Do you expect your customers to communicate with random, unknown numbers that reach them through text messages?
An SMS Sender ID or consistent Virtual Number gives your business trustworthiness by telling your customers who you are right up front, improving the effectiveness of your SMS marketing campaign.
There are infinite SMS benefits for businesses. With ever-present fraud abound, sending SMS from the same consistent number or a clear Sender ID like your business name, is a great way to protect your authenticity. Doing so gives customers an added sense of security, demonstrating that the messages they receive are verified and explicitly from a business they use.
Further, having your brand name on messages that would otherwise be anonymous gives your business a boost by marketing your name in a clever way.
What Is a Sender ID for SMS Messaging?
An SMS Sender ID, also known as an SMS Customer ID, sender name, or SMS originator, is what is displayed in your SMS inbox when you receive a text message to your phone. This identifies the phone number, saved contact or organisation that sent the message.
Sender ID Types
Available Sender IDs vary depending on the region you send the SMS to. Here are 2 basic Sender ID types for sending in Australia:
- Alphanumeric: These Sender IDs replace a sending number with letters (max 11 characters), often a business or brand name for quick identification. These are ideal for transactional or verification communication with customers.
- Virtual Number: Numerical Sender IDs have the same orientation as national mobile phone numbers
Replacing a sending number with an Alpha Sender ID, ie. your business name; is a unique branding opportunity, however it eliminates the recipient’s ability to reply to your message; making this a one-way SMS. If you would like your customers to interact with you via SMS, the best way to do this is by purchasing a Virtual Number. This number essentially becomes your mobile identity by ensuring your communication is consistent, SMS will appear in a single message thread on recipients' handsets and customers can save the number.
Keep in mind these are general descriptions of Sender IDs. They do not apply to every country, as not all operators offer these Sender IDs.
Why Is Choosing the Right Sender ID Important?
SMS is a powerful way to connect with your customers, but you must execute your sending carefully and strategically. Each region has its own legislation preventing the delivery of Spam via SMS - The sender ID selected when sending your message will affect if and how recipients opt out of your SMS campaigns.
Battling Fraud: Among the Top SMS Benefits for Businesses
Sender IDs are very useful for businesses to maintain control over their SMS messages and their digital identities to prevent fraud. Unfortunately, like most industries, there are threats of fraud and scams with digital communications. In the world of SMS messaging, fraud activities are responsible for approximately $2 billion in losses every year globally.
If you don’t have a unique, dedicated Sender ID, a scammer could send your customers texts pretending to represent your business for fraudulent purposes to acquire access to personal data. With a Virtual Number, for example, your customers recognise your texts and know that any texts coming from other numbers pretending to be your business are scams.
Building Brand Awareness When Customers Receive Texts
Branded SMS messages enable more opportunities to foster loyalty and confidence from your customers. Sender IDs on your SMS messages are great because they strengthen the communication between you and your customers. Upon receiving your text messages, customers will instantly recognise it’s your business reaching out.
There is great value in maintaining relationships with customers over months and years. Your Sender ID is not just a mere label; it’s an identifying factor that resonates with your customers, reaffirming your brand in their minds.
Enhancing the Customer Experience Through Smart Marketing
A Sender ID is a more direct way to communicate with customers when using SMS messaging in your marketing strategy. Customers may be more likely to open your SMS text messages when they know it’s your brand communicating with them.
It’s not just great marketing; it’s strategic marketing. You are directing messages curated just for them, to them, and letting them know it’s your company communicating.
NOTE: Replacing a sending number with an Alpha Sender ID eliminates the ability for customers to OPT OUT of your marketing/promotional SMS. When selecting this method of sending, you must include an alternate method for opt-out, eg. an opt-out link or opt-out number.
Using SMS Messaging to Demonstrate Reliability
Today’s consumers appreciate the convenience and ease of using SMS messaging and its overall safety. SMS is the most trusted messaging platform, and strict laws regarding data breaches offer customers greater reassurance and protection. Therefore, having a Sender ID adds to your business’s authenticity and trustworthiness.
Despite the threat of scammers using spoofing, SMS remains an invaluable way to connect with your customers directly and personally. Mobile communication puts your business right into your customers’ hands via their phones. As long as your brand proves itself trustworthy and legitimate, you gain privileged access to your customers. SMS text message campaigns are more successful than email campaigns because customers open and read texts more than they do emails.
Get SMS for Your Business
Whether for marketing purposes or to ensure your business’s communications are properly branded to build recognition and loyalty with your customers, SMS Sender ID options are a must-have for your company. Why blend in with anonymous senders when you can take the opportunity to distinguish your brand as unique?
The touchSMS platform is simple to use and has all the business tools you need to execute an effective SMS campaign - including the ability to create an Alphanumeric Sender ID or purchase a Virtual Number. We offer services for customers in Australia and New Zealand with affordable, flat-rate pricing with no hidden fees.
For more information about SMS Sender IDs and SMS benefits for businesses, or to purchase a Sender ID, contact touchSMS for all of your business communication needs.