Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
It can feel maddening when you reach out to prospective or current clients (sometimes multiple times) only to hear crickets in response. Whether you’re trying to connect with someone about their first visit or remind a longtime client of their next appointment, silence can lead to uncertainty and fear they won’t show up. Imagine a communication channel that almost guarantees visibility, with a staggering 98% chance your message will be seen. That’s the power of SMS messaging.
For businesses that use Salesforce as their customer relationship management software, the absence of built-in SMS functionality might seem like a missed opportunity. However, innovative solutions are available that seamlessly integrate with Salesforce, allowing you to harness its rich data and supercharge your business and client engagement through text messages. Let’s explore how SMS messaging can bridge the gap and turn those crickets into conversations.
The Power of SMS Messaging in Client Communication
SMS messages are a powerful way to get your clients’ attention quickly. The average open rate for text messages hovers between 95-99%, with 90% of those messages read within the first three minutes after they were delivered. This immediacy provides a personal touch that other communication channels struggle to match. SMS messages cut through the noise, offering a direct line to your client’s attention.
Text messages can enhance your client communication strategy in many ways. One of the most popular uses is marketing to prospective and current customers to entice them to book or buy from you. However, SMS messages can also be utilized for appointment confirmations and reminders, payment processing, and even to address real-time customer service issues or questions.
Does Salesforce have SMS messaging?
Salesforce does not currently have SMS messaging built into the CRM platform. However, several solutions on Salesforce’s AppExchange allow users to integrate SMS messaging into their accounts. For example, Apptoto enables businesses to send SMS appointment reminders, confirmations, and follow-ups for any appointment on their calendar (Salesforce or otherwise), send bulk SMS message campaigns to their contacts, and have two-way SMS message conversations with clients. Other SMS solutions offer tools to do things such as nudge sales representatives to complete sales activities that move prospects to customers or send customer feedback surveys.
Why Integrate SMS Messaging for Salesforce?
Integrating SMS messaging with Salesforce can transform your client interactions. You can take advantage of your business’s rich prospect and client data by syncing your SMS message provider with your Salesforce account. Utilizing this data may look like generating personalized text messages that include client data stored in your CRM or sending SMS campaigns triggered to send when a client reaches certain milestones. The ways in which your business can utilize SMS messaging to connect with clients are endless, although we invite you to read on to learn about the most common appointment management use cases.
SMS Messaging for Salesforce Calendar Events
One of the most practical applications of SMS messaging within Salesforce is reminding attendees about upcoming Salesforce Calendar events. This often means reminding prospective or current clients about upcoming appointments with you, although SMS reminders can also be beneficial for reminding staff members about meetings. Automated SMS reminders help significantly reduce appointment no-shows. Likewise, these reminders serve as a convenient reference for clients, helping foster customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Some SMS messaging providers, like Apptoto, can utilize the rich data stored in Salesforce leads, contacts, events, and custom objects and fields within the SMS messages themselves. One way to do this is by using dynamic fields or placeholders in SMS appointment message templates to confirm, remind, or follow up with someone about their appointment. Those dynamic fields automatically pull the correct contact and event details into the SMS messages, allowing businesses to send reminder messages at scale with only a handful of templates/sequences.
Bulk SMS Text Messaging Campaigns
An equally powerful use of SMS messaging is to send bulk messaging campaigns to your contacts. Campaigns can help reengage lost leads or churned clients, grow bookings, promote specials, and boost client satisfaction. Like personalized reminders for calendar events, bulk SMS campaigns can be tailored to convey targeted messages that resonate with your audience, increasing the likelihood of response and action. A great example of using SMS messaging campaigns is to help turn leads in your Salesforce account into opportunities or sales. If a lead has engaged with your website by filling out a form but has yet to take further action, you could nudge them 5 and 10 days later to entice them to book with you and provide an online booking link.
Two-Way Business Text Messaging
Businesses can also use SMS texts for two-way business messaging. This helps companies create an interactive and near-instantaneous communication channel between themselves and their clients. Using two-way business text messaging allows clients to respond directly to appointment reminder messages, ask questions, or provide feedback in real-time. Customers feel engaged and valued when they know their inquiries or concerns are being addressed by the business promptly. Companies streamline communication processes and build stronger, more responsive customer relationships.
