Text message marketing, also known as SMS marketing, is one of the most effective marketing strategies for long-term business success.
Research has shown that open rates for text messages are estimated to be as high as 98%, while open rates for emails sit at a lowly 20%. Makes sense. As you probably know firsthand, emails are inundated with spam.
If you’re struggling to determine which tool is best for your business, we have you covered.
Let’s get started.
Here are the best text message marketing tools for small businesses:
1. Neo
Who’s it for?
Neo is an automated text messaging service for businesses large and small. It also offers a personalized bot for developing leads and can be programmed with customizable scripts.
Why’s it awesome?
Neo allows businesses to take advantage of customers’ preferences for texting over phone calls or direct mail, using automated texting to send out exclusive deals and promote short-term sales or events.
Neo allows clients to sort contacts into groups, for more customized offers. A shared inbox allows real-time access by everyone on the assigned team. It also integrates with online stores like Shopify to develop leads.
How much does it cost?
Pricing is a pay-as-you-go option or from $29 to $249 per month.
2. TextMarks
Who’s it for?
TextMark automates texting for businesses of any size, both brick-and-mortar, and online services. A database of customers can be segmented by demographics or by new versus repeat customers, plus there’s a lead tracking tool.
Why’s it awesome?
TextMark allows businesses to send out text messages to customers en masse, scheduled ahead of time to automatically post. These messages can contain links for a coupon, or direct customers to a particular web page.
The great thing is TextMark manages the process for its clients. That includes ensuring that clients are compliant with SMS marketing, and allowing customers to easily opt-in and opt-out, plus providing a unique code for each client.
How much does it cost?
Custom packages are available for large businesses. Pricing ranges from $199 to $999 per month.
3. Trumpia
Who’s it for?
Trumpia is texting software for businesses, plus other industries such as education and health care. It allows clients to communicate via text to subscribers immediately or to send out a series of scheduled texts.
Why’s it awesome?
Trumpia can be used by clients of any size, from a single online business owner to companies with multiple locations and a diverse client base. It has scalable plans that allow clients to grow as their needs change.
Trumpia allows clients to communicate with customers, staff, and members through text messaging, giving them updates about changes due to the pandemic, or in cases of weather, such as business closings or school cancellations.
How much does it cost?
Plans start at either $36 or $156 per month.
4. Avochato
Who’s it for?
Avochato is a two-way communications platform for businesses, integrating SMS texting, voicemail, and live chat on the client website. The service is available for businesses both small and large, and both online and in-person.
Why’s it awesome?
Avochato allows agents to move customers through multiple platforms, from text to phone, and transfer seamlessly, with a module that saves chats for other team members to access. Hold times and customer wait times are reduced.
Subscribers can set up scheduled marketing texts or have a team communicate directly with clients. Services can be simple marketing direct messages or texting conversations for technical and customer support.
How much does it cost?
Custom plans are available for larger businesses. Base plans start at $19 and $42 per month.
5. ZipWhip
Who’s it for?
ZipWhip is a texting service for many types of industries, including customer support, retail, health care, education, and recruiting. The plans allow subscribers to communicate one-on-one, in a group, or direct customers to their website.
Why’s it awesome?
ZipWhip can integrate with many types of business software, and text messages can be sent and received from either mobile devices or a computer. Messages can be set up with templates and automatically sent out to a group.
With ZipWhip you can also two-way text to your customer base or employees. You can set up templates for quick relies and ZipWhip even offers free training on effective texting for support and marketing.
How much does it cost?
Custom plans are available. Standard pricing ranges from $19 to $99 per month.
6. Heymarket
Who’s it for?
Heymarket is a texting platform for businesses to use for marketing or support. It also allows employers to communicate with their team in real-time, either through two-way communication or scheduled text reminders.
Why’s it awesome?
Heymarket integrates with over 1,000 other business applications and has a shared inbox for all team members to access, allowing smoother customer support in the context of prior conversations.
Heymarket can be used collaboratively, with an entire customer support or marketing team, or by a single business owner, with a mobile app for on-the-go connectivity.
How much does it cost?
Pricing ranges from $49 to $199 per month.
7. Message Media
Who’s it for?
Message Media offers direct marketing SMS services for businesses of many types and sizes. It automatically sends scheduled texts and has a two-way communication feature as well.
Why’s it awesome?
Message Media allows businesses to set up templates for promotional messages, reminders to pick up a prescription, or about an upcoming appointment, or event. Texts can also be sent to a group in real-time for immediate communication.
Message Media is designed for emergency use, for governments and school districts, as well as able to be integrated with What’s App, for one-on-one communications between customer care specialists and customers.
How much does it cost?
Pricing ranges from $49 to $199 per month.
8. SMSBump
Who’s it for?
