Business messaging: Definition, benefits, and examples

Business messaging: Definition, benefits, and examples

Back in the day, the only way to chat with businesses was to give them a call or show up at the door. And if businesses were too big, talking to them just wasn't a possibility for everyday customers.

Things have changed.

Thanks to global marketplaces, two-day shipping, and the ability to shop from your couch, customers demand a different business messaging experience. Here's what customers want:

• Communication options: According to Twilio SendGrid's 2022 Global Messaging Engagement Report, customers want options. Most prefer email, others like SMS/text, and some want webchat or a phone call. The more channels you offer, the more likely you'll provide the preferred experience for your customers.
• Speed: Customers want answers, and they want them fast, ranking “fast response time” as the most important characteristic of good customer service. Almost half even expect brands to respond in less than four hours, and 12% want a response within 15 minutes.
• Human interaction: Artificial intelligence (AI) and interactive voice response (IVR) are great, as are self-service-enabling chatbots. However, customers still want to talk to a human being—and they don't want to jump through hoops or bounce through a five-minute dialog with a robot to get there.

Ignoring your customers isn't an option. If calling your business is the only contact option, customers will take their business elsewhere.

Fortunately, upgrading your business messaging isn't too intensive (or expensive). Below, we'll explain what business messaging is, the benefits, and examples of business messaging in practice—then, we'll show you how to get started.

What is business messaging?

Business messaging is the way brands initiate and respond to customers over various messaging channels. It empowers customers to reach out to brands and brands to reach out to customers—the channels allow for back-and-forth, two-way conversations rather than messaging blasts, such as advertisements or bulk email sends.

Examples of business messaging channels include:

• SMS/MMS
• Webchat
• Facebook Messenger
• WhatsApp
• Social media direct messages (DMs)

Business messaging meets your customers where they're comfortable. It doesn't force them to download additional applications to communicate with your business—it lets them use the native messaging apps they likely already love and know.

Modern-day consumers don't want to pick up the phone to get help. They want to message on a website’s built-in chat box or respond to a business text message campaign with questions.

Benefits of business messaging

Business messaging benefits both you and your customers—it's a win-win situation. Here are a few of the benefits you can expect from making this investment.

• Engage with more customers: Businesses that offer more channels don't alienate customers with preferred messaging needs.
• Provide real-time conversations: Customers don't want to wait days for a response—they often need help immediately. Engage with them faster with instant messaging to provide a more positive experience. Sometimes, they just have a question about sizing or even a product's color—answer quickly to get them to convert before they visit another site instead.
• Handle more conversations: Businesses can only talk with one person on the phone at a time (effectively). With messaging, you can have several conversations simultaneously without hurting customer engagement or the customer experience.
• Elevate customer satisfaction: Customers will be happier when they get to use the channels they want and can achieve a faster resolution.
• Use video and images: Business messaging (unlike a phone call) lets you send Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) texts with pictures, emojis, GIFs, and videos. Send your customers pictures of relevant products or give them a quick walk-through with a video tutorial. Customers can also use file sharing to upload screenshots and pictures.

9 examples of business messaging

Now that you know the benefits of business messaging, let's see it in practice. Here are a few examples of ways you can use business messaging:

1. Welcome

First impressions matter. Send new customers or subscribers a welcome message within minutes of signing up. Introduce your brand, set expectations for future communications, and provide clear opt-out instructions.

A strong welcome message can increase engagement rates and sets the tone for your relationship. Include a special offer or useful resource to make the message valuable right from the start.

2. Promotional

Drive sales with targeted promotional messages that deliver exclusive discounts, limited-time offers, and early access to new products. The key is making these offers compelling enough that customers want to keep your messaging notifications enabled.

Use urgency and scarcity to encourage action, but don't overdo it. Send promotions strategically based on customer behavior and preferences to avoid message fatigue.

3. Confirmations

Reduce customer anxiety by sending immediate order confirmations. Let customers know you received their order, provide order details and total cost, and give them a confirmation number for reference.

Appointment-based businesses should confirm bookings with date, time, and location details. These transactional messages have exceptionally high open rates because customers expect and want them.

4. Reminders

Cut no-show rates by sending appointment reminders 24-48 hours in advance. Include the date, time, location, and any preparation instructions. Make it easy for customers to confirm, reschedule, or cancel directly through the message.

5. Customer service

Give customers a fast, convenient way to get help without picking up the phone. Business messaging lets support agents handle multiple conversations simultaneously while sharing screenshots, product images, and troubleshooting videos.

Customers can respond on their own schedule, and the conversation history stays intact for reference. This improves resolution times and customer satisfaction scores.

6. Shipping notifications

Keep customers informed throughout the delivery process. Send a message when the order ships with tracking information, provide updates when it's out for delivery, and confirm when it arrives.

Proactive shipping notifications reduce "where is my order" support tickets and build trust. Customers who receive shipping updates are more likely to make repeat purchases.

7. Security alerts

Protect your customers by sending immediate alerts for suspicious account activity, unusual login attempts, or potential security breaches. Speed matters here.

Customers need to know about security issues right away so they can take action. These critical messages should be clear, actionable, and include steps customers can take to secure their accounts.

8. Verifications

Send one-time passwords and verification codes to confirm user identity during login or sensitive transactions. SMS and messaging apps are ideal for 2FA because customers can quickly access codes without switching between apps.

Time-sensitive codes add an extra security layer that protects both your business and your customers from unauthorized access.

9. Conversations

Enable real-time conversations between your team and customers. Sales reps can guide prospects through pricing options, answer product questions, and close deals without scheduling formal calls. Support agents can troubleshoot issues, process returns, and answer questions about sizing or compatibility.

The conversational nature feels more personal than email and more convenient than phone calls, leading to higher satisfaction and conversion rates.

Elevate your business messaging platform with Twilio

Ready to level up your business messaging? Let Twilio take you there.

With Twilio, you can enable business messaging on all the channels your customers use. Whether sending mass marketing messages, notifications, alerts, or verification messages, Twilio can make it happen across SMS Messaging, WhatsApp, Chat, MMS, and Facebook Messenger. Plus, you can integrate these channels into your existing email, voice, and video call workflows.

Sign up for a free Twilio account to get started.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between business messaging and email marketing?

Business messaging is two-way communication on channels like SMS, WhatsApp, and webchat. Email marketing is typically one-way broadcasts. Business messaging lets customers reply and have real-time conversations. Email works better for longer content and promotional campaigns. Most businesses use both.

Which business messaging channel should I start with?

Start with SMS if you're in the U.S. or WhatsApp if you have a global audience. Both have high open rates and wide adoption. You can always add more channels later based on where your customers prefer to communicate.

How fast do I need to respond to business messages?

Fast. Nearly half of customers expect responses within four hours, and 12% want answers in 15 minutes or less. If you can't staff for quick responses, set clear expectations about response times or use automated messages to acknowledge receipt.

Can I automate business messaging?

Yes, but use automation strategically. Automated welcome messages, confirmations, and shipping notifications work well. Customer service questions usually need a human touch. The key is making it easy for customers to reach a real person when automation isn't enough.

Do I need different messaging strategies for different channels?

Sort of. The core message stays the same, but you'll adapt format and length. SMS needs to be concise due to character limits. WhatsApp supports rich media like images and videos. Webchat works well for longer troubleshooting conversations. Match your message format to the channel's strengths.