Group text messaging is a powerful tool for businesses that need to communicate with multiple customers at once.
Whether you’re a real estate agent coordinating with a couple about their home search or a home services team planning a house visit, maintaining proper group text etiquette ensures smooth, professional interactions.
Here are 10 best practices for effective group text messaging.
1. Get opt-ins and make it easy to opt out
Group text messaging requires opt-in just like texting with one contact. Before sending a group text message, always obtain explicit consent from all participants. Not only does this build trust, but it also ensures compliance with SMS marketing regulations like the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act). Give your customers a simple way to opt in, such as a text-based keyword sign-up or a web form.
Respect your customers’ preferences by offering a simple way to opt out of text messages. They should be able to send a simple keyword like STOP or QUIT to unsubscribe at any time. This allows recipients to feel in control of their communication experience, and helps you stay compliant.In Heymarket’s group messaging feature, if a contact opt-out from a group chat, all responses to the conversation will be blocked. if you want to message the non-opt-out contacts, you will need to start a new chat.
2. Keep everyone in the loop
Group texting offers a great chance to keep your contacts up-to-date with evolving situations. Ensure all participants receive necessary updates and responses to avoid confusion. If a customer asks a question, reply within the same thread so everyone stays informed, reducing the need for duplicate messages. Which leads us to our next tip.
3. Send group texts from your CRM
If you use HubSpot or Salesforce, you can send and receive group messages directly from your CRM. This allows your team to communicate in one place alongside your customer data, saving them time from switching between platforms.
4. Avoid having to duplicate conversations
Sending the same information to multiple people separately can lead to inefficiencies and miscommunication. Instead, use group texting strategically to streamline discussions and avoid redundant conversations. This keeps everyone aligned and minimizes confusion.
If you identify new contacts who need to be included in the group, simply start a new group message conversation with them included. Then send all future texts on the topic to that group message.
5. Rename your chats to keep them organized
For businesses that manage multiple group conversations, renaming chats can prevent mix-ups. That’s why Heymarket allows you to rename your chats to change how they display in your list of conversations.
When renaming your chat, use clear, descriptive names like “Smith Family – Home Purchase” or “VIP Dinner Coordination” to keep track of conversations easily.
6. Use your contact pane to view participants
If you work with a team, there’s a chance that multiple agents will be responding to group messages with customers. If your team is new to the conversation, they can easily see who is involved in the conversation by opening their contact pane on the right. You can then click the (i) icon to the right of the contact to view contact details.
7. Be mindful of how many participants you add
While group texting is efficient, adding too many people can lead to overwhelming conversations. Keep group sizes manageable and relevant to the discussion. If a conversation becomes too broad, consider breaking it into smaller, focused groups.
Heymarket allows you to add up to 10 participants to your group messaging conversations — but more often than not smaller conversations are better.
8. Customize your team’s permission to create group chats
Heymarket allows you to set permissions on who can create group chats. This prevents unnecessary or unauthorized group messages from being sent, ensuring better organization and control over your communications.
To allow users with specific roles to create group chats, you need to enable the group chat permission for those roles. You can do this from the “roles” section of your administration tab.
9. Think about timing
Be considerate of when you send group text messages — especially since they’ll be going to multiple recipients! Avoid sending messages too early in the morning, late at night, or during weekends unless urgent. Sticking to business hours ensures that your messages are received at a convenient time.
10. Be concise
Customers appreciate brevity, and it’s especially important when multiple participants are sending and receiving messages. Keep messages clear, direct, and to the point to respect their time. If a conversation requires detailed discussion, consider moving to a phone call or email to avoid overwhelming the group with lengthy texts.
Tips for group messaging success
By following these best practices for group text etiquette, businesses can create a more professional and efficient communication experience for customers, even when they’re texting more than one person at a time. Implement these strategies to improve engagement, maintain organization, and foster positive relationships through group messaging.
Learn more about how Heymarket’s group messaging features help businesses and customers to work better together.
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