Are your clients asking if there’s anything new they should be trying on the marketing front? If so, you might want to introduce them to RCS (rich communication services) messaging. Everybody texts, and we’re all familiar with text messages that ask us to confirm an upcoming appointment. RCS takes text message marketing to another level.

SMS Versus RCS

Standard SMS (short message system) texting is showing its age. These texts require cellular carriers and limit senders to delivering short messages. RCS (rich communication services) is the replacement protocol for SMS. In some areas, depending on the phone and network being used, the RCS protocols are already available.

Who's Using Text Messaging?

This development is great news for businesses that want to use texting to connect with consumers. The 2019 State of Texting report from ZipWhip indicates that 39% of businesses text with their clients. A deeper dive into the data shows that 63% of small and medium-​sized businesses use texting messaging, while only 18% of enterprise class businesses do. By business type, entertainment and leisure advertisers (57%) and airlines (50%) are particularly likely to connect with consumers through texting message.

While 56% of texting businesses use these tools to confirm appointments, 26% turn to texting to announce promotions. How do consumers feel about these developments? At least 60% of surveyed consumers say they get texts about appointments. Even more, 67%, would rather communicate this way with a business. 

Selling the Benefits of RCS

However, over 60% people aren’t interested in downloading an app in order to get text messages from their favorite vendors. Consumers are all about making life easy. When you propose a campaign to your clients, be sure to talk up the latest technology. Mention that RCS-​based campaigns boost impact by including images, video and audio. Some business software platforms also enable consumers to respond to messages with texts of their own. In this way, a marketing campaign can turn into a customer service opportunity and increase the chances of higher revenue.

To learn more about which consumers are most likely to respond to SMS Text Messages from vendors, check out the AudienceSCAN profiles available at AdMall from SalesFuel.