Pro Announces Integration with ComSoft Automotive Software Provider

Synopsis: Textmaxx Pro, a leading text message platform based in Sarasota, Fla., announces integration with ComSoft, an automotive retail software provider, based in Raleigh, N.C. The texting service will now be available through ComSoft’s software to its dealer clients.

SARASOTA, Fla. (Nov. 15, 2019) — Textmaxx Pro, a national text message communication platform, has integrated its services with Commercial Software, Inc. (ComSoft), a dealership management and marketing software solution company based in Raleigh, N.C.

Textmaxx Pro’s state-of-the-art business-to-business and business-to-consumer communication services will be directly available through the ComSoft dealership management software giving thousands of users the ability to use texts to communicate with their customers for sales and service promotions, advertising, marketing, payment reminders, collections, and any other services.

“We are proud to be able to integrate with Chip Cooper and the ComSoft DMS platform,” said Chris Leedom, Textmaxx Pro CEO. “ComSoft has used Textmaxx Pro with its dealer clients since our company’s inception, and now their dealers can better communicate with their clients via the most effective form of communication today – texting.”

ComSoft is a total dealership management and marketing software solution for dealers of any size and has served thousands of dealerships across the country. In addition to dealership management software, ComSoft also offers dealership websites, marketing feeds, integrated partners, and a mobile app.

“Our dealer clients are very familiar with the Textmaxx platform as we’ve used it for several years to communicate directly with them,” said ComSoft President Chip Cooper. “We’re very pleased to make Textmaxx Pro available to our clients following a brief, but intense 60-day integration period.”

David Leedom, Textmaxx Pro brand manager, said texting has become the preferred method of communication for nearly every demographic in the U.S. and beyond. Some 292 million people in North America, about 80 percent of all residents, use text messaging daily. Despite having a phone in their hand or pocket, people will respond more quickly to a text message than a phone call or voicemail, he added.

“Despite this acceptance among consumers, only 14 percent of businesses use texting to communicate with their clients and prospects,” Dave Leedom said. “Automotive retailers who utilize a strategy to communicate using texting will definitely have an edge over their competitors in the marketplace.”

Textmaxx Pro has integrated with a number of automotive retailer software platforms including Frazer Dealer Management Software and CDK Global. Chris Leedom said the company expects to complete at least 15 other platform integrations in 2020. Textmaxx will offer its services to ComSoft’s dealers on a month-to-month subscription basis with no long-term contracts.

About Textmaxx Pro

Textmaxx Pro is a national firm based in Sarasota, Fla, and provides businesses with an automated, compliant, easy-to-use, web-based, text messaging solution that enables them to reach their clients and prospects via text. It provides a full-service platform that is easily integrated into any CRM or other software application and is fully compliant with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

About ComSoft

ComSoft is headquartered in Raleigh, NC and provides independent dealerships with management software and offers marketing solutions including dealership websites and third-party advertising feeds.  Integrated partners continue to be a focus providing dealers the tools they need in order to succeed.

 

 

Contact                                                                                   Contact

Chris Leedom                                                                          Chip Cooper

CEO, Leedom Group                                                               President, ComSoft

Phone: 941.371.7999                                                              Phone: 919.851.2010

Email chris@leedomgroup.com                                             Email chip.cooper@comsoft.com

Text: “CHRIS” to 95000                                                           Text “CHIP” to 95000

 

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