SMSBump is a unique SMS platform, enterprise-grade and specifically designed for eCommerce businesses. It is created to be operated on the go, and scalable, allowing smaller businesses to grow.
Why’s it awesome?
SMSBump increases customer engagement rates and conversions with text messages targeted to specified groups It also has a tracking tool and ROI analysis of different text campaigns to allow businesses to make smart decisions.
Dropshipping companies can use SMSBump to improve customer communication. It’s also helped small businesses launch more successfully by giving them a communication tool that can compete with bigger shops.
How much does it cost?
Subscriptions run from $19 to $99 per month.
9. Privy
Who’s it for?
Privy is a pop-up, text, and email communications platform for businesses. It can be used for eCommerce small businesses or larger corporations, including governments.
Why’s it awesome?
Privy integrates with Shopify stores, allowing small businesses a more even playing field with larger companies by expanding their ability to reach out to customers and develop leads. It allows two-way communication and automated text and email blasts.
Privy offers a wide selection of templates, making it user-friendly. It also has cart abandonment reminders for text and email, helping businesses complete sales. It also offers SMS and email tracking for customer shipments.
How much does it cost?
Plans run from $10 to $30 per month.
10. Postscript
Who’s it for?
Postscript is an SMS and MMS service for growing Shopify stores and small eCommerce businesses. It’s created to improve small businesses’ ability to communicate with customers immediately and develop leads through text marketing.
Why’s it awesome?
Postscript utilizes TCPA-compliant software, which means when you use it you don’t have to worry about email and text message compliance issues. It also offers tutorials for developing engaging texts and emails that invite a response.
Postscript integrates with your website, allowing you to schedule email alerts, chats, and pop-ups to push customers through the sales funnel. It also lets you manage everything from your the Postscript Mobile App.
How much does it cost?
Pricing is based on use, with each message costing $0.0099.
11. Protexting
Who’s it for?
Protexting is for online retailers, including those who use Shopify and Amazon services. It allows smaller businesses to send reminders, promotional coupons, and create customized drip campaigns.
Why’s it awesome?
Protexting has a comprehensive analysis of different advertising campaigns, which allows businesses to determine the success of each promotion. It also allows customer support via text in real-time, customizable features for specific industries, and social media integrations.
How much does it cost?
Pricing ranges from $49 to $499 per month.
12. Call Loop
Who’s it for?
Call Loop is a text messaging and voice call software platform for businesses that range in size from single-owner to larger companies, with scheduled communication tools.
Why’s it awesome?
Call Loop allows businesses to build SMS marketing-compliant lists and segment these according to lead positioning or demographics. It also offers built-in analytics and reporting to allow clients insight into the success of each campaign.
Call Loop integrates with several different apps, including Constant Contact, Hubspot, and Leadpage, allowing businesses to coordinate their leads with their sales software and customer care software.
How much does it cost?
Pricing ranges from $5 to $99 per month.
13. EZ Texting
Who’s it for?
EZ Texting is for many types of industries, from nonprofits to clubs and restaurants, to education and government. It includes both email and text software and offers automation for mass communication.
Why’s it awesome?
EX Texting solutions include sales and marketing solutions, plus lead generation that integrates with the client’s website. It also allows communication back and forth between customer support and a customer care team.
EZ Texting has a user-intuitive set-up and many templates that allow even technology novices to easily use the software. It’s designed to integrate with other sales applications and software platforms.
How much does it cost?
Pricing ranges from $19 to $299 per month.
14. SimpleTexting
Who’s it for?
Simple Texting integrates automated SMS marketing campaigns with two-way customer communication, giving businesses of all sizes. It allows users to direct customers to their preferred landing page.
Why’s it awesome?
Business texting from Simple Texting allows two-way customer communication, with logs of all chats. The SMS for enterprise clients allows mass communications on a scheduled basis.
Simple Texting’s customizable approach allows business owners flexibility for the services they desire, including SMS alerts and email reminders. It also has analytic trackers for clients to monitor the success of each message.
Pricing starts at $25 per month.
15. SlickText
Who’s it for?
SlickText is created for companies of any size, including single business owners and enterprise corporations. It offers text solutions that are customizable and personalized for each business.
Why’s it awesome?
SlickTExt is an SMS and email marketing platform. It allows communication for customer support as well as allows clients to send reminders or SMS promotional blasts.
SlickText provides clients with a unique one-word code, allowing customers to opt-in and reducing the amount of spam contact or bots. It also integrates with different marketing platforms to more easily manage leads.
How much does it cost?
Monthly plans range from $29 to $1,250.
Editor’s Note: The article is part of the blog series Grow Your Business, brought to you by the marketing team at UniTel Voice, the virtual phone system priced and designed for startups and small business owners.
