Learn How to Send a Text Blast Online and Get Started With Text Blast Software
Text blasts aren’t just a convenient way to start text conversations—they get engagement.
Compared to email and voice:
- Text messages have high delivery rates
- Texts get up to 98% open rates
- Messages with links get around a 36% click rate
- And business text message response rates are up to 45%
Given those numbers, it's not surprising that many businesses and organizations use text blasts to communicate with their contacts, customers, clients, and teams.
But what exactly is a text message blast? When’s the best time to send a text blast? Is text blasting legal? And how can you get started with a text blast app or service?
In this article, I’ll address all of the above and cover:
- What a text blast is
- Why text blasts are effective
- How to send a text blast
- Free text blast templates and examples
Read on for more.
What Is a Text Blast?
A text blast is a one-to-many text message sent from a business texting service to a large group of contacts. Businesses and organizations use text blasts to send promotional offers, updates, and alerts to customers, clients, contacts, and teams. You’ll need to obtain the proper level of consent from contacts on your list before sending a text blast.
Can I use my Android or iPhone to send a text blast?
No, you can’t send a text blast from your iPhone or Android devices. To send SMS blasts, you need to use a business texting service (like MessageDesk).
You need a text blast service that offers:
- A2P 10DLC
- Carrier-verified text message delivery
- Full TCPA compliance
- Automated opt-in and opt-out features
What's the difference between a group text blast and a mass text blast?
Group text blasts from your mobile device aren’t the same as mass text blasts. Your personal phone and texting plan only allows you to text a limited number of people in a group. These group channels are also open. This means anyone in the group can see all messages and replies and choose to participate in the conversation.
In contrast, a mass text blast is a one-way, one-to-many text message. There’s no cap on how many people can receive a text blast. One might reach hundreds or even thousands of contacts.
When is the best time to send a text blast?
The best time to send a text blast depends on your audience and the types of messages you’re sending. To achieve the best text message open, click, and engagement rates you’ll want to follow these best practices:
- Consider time zones - It means that you may need to send messages in separate batches depending on where people live. Sending messages at awkward times drastically reduce response rates.
- Avoid Mondays - Mondays are generally a busy day, and this is particularly true if your audience encompasses professionals. Sending texts when someone is busy means they are less likely to reply. Instead, opt for mid-week messaging.
- Avoid Fridays - Friday is not always a bad day to message. But it’s recommended that you avoid sending messages on a Friday afternoon. This is when people are hoping to unwind and relax.
- Send messages during traditional working hours (9 AM to 5 PM) - During these times, most people are attentive and focused.
Is text blasting legal?
Text blasting is legal so long as you’ve received the right level of consent from the contacts you’re texting.
Cold texting is illegal per the cellular telecommunications industry TCPA spam act and guidelines. All promotional text messages require expressed written consent.
Other types of messages may only require implied consent. You’ll also want to make sure your messaging terms and conditions are clear and easily accessible.
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Why Text Blasts Are an Effective Way to Reach People
Many types of businesses or organizations send blast text messages, including tax firms, schools, doctors' offices, non-profit organizations, and more.
In fact, texting has some clear advantages. Customers, clients, contacts, and teams even prefer texting compared to email and voice.
Here are five reasons why text blasts work:
- People prefer texts over emails: Texting is faster and easier than crafting an entire email or newsletter and more accessible for people who don’t have email on their phones. 74% of customers have zero unread text messages versus the 17% of people who have no unread emails.
- Text blasts are multi-purpose: There are many ways to utilize a text blast. You can share promotional information, coupons, text alerts, scheduling updates, and more.
- You can personalize your messages: Just because you’re sending a blast text to hundreds of people doesn't mean your message can't be personable. Templates ensure each recipient gets a message with their name on it. You can also divide your contacts into groups based on demographics or their history with your company or organization.
- A text blast reaches more people: Unlike a group text, which has a cap on the number of people that you can contact at once, a text blast has practically no limit.
- Gathering contacts is easy: An SMS blast app like MessageDesk, makes opting in or out of an SMS list easy. All you need to do is enable a response activated by a keyword, like “OFFER” to opt-in or “STOP” to opt-out.
How to Send a Text Message Blast
I’ve addressed what text blasts are and why they’re effective. Here’s how to get started with a blast text message service or app.
1. Build a list of text blast recipients
The first step is to grow your text list. About 85% of consumers actually want to be able to receive texts from businesses that they follow. It pays to offer people the option to sign up for your SMS list and opt-in to text campaigns.
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2. Choose a business texting service
There are many great business texting services and SMS marketing services (including MessageDesk) that make it easy to blast text messages.
You’ll want to choose the best text blast app that works for your business or organization.
MessageDesk offers a specific range of phone number and texting features designed to suit your communications needs.
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3. Set up the number you’ll use for text blasts
In the past, short code phone numbers were the only way to send text blasts. This has changed.
Now you have more SMS phone number options. You can get a new text number or text-enable your existing business number to send text blasts.
To text from your existing business phone number or landline, you’ll need to submit a number porting request.
