Texting integrated with CRM: a must to optimize your sales communications

We don’t need to convince you that text messaging has become one of the most convenient ways to communicate – you’re probably as addicted to it as everybody else. Actually, a study found that 88% of people use their phones mostly for texting. Many businesses also use text messaging as a powerful tool for sales prospecting. It allows sales representatives to personalize their messages, increase response rates, have real-time conversations, and reach prospects in a convenient way. Are you leveraging text messages to support your sales process? Here is why and how text messaging can help accelerate your sales processes.

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3 reasons why texting can accelerate your sales pipeline

1.

Texting increases response rates
You had a great connection with a highly interested prospect 4 weeks ago, but they are not answering your follow-up emails. Will you keep sending more emails into the void? You might want to send a quick text message instead. Thanks to push notifications, text messages are quite hard to miss since they appear on cell phones homescreens. About 90% of people open their text messages, but that number is much, much lower for emails. If you want an answer, send a text!
2.

Texting significantly shortens response time
More than 60% of people read their text messages within 5 minutes. Texting keeps the conversation warm and relevant, allowing prospects to respond as soon as you catch their attention. Many of our CRM customers use text messaging to bypass the slowness of email exchanges, and in doing so they quickly move prospects down the sales pipeline.
3.

Most customers want to text with businesses
If you think that text messaging is just a nice-to-have feature on your CRM, read this: 75% of people aged 44 and below like contacting businesses via text. While you’re waiting for a reply to your email, your prospective client might already be texting a purchase order number to your competitor. Consider taking advantage of this high-efficiency tool for quickly exchanging information and making plans.

3 ways texting helps manage information

1.

Gather information
Texting can be a quick and convenient way to collect information through an informal text conversation with a prospective client. It does not require them to commit time to fill a form, schedule a call, or promise they’ll answer your email later (which they might forget). They can conveniently write a few words here and there to share their needs, pain points, timelines, updates, and contact info.
2.

Validate information
Texting allows for quick back-and-forths with prospective customers in order to ask specific questions and clarify information efficiently. If you only need to confirm a phone number or a product model number, you can drop a quick line and have your answer in seconds. Because of the informal nature of text messaging, you can get straight to the point - and customers appreciate it.
3.

Send information
Texting can be a great way to send information to prospects in a quick and convenient manner and ensure it does not get lost in their email inbox. You can send links to your website, product demos, or other resources that may be of interest to the prospect. High are the chances that your prospect will reply “Thanks”, which increases their level of engagement while helping you confirm they received your info.

Here are 5 ways to use one-to-one texting to manage the sales process

1.

Introduce yourself
A lead filled out a web form and landed as a prospect in your CRM. Send them a quick hello to create a connection and let them know they can reach you via text.
2.

Confirm an appointment
Before you hit the road, send a text to your customer to make sure they know you’re coming and are still available to see you.
3.

Ask a quick question
You’re missing a few details to provide a quote or complete a report? Texting your question is the fastest way to receive an answer.
4.

Confirm documents received
Your prospect just sent you a big file that you need to assess to provide a quote. Send a text to confirm receipt and let them know you’re on it.
5.

Make sure they got your quote
You submitted a quote to your prospect’s vendor portal. Text them to make sure they received everything in order and ask them what’s the next step.

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Why should text messaging be integrated within your CRM?

1.

A vast majority of customers want to communicate with businesses via text messaging
This is good news, as sales representatives also enjoy how effectively they can communicate via text messaging. Quick and engaged conversations carried at the prospect’s convenience creates more movement in the sales pipeline and accelerates the sales process. Text messaging can empower your business to capture your leads’ attention as soon as they show interest and text with them wherever they go.
2.

Text messages are stored within the CRM app
Keeping a record of conversations in one location means you can provide continuity in the relationship with your prospects and customers, even if their assigned representative is unavailable or has left. Sales and customer care teams can quickly retrieve past conversations in order to honor what has been offered to customers. Moreover, a team assigned to a client can collaborate to serve the client seamlessly by accessing their history.
3.

Better communication control and governance
The increasing use of text messaging also means that crucial communications are not being captured by your company’s email servers. Having no oversight and no records of these communications can expose the business to greater risk. Since text messaging typically lends itself well to informal communication, CRM integration of texting functionalities acts as a safeguard to keep conversations professional. Furthermore, text messaging integration within a CRM also helps the company ensure compliance from a governance perspective.
4.

CentrixOne integrates CRM and text messaging
CentrixOne CRM integrates simple and easy-to-use text messaging functionalities to help you keep in touch with your prospects and accelerate your sales process. Book a demo if you’d like to see it in action!