Is It Ok To Text Your Clients?

Mobile communication may cause you to weigh the pros and cons of texting your clients as a means of ongoing communication, or even as part of your online marketing strategy. There are a few things to consider before you open the door for texting your clients.

After Hours Communication

One of the largest challenges with text messages is that they are designed to be an “instant” method of communication. You may find that your clients use email when they have more detail to send, and that they text when they have a quick question and would like an instant answer. While you might be on-board with this during business hours, texting to your shared personal/professional mobile phone opens the door for after-hours and weekend texting. If you open the door for texting, be sure to let each client know that you restrict phone calls and texting to standard business hours.

Another Communication Channel To Manage

Texting might be convenient, but it is also an additional communication channel that you and your team will have to manage. It can get a bit tricky to manage text messages and email communication, so get into the habit of sending all essential texts messages to your email inbox too. Also consider downloading a business app that is designed to help you manage your SMS communication.

Automated Text Messaging

If you will only be using text messaging as part of an automated messaging feature, make sure that you begin with an opt-in feature that each of your clients agree to. For example, you could automate appointment reminders, or promotions linked to your current internet marketing strategies. Don’t forget to build in a text-based opt-out feature to all automated text messaging—and have a feature to manage any responses to your automated messages.

The pros and cons to texting clients are many. Just remember that once you open the door, it is difficult to close.