A Guide onHow toIncrease

Profits Usingthe Right SMS

Gateway

Text messaging is one of themost successful communicationchannels. Our guide will help you

use it efficiently.

1. IntroductionGet a glimpse into bulk SMSmarketing tactics and strategiesthat will drive revenue to yourbusiness.

2. SMS Gateway as aRediscovered Treasurefor CompaniesLearn how bulk SMS can increasesales rates.

3. Use SMS Gateway inthe Most Efficient WayText messaging is one of the mostsuccessful communicationchannels. Our guide will help youuse it efficiently.

4. Crucial Features of anSMS Gateway DashboardThe SMS gateway dashboard is acrucial element of the system whichmakes the platform convenient.

5. Bonus ContentFind out what two-factorauthentication practices areemployed by leaders across keyindustries.

6. Bringing It All TogetherThese are the key elements of apowerful SMS gateway platform.

OverviewIn this e-book you will find useful tips on how to choose the rightSMS gateway and to take your SMS marketing activities to a newlevel.

Thank you for downloading our e-book.In it, you will get an overview of someof the top trends in SMS marketing todate. You can pick and choose whichsections to focus on by clicking on thesections above. Here is a shortsummary of what is about to come:

A short overview ofwhat we covered:

Features and technologies thatmake SMS gateway a robustplatform.Types of text-messages that can besent.Best SMS marketing practices.What to look for in a good SMSgateway dashboard?

Bonus ContentHow and when to use SMS Gatewayfor one-time passwords?

Enjoy reading our e-book andremember that you are alwayswelcome to contact us if you have anyquestions or comments.

IntroductionGet a glimpse into bulk SMSmarketing tactics andstrategies that will driverevenue to your business.

DAS Solutions Team

The length of SMS, or text messages is limited to 160 characters fromthe GSM alphabet. However, the shortage of characters does not stoptext messaging from being one of the most successful communicationchannels, because SMS is enabled on virtually 100% of mobile andsmart phones. That is why SMS marketing is being used by suchcompanies as American Express, PayPal, Lufthansa, BMW, and many

SMS Gateway as aRediscovered Treasure forCompaniesLearn how bulk SMS can increase sales rates.

other well-known brands. To send millions of text messages, thesecompanies needed a powerful tool that could get their message across.This is where SMS Gateways come into play.

What is an SMS Gateway and how can it increasemy revenue?In a nutshell, SMS Gateway is a web-based app (basically a website),which allows users to send text messages to their customers’ phonenumbers (naturally, with their permission). At the same time, an SMSGateway has the capacity to receive messages from users, which makescommunication interactive. The SMS Gateway can be used fortransactional and promotional purposes.

Transactional messages include: Promotional messages include:

Appointment reminders Location-based promotions

Call notifications Discount notifications

One time passwords Promotion alerts

Transaction alerts Information services

Payment reminders Result notifications

Booking confirmations Short surveys

Account updates 'Text & Win' competitions

The variety of messages that can be sent using an SMS Gateway givesthe platform the possibility to become a useful tool for any businessfrom any industry that wishes to stay competitive. A powerful SMSGateway should do more than just send text messages, it will make surethat your message gets delivered. When choosing an SMS Gateway,look for an intelligent message sending feature. The platform will try tosend the message several times, in case the message wasn’t delivered,you will get a notification. It will give you the possibility to check thephone number and see what can be fixed to deliver the message to therecipient.

Another feature to look for is for optimal real-time routing. The platformwill support an intelligent algorithm that will manage flexible anddynamic routing. Flexible routing allows to create different rules foreach destination one wishes to send messages to, and at the same time,

to route a certain set of messages through different outbound routes orcarriers to one destination.

Dynamic routing allows to change routing on the fly with no need torestart the system. Routing ensures your messages are delivered asquickly as possible – without compromising security or reliability in theprocess.

A user-friendly graphical interface is very important when it comes touser experience. No one is willing to spend an hour trying to figure outhow a message can be sent. In addition to that, look for a reporting toolin the SMS gateway platform that will be easy to manage andunderstand. Your non-techie employees don’t have to struggle whileworking with the platform.

What is an SMS gateway? It is a tool that will take you closer to yourcustomers and will increase your customer conversion rates if usedwisely.

Let’s imagine that you already own an SMS Gateway. Now you cancommunicate with your clients via text-messaging. But what are you goingto do with the tool that you just got? How do you use the SMS Gateway in away that increases customers’ loyalty?