Payment Reminders and Collection
SMS messages are also an efficient way to send payment reminders before or after an appointment. These messages may include essential details such as the payment amount, due date, and easy payment instructions or links, making it convenient for clients to pay. This streamlines the payment process for both clients and businesses. But, it also helps maintain positive customer experiences by providing polite and helpful reminders, avoiding the potential for contentious or uncomfortable collection calls.
How do I add SMS messaging for Salesforce?
How you add SMS messaging to Salesforce will depend on your chosen text messaging solution. First, identify your business’s needs and budget for SMS messaging, then research solutions that integrate with Salesforce. Once you’ve found and onboarded the right solution for your business, the next steps will likely include integrating both platforms (including syncing your contacts and custom objects and fields). Next, you’ll set up your SMS messaging rules, timing, and templates. Then it’s time to launch!
Apptoto: Your Solution for Salesforce SMS Messaging
Apptoto is the perfect solution for integrating SMS messaging with Salesforce for appointment-based businesses. It automates the process of sending SMS messages for Calendar events, making it easier than ever to communicate with your clients about their appointments. With Apptoto, you can:
- Set up automated SMS reminders for appointments on your Salesforce Calendar (in addition to voice calls and email)
- Personalize messages to reflect your brand’s voice and client’s preferences
- Customize timing for appointment reminders and follow-ups to maximize engagement
- Track message delivery and responses for improved communication strategies
- Offer online scheduling that integrates directly with your Salesforce Calendar and appointment messaging
- Collect payments for appointments, send bulk Campaign messages, and two-way text with clients
Apptoto’s seamless integration with Salesforce streamlines your workflow, allowing you to focus on what you do best—serving your clients. Experience the simplicity and effectiveness of Apptoto by trying it out for your Salesforce SMS messaging needs.
Getting Started with Apptoto’s SMS Reminder Messaging: A Step-by-Step Guide
Launching SMS appointment reminders is straightforward. Following the step-by-step guide below, you can integrate SMS messaging into your Salesforce system. Optimize your messages for engagement by considering content, timing, and frequency to ensure your communications are well-received.
- Navigate to Apptoto’s signup page. Find the “Sign up using” option below the general form, and click the Salesforce link.
- Enter your Salesforce credentials to allow Apptoto to sync with your Salesforce Calendar.
- Connect the Calendar you want to sync to Salesforce. You can add more Calendars later in Settings>Calendar.
- Add your desired availability and details, such as your user name, calendar name, and timezone. Connect your Calendar.
- Navigate to Settings > Address Books to add your Salesforce Contacts to Apptoto.
- You can choose from contacts, leads, accounts, personal accounts, opportunities, or custom object address books. Or, add them all.
- Review the appointments Apptoto is pulling from Salesforce to ensure they are correct.
- Set up rules and times for when a text message will be sent to an event on your calendar.
- Then, set up reminder messaging sequences for appointments. This is where you will add SMS message reminders.
- On the Messaging tab, click +Add Message under your desired Rule.
- Select “Text” and choose whether to create a booking confirmation, reminder, or follow-up.
- Select when you want the message to be sent, edit the message as needed, and click “Done and Save.”
- Repeat as needed if you have multiple rules or want to add voice and email messages.
- Set up Contact Matching if you want Apptoto to extract clients’ phone numbers and email addresses from events automatically.
- Send test appointment reminder messages to ensure everything looks correct
- Launch Auto Messaging
Optional:
- Configure and use Salesforce Custom Objects/Fields in your text messages
- Test one-time text messages, two-way messages, campaigns, and payments
- Set up online booking pages and sync them to the appropriate Salesforce Calendar(s)
- Configure your account further using the Settings tab.
- For example, set company holidays, add integrations with virtual meeting providers or payment processors, adjust privacy settings, etc.
Leveraging SMS Messaging in Your Salesforce Account
SMS messaging is indispensable for business communication, especially when integrated with a powerful CRM like Salesforce. By leveraging Apptoto’s SMS messaging with Salesforce, you can help eliminate client no-shows, reduce administrative burden on your staff, and make your customers feel valued and appreciated. Take advantage of the opportunity to elevate your client communication and appointment management. Try Apptoto for free for 14 days and see how it can transform Salesforce SMS messaging for your business.
Additional Resources
Visit our Knowledge Base for more information on Apptoto’s features and how to integrate your Salesforce account. Also, check out our video tutorials and our ebook, which includes best practices for SMS appointment reminders.
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Product Marketing Manager
