You call and email your clients, and you may also engage with them on social media. But what about texting them? While it’s never a good idea to send a cold text, texting potential buyers who you’ve already connected with can be helpful.

A post on The Pipeline blog reveals that salespeople text prospects for all kinds of reasons, including reminding them about upcoming meetings and making themselves more available for questions. Since most everyone has a smartphone, texting can be a quick and efficient way to communicate.

In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we highlight a post from The Pipeline blog that reveals some dos and don’ts when it comes to texting your prospects. Read on to be sure you’re doing it right.

Some Texting Dos

Remember to KISS. You know the saying — “Keep it simple, stupid.” The whole point of texting is to communicate concisely. Otherwise, you could send over a detailed email. Before texting prospects, be sure your message is clean and succinct.

Pay attention to time zones. This is especially important when you’re communicating with prospects outside of your area. While you might be typing out a text during business hours, it could be the middle of the night for your prospect. The post recommends that, just like a phone call, you ensure you aren’t reaching out at odd hours.

Put yourself in their shoes. Consider how you would feel if a salesperson texted you. What kind of message would you respond to — and which ones which you ignore? Make sure you use your words wisely and make the first sentence count since many people see a one-line preview on their lock screen.

Ask for permission. If you’re familiar with a prospect but you’ve never texted them before, the post advises asking for permission. Texting should be an opt-in, so ask if you can text once you’ve established a decent rapport.

Connect by phone first. If you want to get a response to your text, you can increase your chances by first speaking to the prospect or leaving a voicemail. You can use texts to remind them of a meeting.

Some Texting Don’ts

Don’t make your texts lengthy. Your message should be skimmable and easy to read. However, the post notes that even though the format is more casual, you should still try to maintain a professional approach.

Don’t use shorthand. Using lingo like brb and lol can make your text appear spammy or unprofessional, so try to avoid these shorthand terms. Also, while there’s nothing wrong with a smiley face, don’t go overboard with emojis.

Don’t text to avoid another channel. For example, if your prospect calls you with a question, don’t respond to them via text. Chances are, they want a live discussion, which is why they called you in the first place.

Texting can be a beneficial component of your prospecting strategy. If you’re not already texting prospects in addition to calling and emailing, try reaching out in this way. Just be sure you’re following some basic dos and don’ts before using this channel.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: ZoomInfo’s The Pipeline blog. The Pipeline is designed for sales, marketing and recruiting professionals at the top of their game who want to take it to the next level.