Use SMS Gateway in theMost Efficient WayText messaging is one of the most successful communication

channels. Our guide will help you use it efficiently.

Our explicit tips will help you create SMS campaigns that drive revenue.

Customize text-messagesSMS campaigns teach you to get straight to the point. That is why it is agood idea to start your message with an attention grabber. A goodattention grabber will make your customer want to read your message untilthe end. Usually, attention grabbers are spelled with capital letters, forexample: ‘GOOD NEWS’, ‘UPDATE’, ‘GREAT OFFER’, etc. After you got yoursubscribers’ attention, use a clear call to action.

When sending a message, customize it. Use your client’s name orgeographical (if known). This will help build a closer relationship with yourcustomer. Don’t hesitate to congratulate your customers with birthdays,offer them discounts on anniversaries or other important days. Don’t useSMS only as a promotional channel, but rather as a communication channelthat consists of various messages on different topics.

An example of a message you can send:

“Stephanie, your order is getting close to 123 Main Street. If youare not home, please call 350-598-2926 or reply to this text sowe can make arrangements. Thanks!”Use Emojis

The way people perceive advertisement has changed, and this is especiallyrelevant for Millennials. According to a report cited by the Times, 4 out of 10Millennials report that they'd rather engage with pictures than text, so thereis no need to always be serious. Sometimes it is effective to be more creativeand less official. Add emotions to your messages by using emojis. They willgrab readers’ attention, make the message funnier, and more memorable.

Insert shortened linksDon’t use the SMS gateway only for promotional messages. Embed SMScommunication into your digital marketing strategy. If you have a promotionand you have a landing page for your offer, insert a clickable and shortenedlink in the text-message (remember, you have a limited amount ofcharacters to spare). The link will redirect the recipient to your landing page.

At the same time, you wish to provide your clients with a pleasant customerjourney, that’s why make sure that your website has a responsive design.Also keep in mind that the easier it is for users to engage with your content,the more likely they will complete the steps you want them to take.

Send SMS RemindersEngage with your customers by reminding that they had abandoned ashopping cart on your website. Let them know that they still did not buy thatteddy bear for their daughter’s birthday, or a piece of jewelry for theirspecial day with their significant other. Give your customers an option torespond to this text-message reminder, so that you can call them back andcomplete the order for them. You never know what stopped your client frombuying on your website

Choose the best timing and frequencyAnalyze the responses you receive from your target groups. Find the timeand frequency that works best for your clients. If you send too manymessages, there will inevitably be complaints and opt-outs. On the otherhand, if you send messages infrequently, your clients may feel that yourmessages are out of place.

Place your contact infoWhenever it is relevant and possible, mention your company’s contactinformation in the SMS. Make it easy for the client to get in touch with you.It is much easier when the phone number is provided right in the text. Theyclick it, and their phone does the rest of the job. When they call, make surethey don’t wait long before someone picks-up. So make sure the customerservice team is always ready to take calls and be in the know about the textmessaging marketing strategy

Give an unsubscribe optionIf you mainly use an SMS gateway for promotional messages, give yourclients an option to unsubscribe. Make sure you provide them with clearinstructions how they can stop receiving messages from you. This can be aword that they need to send in response to your campaign or a link to yourwebsite they have to access.

Use a customized sender nameYou don’t want your clients to remember you as 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8. They shouldknow right away that they are getting messages from you, not from arandom phone number, and definitely not your competitors. Make sure thatyou have customized your sender name, and that your customers see wherethose messages are coming from.

Measure results and adjustYour SMS campaigns won’t be effective if you don’t measure the results andadjust to make them even better. Create A/B testing campaigns for yourtarget groups, and go with the ones that work best. Analyze your results andstay open to changes in your content and strategy.

If you follow these tips, you will have a good chance to turn your SMSgateway investment into a continuous revenue-driving mechanism. Nextweek we are going to analyze the important features of a user-friendly SMSgateway interface.

There are many options when it comes to choosing a piece of softwarefor your new SMS aggregation business. Some have been on the marketfor many years, and have established themselves as leaders on themarket. Others have been developed more recently with the goal ofseizing portions of this large market.

Crucial Features of anSMS Gateway DashboardThe SMS gateway dashboard is a crucial element of the

system which makes the platform convenient.

The latter are generally more eager to impress, and have the ability tomake their products much more tailored around their clients to earntheir trust and become more visible. But regardless of how long aproduct has been on the market or how prestigious the company behindit, there are certain features that we are used to seeing in a robust SMSgateway dashboard. If these are missing, make sure to ask thedeveloper how much effort it would take to implement them within theirexisting solution.

