Ask 10 people what Bulk SMS is and you're likely to get 10 different answers. Most of them though, will probably include some sense of sending a large amount of SMS messages. But beyond that it can get a bit confusing.
Traditionally the term Bulk SMS referred to mass messaging available at cheap prices. Usually the routes for the messages were inferior (hence the cheap) with unreliable deliveries. Now though, if you Google the term you'll get both reputable service providers as well as many more dubious ones promising to send lots of messages for the cheapest pricing.
The term has also gained in popularity with the rise of mobile marketing. And to many, Bulk SMS is synonymous with mobile marketing with SMS messages. It's not the same thing. Or at least it doesn't have to be. The problem is probably made worse by definitions such as the one on Wikipedia:
"Bulk Messaging is the...
SMS messaging is a popular topic. The growth of mobile has everyone jumping on board the SMS waggon and they all have something to say. I've compiled a list of five topics that I've seen written about that just aren't true, or at the very least are potentially misleading enough to be called myths. I'm going to try and offer some insight into why these myths exist and what the truth is, as I see it anyway!
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Businesses with limited staff or budgets might ask themselves whether they should use email or SMS marketing. Both are relatively low cost. Both offer the ability to reach many people at the same time, yet provide personal interaction. Both have a long history of being used for marketing.
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If you aren’t seeing a positive response from your SMS marketing then your list may be thinking of it as spam and just ignoring it like they do much of their email. So take your latest marketing messages and examine them again with these four questions in mind.
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Timing is everything. While it’s an axiom everyone can understand and agree on, it’s doubly true when it comes to SMS marketing. If you send your messages at the wrong time, you’ll see your opt out rates jump and your ROI plummet. So when should you send your text marketing messages? Here are three key guidelines to help you schedule your next campaign.
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