Note: It will likely take from 1-7 days to successfully text-enable your business number once you submit your request. Sometimes, this process is referred to as number hosting (not to be confused with number porting).
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4. Import your contacts and create groups
Once your text blast business number is up and running, you’ll want to organize your contact information. Most text blast services offer convenient features such as syncing contacts or address books.
If you’ve collected detailed information on what kind of promotions customers want to receive, organize them into groups.
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5. Write and proofread messages
After you've uploaded your contacts, you'll need to set up your text blast content. For this, MessageDesk supports pre-saved text message templates, tags, media, and links.
This allows you to create more custom personalized texts that allow for deeper engagement with your audience.
You can also pre-save different SMS texts for different contact groups to match the purpose of your text campaign.
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6. Schedule or automate SMS blasts
You can always schedule text messages to send at a later date. You can also take advantage of automated text message campaigns to deliver messages to your recipients.
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7. Track open rates and link clicks
One feature that separates MessageDesk from other bulk SMS services is the ability to send a link in texts. This allows you to monitor the success of your text blast campaigns.
MessageDesk’s broadcast text message service delivers a report with information on who successfully received the text.
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Free Text Blast Templates and Examples
Text blasts are a versatile communication tool for businesses and organizations. Here are some examples of how to use them:
- Promotional offers: Coupons and promotions bring customers back to your business and drive sales. You can also offer them as a reward for loyal customers or clients. Offering exclusive discounts to those who sign up to receive text blasts can work as an incentive to grow your contact list faster.
- Alerts and updates: A text blast message service can send out, like a sudden change to business hours, an event cancellation, or a reminder. These can also work for emergencies, such as ongoing news stories or weather updates.
- Non-commercial promotions: Non-profit organizations can also send promotional blasts via SMS to share information about upcoming donation drives, fundraisers, and community needs. Political organizations may also send text blasts as part of their campaign.
- Marketing messages: These allow you to inform your contact list about a new service, an upcoming sale, or introduce a new member of the practice.
- Requesting Feedback: You can collect valuable feedback by sending out surveys, polls, and questionnaires. Ask for people's thoughts on customer service, what kind of service options they prefer, or what their favorite thing is about your company or organization.
Below are a few examples of text blast templates. I’ve also written a whole article with 100+ free text message templates and examples that you can copy and paste.
1. Marketing messages
Welcome to [brand]! Explore our newest [products] today to find the perfect fit, and get [percentage discount] off your first order!
Welcome to [brand]! Explore our newest [products] today to find the perfect fit, and get [percentage discount] off your first order!
Welcome to [brand]! Explore our newest [products] today to find the perfect fit, and get [percentage discount] off your first order!
2. Promotional offers
Celebrate the holidays with [featured product]! You can get [percentage discount]% off when you order today!
Celebrate the holidays with [featured product]! You can get [percentage discount]% off when you order today!
Happy birthday, {{ FirstName }}! Celebrate with a [promotional discount offer] today!
Hi [First Name]! Tax season is upon us. At [tax firm name], we offer a 15% discount to returning customers. Click the link below to claim: [link to shopping cart to claim]
Hi {{ FirstName}}! [Dentist office name] here. We're offering a 20% discount on [cosmetic service] starting [date]. Follow the link to book your appointment: [link to site]
3. Alerts and updates
Hello {{ FirstName}}! It's [CPA] from [tax firm] reaching out to remind you that your taxes are due on [date] in New York state. Have you filed your taxes yet? Our accountants are taking return customers now.
Attention, {{ FirstName}}, this is [Business Name]. We wanted to inform you that our hours are changing. Starting next month, we will be closed early at 3 pm on Fridays.
Hi {{ FirstName}}, it's [recruiter] from [staffing agency] reaching out to let you know that I will be out of the office for the month of August. If you've tried to reach me, will be in touch in early September.
Hi {{ FirstName }}. Because of the weather, we're canceling the service today. We will keep you updated on all weather-related updates and future closures.
4. Non-commercial promotions
Hi {{ FirstName}}! We are organizing a donation drive in your area this weekend. Please consider dropping off non-perishable food items and gently used clothes at [direction]. Thank you for your support!
{{ FirstName}}, thanks for your continued support of [non-profit/organization]! We will be having another fundraiser this fall to raise awareness for [cause]. Please check out this link for more information bout the date and time.
5. Requesting Feedback
Hi (first name), thanks for shopping with us. Have 2 minutes to review your shopping experience? Just follow the link! [LINK]
Dear {{ FirstName}}, it's [doctor's office], and we want to hear about your experience with us. Please visit [survey link] for a quick 5-minute survey: [link to survey]
Dear {{ FirstName}}: How was your recent experience with [staffing agency]? Your feedback helps us improve as a business and we'd love for you to submit a quick survey to help us out: [link to survey]
Ready to start sending text blasts?
Text blasts are a convenient way for organizations and companies to quickly reach a large number of customers, clients, and contacts.
Ready to start sending out text blasts? A text blast service like MessageDesk can help you streamline managing messages, alerts, and scheduled notifications.
Feel free to meet with a messaging expert to discuss your needs.