Having access to good SMS campaign features, comprehensivereporting, and role-based access are just a few things that make an SMSGateway dashboard powerful. We’ve put together a comprehensive listof features that will impress even the most exigent SMS business owner.

Flexible SMS CampaignsSending SMS campaigns is themain role of an SMS Gateway. Arobust product will have the abilityto send and receive text messagesin a myriad of formats andprotocols, such as SMPP, SS7,SIGTRAN, SIP, or HTTP. But itsinterface is critical to being able tomaneuver these powerful featuresof a good SMS product. Thus it is a good sign when a gateway’sinterface has such options as:

Data uploads in different formats (think about your customers’phone numbers)

When users have a variety of formats in which they can upload theinformation into the system, it gives them more flexibility. If the systemis capable of reading CSV, Excel, Google Sheets, and vCards files, humanerror is minimized.

Rules-based segmentation

Your subscribers may be at different stages in the sales funnel, thereforethe ability to send specific messages to groups of people is important.Ensuring that your users can segment your audience in an easy andlogical way will make your SMS business more successful.

Automatic action-based SMS campaigns

Interact with customers who clicked on your SMS offer but did notconvert. Send them a reminder that the discount is about to expire orfollow-up with a different time-based offer. Make sure your SMSgateway can do this automatically in order to maximize your SMSimpact.

Campaign scheduling

SMS campaign scheduling is a must for any SMS business. It is evenbetter when you can schedule campaigns for different time zones inwhich your text will be delivered. This option will send your message atthe most optimized time, ensuring a higher engagement rate.

SMS campaign drafts and templates

Drafts and templates can be used to save your users’ time. They can

also be a source of inspiration for your clients’ marketing team, astemplates can be created for them based on certain needs and events.

Contact groups

If you can create groups within your list of subscribers based on theirinterests, industries, or lead source, your clients will be very happy.Generally the more customized the text message, the more impactfulthe SMS campaign will be.

Editing subscriber lists

Your clients will need to make occasional changes to their list ofsubscribers via your SMS gateway dashboard. Subscribers’ contactinformation changes, so being able to keep their information up-to-dateis important.

Comprehensive Reports Inside the SMS GatewayDashboardYour clients will need the ability to gauge how well their SMS campaignsare doing. Therefore providing relevant, insightful, and intuitive datadirectly from your SMS gateway’s dashboard will make them happy.

Reports on performance, in terms of open-rates, click-through rates, and

conversion rates will give managers the knowledge they need to makeadjustments and plan their SMS marketing activities.

Note that certain protocols are better at providing accurate informationon delivery than others. So ensure that the product you choose isversatile when it comes to various combinations of protocols such asSS7 to SMPP, SS7 to SS7, and many others. Carrier grade SMS productswill support all possible ones

Inbox folder functionAn inbox folder is a good feature to have in an SMS gateway dashboard.It acts like a regular email inbox, but in a centralized location, so thatoperators and agents can respond to clients’ inquiries in a timelymanner, without exiting the dashboard. This feature can be improvedeven further if it has the ability to store “canned” responses that arebasically templates to address clients’ most frequently asked questions.This will speed up the communication process and increase loyalty andretention rates.

Role-based access controlMake sure that your SMS gatewayallows setting different user roles foryour operators. This will ensure that thelevel of access to sensitive information isappropriate for all employees. Look forsophisticated role-based access controlin the SMS dashboard, and ensure that only senior staff can accessaggregate client lists, routing details, and other sensitive data from asecurity point of view.

The SMS gateway dashboard is a crucial element which makes theplatform convenient for your clients operators and employees. That’swhy it is important to choose a user-friendly interface with a set ofuseful features.

How to Set up a Two-Factor Authentication SystemUsing an SMS Gateway?A second layer of data protection is always a good idea, especially whenyou want to keep your customers safe from intruders. Authenticationmechanisms that require only a username and a password are no longerintrusion-proof, as can be seen by recent experience at some internetgiants who shall remain nameless. Your users will be safer if you

Bonus ContentFind out what two-factor authentication practices are

employed by leaders across key industries.

implement a two-factor authentication system using an SMS gateway,and send customers one-time passwords (OTP) to enter your system.

