Insight
How to Close More Sales With Business Text Messaging: 7 Proven SMS Strategies
Business text messaging has become one of the most effective tools for increasing sales conversions.
SMS helps B2B and B2C sales teams like yours respond faster, qualify leads, schedule more meetings, send estimates, and stay top of mind throughout the sales process.
In this guide, we’ll teach you seven practical ways to use business text messaging so you can generate more leads, improve follow-up communication, and close more deals.
Why Business Text Messaging Helps Sales Teams Close More Deals
The 98% open rate of SMS is unmatched. Texting is naturally a highly engaging channel that skips the phone tag and actually gets read instead of ignored.
Texting opens doors to things like:
Higher open rates
Faster response times
Easier communication
Improved customer experience
1. Respond Faster with Business Texting
Customers don’t unlearn convenience. The business that responds to the lead first is usually the one that wins the business. Text messaging is the fastest way to follow-up and connect with prospects, since 95% of texts are opened and read within three minutes.
Set up business text messaging tools like autoresponses to automatically send a reply to all inbound texts. That way leads get an immediate message back, even if it’s after hours.
“Thanks for contacting [Business]. [link] Use that link to schedule a call and one of our reps will get back to you ASAP.”
That kind of 24/7 customer service is why text messaging increases sales conversions anywhere from 30% to 100%.
2. Schedule More Sales Calls With SMS
So often you just need to get a prospect on the phone for 5 minutes. Other times you need to book a more in-depth conversation or in-person meeting. Texting is great for both.
A follow up text to schedule a meeting could be as simple as:
“Thanks for your interest. Would you like to schedule a call to learn more about what we offer?”
Messages like these require fewer touchpoints to set up appointments and move the sales process along faster.
3. Automate Lead Follow-Ups With SMS Integrations
Want to know whenever a lead takes an action on your website?
Text triggers notify you if a lead does something like complete a web form or subscribe to your newsletter. You’ll get updates on things like which rep they booked a time with, or what kind of service they need. Our integrations with popular CRMs and other software make that possible:
Want to take your text triggers one step further?
Give leads the option to text message you directly from your website. SMS Chat is a widget that empowers leads to start text conversation with you from any page on your website. It can even be formatted with a call-to-action (CTA) like:
“Text us to get a quote!”
Text leads are significantly more likely to convert than email or form submission leads. Having triggers in place for both will bring huge returns.
4. Personalize Sales Conversations With Text Messaging
The more you work with the prospects, the more you know what they do and don’t need. Use texts to get the products and features that fit their goals in front of them.
Texting upsells works for previous, one-time customers that are a good fit for your offers, as well as for reminders about ongoing services and memberships, like gyms or salons.
A direct message from your reps feels way more personal than an email marketing campaign, plus you know the prospect will see your offer. Text Request has a Group feature to organize your contacts by the needs they have, so your messages feel even more personalized.
5. Use SMS to Improve the Customer Experience
Just because a lead took the initial bite, doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Check in throughout the sales process to make sure they have no problems finding what they need to finalize the deal and get started.
These check-in texts could be for things like:
Ensuring they’re happy with the quote you gave them
Checking they have the proper forms they need to fill
Requesting any final information you need to serve them
Reassuring leads you’re available via text if they experience any technical difficulties or have any questions can be the final push that gets them to work with you. It shows you have the customer service in place to meet their needs.
6. Send Estimates, Invoices, and Payment Links via SMS
Waiting for a potential customer to approve an estimate?
You won’t have to when you share invoices as texts.
Close the deal on the spot with our Payments feature. You can text leads exactly what they owe, then they can either make the payment if they’re happy or request to keep negotiating.
Customers add their payment info via a secure portal and reply with confirmation code to pay. Transactions are processed in real-time, so you can close on the spot.
It’s the smoothest payment experience possible through the channel leads use most.
7. Re-Engage Cold Leads With SMS Campaigns
Most people aren’t ready to buy when you talk to them the first time. Text cold leads every so often to get them back into your pipeline.
Go through your cold lead database and tap them once a month or quarter to see if they’re ready to move forward or re-start the conversation. A single message like that can help your re-engagement rate by 3% to 15%.
Monthly SMS promotions can also be a great way to check in on cold leads and entice them with new deals or discounts. You can even include pictures to show off your new products and features to seal the deal.
SMS marketing like this works best when leads opt-in to your SMS subscriber list. Check out our full guide on how to create and build an SMS subscribe list.
Beef Up Your Sales Process with Text Messaging
A business texting platform like Text Request keeps your salespeople’s personal phone number separate from your business one. Reps will still have the option to text on their personal cell phone with our mobile apps.
It’s the best way to get your sales team on the communication channel their leads prefer, while giving them the space and tools they need to be successful.
FAQ
1. Does text messaging actually increase sales?
Yes, business text messaging helps sales teams respond faster, nurture leads, schedule more meetings, send estimates, and stay connected throughout the buying journey. Faster communication often leads to higher response rates and more closed deals.
2. How can sales teams use SMS?
Sales teams commonly use SMS to:
Follow up with leads
Schedule appointments
Answer questions
Send reminders
Deliver estimates
Collect payments
Re-engage cold leads
3. Is SMS better than email for sales?
SMS and email work best together. Texting is ideal for time-sensitive communication and quick responses, while email is best for detailed information and long-form content.
4. Can business text messaging integrate with a CRM?
Yes. Many business texting platforms integrate with popular CRMs and marketing software, so your team can automate lead notifications, sync customer conversations, and track activity.
5. What industries benefit most from sales text messaging?
Healthcare, home services, automotive, real estate, retail franchises, and professional services often see strong results because customers prefer quick, convenient communication.
