SMS software tools are quickly becoming an essential part of a business’s marketing arsenal.
With most communication happening on a mobile device, it makes sense to keep in touch with your customers via SMS.
But how do you know which SMS software tool to choose? In this article, we’ll take a look at the best SMS software tools available today, and their features, to help you decide which is right for your business.
Table of Contents
What does SMS stand for?
SMS stands for “short messaging service” and is also known as text messaging.
What is an SMS Software Tool?
An SMS (short messaging service) software tool enables companies to enhance their marketing campaigns to focus on mobile marketing by using text messaging to reach potential customers through mobile devices via SMS.
Today, text messaging is used by 5 billion people globally, with 292 million of those being in the US. These numbers are expected to grow as younger generations of consumers come online.
SMS software tools allow brands to communicate with customers in a way that is convenient and personal in the palm of their hand.
Why are SMS Software Tools Used?
SMS software tools allow businesses to send text messages to customers or potential customers at scale.
These tools work by helping marketing teams manage their SMS marketing outreach through online platforms that streamline the process of sending and answering text messages and help create campaigns that increase brand loyalty, trust, and convenience.
By utilizing SMS software, businesses can enhance their marketing efforts and take the burden off their marketing teams by providing them with a service that will help them grow and communicate with hundreds or thousands of people at once.
What Do You Need to Look for in SMS Software Tools?
SMS software tools help businesses increase their prospective customer engagement and brand loyalty while assisting teams to pinpoint a more direct audience for their marketing efforts.
Some of the features you should look for in an SMS software tool include:
- Two-way messaging to build communication with your customers
- Reporting/analytics functions
- Automation
- Bulk SMS messaging
- Easy campaign creation
- Customer feedback
- Integration capabilities
- Mobile app for on-the-go access
- Personalization options
- Scalability
- Customer support
Why are SMS Software Tools Necessary?
SMS software tools understand the relationship humans have with their phones and work to leverage that relationship to help increase marketing impact.
No matter the industry or customer demographic, sending an SMS will always be the most efficient way to connect with your customer.
8 Best SMS Software Tools
Twilio
What is it?
Twilio is a software that provides API for business phone services. This software is an excellent platform for voice and messaging and is a great communication solution for all teams. Twilio is preferred by the business for its easy setup and user-friendly interface.
Included features
- 2-way messaging
- Analytics and ROI tracking
- Call center management
- Voice mail
- Workflow management
Best for
Twilio is best for small, mid-sized, and larger businesses looking to enhance their marketing and customer service teams with powerful software.
Pros
- Easily integrates
- WhatsApp business API for global communications
- Call/contact center option
Cons
- Unreliable customer service
- Hard to use a mobile interface
Pricing
Before purchasing Twilio, we recommend looking on their website for an in-depth overview of their pricing. Potential customers should contact them for a quote.
Fastcall
What is it?
Fastcall improves your team’s communication over multiple channels including, phone, SMS, and video. Businesses that use Salesforce as their CRM platform will benefit from Fastcall’s Salesforce OpenCTI solution.
Businesses in the office or that work remotely will find ease with this cutting-edge solution, winning it a five-star rating from reviews. The innovative features of Fastcall equip teams with features to help them streamline their work and increase productivity.
Included features
- Forward SMS to your email or forward to your mobile phone.
- SMS Templates provided. Fastcall SMS templates can be assigned to a user or group just like a message for voicemail drop.
- SMS By List – Send one message to a list of contacts from a list view in Salesforce.
- Call & SMS Restrictions Criteria – Select an object to add Call & SMS restrictions. Under Lead Restrictions Scope, enable CALL/SMS
Best for
Any business using Salesforce as their primary CRM will benefit from Fastcall. Fastcall is made especially for companies using Salesforce.
Small and large teams using Salesforce will benefit from Fastcall’s advanced features that increase communication and streamline workflows. Marketing, customer service, and sales teams love the efficiency and ease of the Fastcall platform.
Pros
- It is the best SMS native app in Salesforce
- Includes phone, SMS messaging, AND video calling
- Excellent customer service
- Screen sharing and click-to-dial feature
Cons
- Only available for integration with Salesforce
Pricing
Fastcall offers a risk-free 14 day with the ability to cancel at any time. When you’re ready to commit to Fastcall fully, they offer various pricing packages equipped with the features you need to help your business succeed. These pricing packages begin at $24/user/mo and range up to $49/user/mo.
Yotpo
What is it?
As an eCommerce marketing platform, Yotpo has a simple, minimalist user interface that includes features that help and support marketing teams to reach their fullest potential.
Businesses looking to focus on and improve their customer relationships trust Yotpo’s intuitive features to optimize their methods to continue their business’s growth and employee satisfaction.
Included features
- Visual marketing
- Consumer insights
- Reviews and ratings
Best for
The most common users of Yotpo are smaller businesses and startups within the retail industry. Marketing teams thrive within these businesses with the help of Yotpo.