Typically, one-time passwords are four- to eight-digit numerical codesthat are valid for a short period of time, and only for one interaction,session, or transaction. They make authentication safer, because theyare sent directly to the customer’s mobile phone. Authentication via OTPgained popularity across industries because it’s a cheap, easy toimplement, and ubiquitous way to communicate with customers. Theuser does not have to install a third-party application to receive the one-time passwords, so it is also a very user-friendly option.

To set up OTPs, you will need an SMS gateway that supports thisauthentication method. It is configured to generate and send one-timepasswords for the user via text. Some OTPs are generated based ontime-synchronization, while others use mathematical algorithms.

Text-messages can be delivered in two ways: (1) you can attach a GSMmodem to your server with a data cable, or (2)you can send messagesthrough an SMS service provider. If you decide to go for the latteroption, text-messages will first be sent to the short message servicecenter (SMSC) of the service provider, and from there, based onconnections with other SMSCs, the text-messages get sent to yourrecipients.

For security reasons,setting up a VPN channelbetween the SMS Gatewayand the SMSC of theservice provider is alwaysa good precaution. Thefirst option is usually moresecure because it isintegrated in yourinfrastructure and doesnot require an internet

connection. The second SMS delivery option is a good choice if you needto send a high volume of text-messages.

SMS-based OTPs are an Option if You Operate inOne of these IndustriesEveryone understands text messages. Thus implementing two-factorauthentication using SMS will not introduce a steep learning curve foryour customers. SMS-based OTPs can be implemented regardless ofyour industry. Here is an extensive list of industries already using thistype of authentication successfully!

Education and TrainingFood industry

RetailTravel and Tourism

Healthcare and HospitalityWeb DesignIT and ITeSReal Estate

Two-Factor Authentication Use CasesRegistration

Ask for a user’s phone number during the first registration attempt.Display a message where it is clearly explained that their phonenumbers will be used only for verification procedures. Afterwards, send aone-time password that will allow the user to access their new account.

New Device

If the user logs in from a different device, a new IP address, or even anew country, you can add extra verification steps like SMS OTP or byanswering qualifying secret questions.

Unusual Behavior

Usual behavior such as making a lot of purchases in a short amount oftime, or in different time zones can serve as red flags. Preventfraudulent activities by verifying whether the actions were performed bythe user.

Changing Account Information or Settings

Set up additional verification steps when the user requests certainchanges that could put their information at risk, such as changing theaccount name, or phone number. You could encourage users to opt in toextra verification steps by rewarding them for choosing to add thesecond security layer (some companies offer discounts if their usersprotect themselves in this way).

When Is It Better to Use Multi-Factor AuthenticationTechnology?With the rise of fraud attacks such as Emmental that affected banks inSwitzerland, Sweden, Austria, and Japan, banks are looking foralternatives to OTPs through SMS. During Emmental operation, millionswere stolen from both consumer and commercial bank accounts.

Cybercrooks mislead peopleinto installing fakeapplications on their devices.There were cases where suchapps waited for text-messages from banks thatcontained session tokens,and silently hijackedcommunication, forwardingthe info to attackers’ servers.

Cybercriminals are keen on finding ways to undermine SMS OTPs, butthis is still an infinitely safer alternative to the ID and password-onlyoption.

SMS two-factor authentication verifies a user’s identity in a fast, easy,and non-disruptive way. It is relevant for a range of industries, it is costeffective, easy to implement and works on a global scale. Reach out to atelecom consultant and discuss your two-factor authentication needs.

An SMS Gateway is a powerful tool that is being used for marketing and

communication purposes by well-known brands in a range of industries. In this

guide we have shown how this is particularly the case for organizations that

rely upon a continuous relationship with a wide range of clients. Usage varies

from delivery of marketing offers and promotions to sending automated action-

triggered messages. Text messaging is particularly important for authentication

purposes in a variety of circumstances (password change, double-

authentication, etc.).

Most importantly, a powerful platform used timely and wisely facilitates

customers' loyalty and drives revenue for any business. Whether you come

from insurance, finance, banking (and the list goes on), your business will only

have to gain from implementing a communication solution based on such a

well-recognized medium as text messaging. Everyone already knows how to

use it!

On the back end of the platform, such features as intelligent message sending

and real-time routing ensure that your message gets delivered. An intuitive

interface of the dashboard, on the other hand, guarantees that it is easy to use.

Get in touch with us and schedule a demo of a live SMS gateway platform to

see how it works.

Bringing It All Together

These are the key elements of a powerful SMS gateway platform.