Communication Without Borders

There are many good SMS marketing companies out there. However, there are others you wouldn't want to touch even with a 10-foot pole. These are companies that can leave you with a bad experience, loss of money and a possible date with the courts. So how do you go about choosing a great company? Ask these five questions:

Is this a real company?

Sometimes I wonder how business owners make decisions without asking such a basic question. You need to establish background information. Find out how long the company has been around. Check the experience, testimonials and track record. Call the references provided if need be and ask them for their opinion. It is better you take a little time establishing the authenticity of the company than to regret later.

Are they after a long-term relationship?

You need to know if this company is just an affiliate interested in selling software and getting a commission. Find out the real developer of the software and see if new versions will be free once you buy the software. Most software dealers will be keen to maintain a long-term relationship. Anyone not keen on this may be having a questionable business model, which you should avoid.

What strategy are they using?

Take extreme caution on unlimited messaging plans. This is not a sustainable business model and anybody promising this may not be around for long. The truth is every SMS is billable and mobile carriers are keen on avoiding SMS spamming. By they way, if the company is caught spamming, you may also be liable. One SMS fine is $16,000. So you can pay $1.6 million for 100 text messages, a situation you should never find yourself in.

Check if they will be inserting ads to your message. Some companies do this to reduce their costs to the detriment of your messages. You can imagine when you send out messages promoting Christian books and the ad that follows is for alcohol. I bet your strict Christian recipient will hate your company and possibly opt out.

What kind of support do they offer?

Check if the company can be reached by phone. How long do they take to answer phones and emails? This will probably give you and indication on the seriousness they attach to customer service. Figure out if they will be available when you change your strategy.

Support is crucial for an SMS company because the overall long-term cost of the service goes down. A company that is supportive will give you less stress and will be sensitive to your needs and those of your customers.

Is there a trial period or guarantee?

Most businesses offer free trials or guarantees. It could be 7, 14 or 30 days trial period. A company that does not offer a guarantee or trial period may not be sure of its products.

It does not do any harm to seek quotes from three other companies. Compare the costs, trial period and guarantee before you make your final decision.