Sales prospecting is a key step for any company looking to expand its customer base and increase revenue. Among the many tools available, SMS stands out for its exceptional efficiency. In this article, we explain how to use SMS to achieve successful commercial prospecting.
SMS: The Ideal Tool for Prospecting
There are several prospecting methods such as email, phone calls, social networks, or even websites. However, SMS stands apart thanks to:
- unbeatable open rates,
- speed and immediacy,
- an accessible and cost-effective channel.
Outstanding Open Rates
Compared to other marketing channels, professional SMS boasts the highest open rate, with over 90% of messages read. This ensures a strong return on investment. Once your message is opened by the recipient, your prospecting process is already off to a good start.
Speed and Immediacy
Mobile phones are always within reach, ensuring instant reactions. Most SMS messages are read within 3 minutes of being received.
Affordable Cost
For companies—especially SMEs—prospecting budgets are often limited. This makes low-cost channels essential.
Try our pricing simulator to estimate the cost of your next campaign.
How to Run a Successful SMS Prospecting Campaign
To fully benefit from the advantages of professional SMS, here are the key steps to a successful prospecting strategy.
1. Build a High-Quality Database
The first step is to have a qualified, compliant contact list. Make sure your contacts have given their consent to receive marketing messages from you, in accordance with the GDPR. You can collect this data through your website, events, contests, exclusive promotions, and more.
2. Personalize Your SMS Messages
To increase your chances of converting prospects, create personal connections. Include personalized information such as the recipient’s first name. With our SMS PRO platform, you can easily insert variable fields based on your customer file.
3. Highlight the Value of Your Product or Service
A prospect will only be interested if your product solves a specific need—saving time, saving money (discounts, promotions), improving productivity, etc. Clearly highlight the benefits of your offer in your SMS. This is essential for moving prospects through your conversion funnel.
4. Optimize Your Call-to-Action
The CTA is crucial in SMS prospecting. It must be clear, direct, and easy to understand. Encourage prospects to take a specific action such as:
- visiting your website,
- completing a form,
- requesting a quote,
- and more.
5. Choose the Right Time
The timing
6. Monitor Your Campaign Results
SMS prospecting improves over time thanks to continuous monitoring. Track your results and adjust parameters (send time, personalization, CTA, etc.). With our SMS PRO platform, you can access
Best Practices for Compliance
Let’s now look at the mandatory elements required for SMS prospecting in France to stay compliant with national regulations.
Opt-In Consent
Before sending a marketing SMS, you must obtain prior consent from your prospect. Using a professional SMS platform with an opt-in-compliant database can help you remain legally aligned.
STOP Mention
Every marketing SMS must include a STOP keyword. This allows recipients to unsubscribe instantly. Don’t worry—this also helps you refine your list and keep only genuinely interested prospects.
Company Identification
As the sender, you must include your company name in your SMS. Receiving a message from an unknown sender is unpleasant, adds no value, and is not compliant with French legislation.
Conclusion
SMS marketing brings together all the ingredients for successful sales prospecting. To go even further, explore the full features of our SMS PRO platform and make your first campaign with 10 free SMS credits!