Pros
- Easy to learn user interface
- Organized software
- Intuitive features
Cons
- Complicated installation
- Unreliable customer support
- Automated emails do not work on occasion
Pricing
Yotpo allows interested users to start using their platform for free with limited features. When users are ready to frow, they can purchase the growth plan at $19/mo or the prime plan at $59/mo.
Klaviyo
What is it?
Klaviyo focuses primarily on growth marketing and is a platform preferred by businesses seeking to optimize their marketing to grow their business, all with the help of one outlet.
This growth mainly focuses on developing stronger relationships with customers by meeting their needs, ensuring brand loyalty.
Included features
- Basic reporting
- Integrations
- Personalizing emails
- Manage email deliverability
- Automated email responses
Best for
The most common user of Klaviyo is small businesses in the marketing and advertising industry.
Pros
- Multiple languages supported
- Quickly integrates with other software
- A/B testing feature
Cons
- Out of date graphic design elements
- Challenging to learn email creation and editing tools
Pricing
Interested customers can start using Klaviyo for free. When interested in including other features, they can look into a payment package ranging from $20- $1,700/month, depending on the number of contacts.
Callfire
What is it?
With features including text messaging, call tracking, voice broadcasting, and interactive voice response, CallFire is a top VoIP and messaging platform for companies looking to optimize their external and internal communications.
Businesses in the United States and Canada benefit from CallFire, and the software is available in multiple languages.
Included features
- Call reports
- Call recording
- Video conferencing
- Mobile app
Best for
CallFire is best for businesses that are in the financial services industry. Small businesses benefit from the help features that maximize their marketing efforts.
Pros
- Auto dialing
- Decision tree setup for call questions
- Innovative features
Cons
- Complicated pricing
- Limited integration possibilities
Pricing
CallFire has multiple pricing packages to choose from that offer various features. The lowest-priced plan is $99/month, and the highest-priced offering is $599/month.
Zipwhip
What is it?
Zipwhip is an SMS platform that provides optimal texting communication for businesses to further improve their mobile marketing efforts. Marketing teams enjoy Zipwhip’s easy-to-use interface and see an overall increase in customer engagement while using Zipwhip.
Included features
- Bulk SMS messaging
- Two-way text messaging
- Personalization
Best for
Zipwhip is significant for small to mid-sized businesses looking to optimize their marketing team’s efforts.
Pros
- Great value for your money
- Optimal functionality
- Easy to use
Cons
- The system can be slow
- No outbound messaging is available
Pricing
Zipwhip offers three pricing packages. The starter package is $19/mo, the unlimited package is $49/mo, and the premium package is $99/mo. Businesses looking for custom pricing are encouraged to call for more details.
Zingle
What is it?
Zingle unlocks the ability for teams to enhance their communication internally and with their customers through texting and messaging channels.
With an easy-to-use interface, Zingle provides a one-stop shop for all business communication needs allowing teams to enhance their customer service and marketing abilities.
Included features
- Live chat
- 2-way messaging
- Mobile access
- SMS messaging
- Reporting/analytics
Best for
This software is great for all industries and all businesses who need reliable software that optimizes the customer’s journey.
Pros
- Cloud and web-based
- A mobile app offered for iOS and Android
- Training offered
Cons
- Unsupporting customer service
- Communication lags
Pricing
Individuals interested in Zingle can visit their site for a free trial. Once the trial period ends, individuals must contact Zingle for a quote. They do not offer pricing information online.
SimpleTexting
What is it?
SimpleTexting is a text marketing platform that allows users to send mass text alerts, create automated campaigns and optimize customer service. As a web-based platform, users can upload contacts directly to the site and send messages right away.
Included features
- Polls/voting
- Reporting/analytics
- 2-way messaging
- Automatic replies
Best for
This platform is best for businesses small and large that are looking to optimize their mobile connectivity. SimpleTexting is popular among universities that wish to stay connected to their students.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Free incoming messages
- Scheduling feature
Cons
- Complicated billing process
- Unreliable customer service
Pricing
Depending on how many messages businesses send a month, the pricing will differ. Overall, customers wishing to send 500 messages/month will expect to pay $25.
Birdeye
What is it?
Businesses looking for an all-in-one customer experience platform should consider Birdeye.
Birdeye provides businesses with tools to deliver an optimal experience using text messaging and other messaging channels.
Included features
- Social media management
- Real-time updates
- Customer feedback
Best for
Birdeye is great for midsize and larger businesses that need a reliable business communication platform to help them grow.
Pros
- Campaign analysis
- Push notifications
- Bulk SMS
Cons
- Billing issues
- Not affordable
Pricing
The standard package for Birdeye is $299, and the professional package is $399; individuals can call for a custom quote.
Conclusion
SMS marketing software helps enhance marketing efforts which ultimately increase potential customer engagement for your business.
If you wish to optimize your marketing efforts, you need to include business communication software.
For businesses that already use Salesforce as their CRM software, Fastcall is the best option for a business communication software because it is 100% built exclusively for Salesforce.
Fastcall is reliable, affordable, and convenient for all teams; check it out today.
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