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Introduction to adding signatures to text messages
5 billion – That’s the number of people who send and receive text messages globally, this number is expected to reach 6 billion by the year 2025.
Did you know – Around 2.7 trillion text messages were exchanged in the year 2020 globally
If you’re a service-based business, then text messaging is a perfect way to communicate and engage with your current and potential customers and adding signatures to these text messages can be highly beneficial.
When you add signatures to text messages, you allow for better brand recall, improve the readability of messages, and share important information. While adding signatures to emails is something that we all have been doing all this while, adding signatures to text messages needs a slightly different approach.
What is a text signature? Why do you need to add a signature to text messages? How do you add signatures to text messages? What best practices should you follow? Let’s find out –
Adding a Signature to Text Messages: What does it mean?
We have been using Email signatures like the one below for years, from promoting an upcoming event to sharing business updates email signatures have today become very common across all forms of business communication.
But signatures need not be limited to Email, you can also add signatures to your text messages.
Adding signatures to text messages helps you enhance customer communication and build your brand image. It is a great strategy to adopt so that people know what you offer and can know how to reach out to you. But what is a text signature?
A text signature is a template that you can add towards the end of your text messages. Here’s an example:
In the above example, “Shawn, Customer Support Team, at your service, 10 AM – 6 PM” is the text signature.
A text signature is a bit different from your regular email signature. While they both serve the same purpose, the character limit is never a concern in the case of email signatures.
Text signatures form a part of the character limit of the text message that you send. Your message, including the text signature, needs to be 160 characters, which is one SMS segment. Since the signature is included in the character limit of your text messages it is important to be mindful of the characters on your text so that a single text is received by the recipient.
Fact check:
What are SMS segments?
The standard character limit of an SMS is 160 characters. This constitutes 160 bytes or 1 SMS segment. There are two scenarios that arise here:
The message exceeds 160 characters
In such a case:
1 SMS segment = 160 characters
2 SMS segments = 161-306 characters
3 SMS segments = 307-460 characters
After reaching 306 characters, every 153 characters will constitute a new segment.
The message includes emojis or special characters ($, ^, #, *)
If the message includes at least one special character or emoji:
1 SMS segment = 1-70 characters
2 SMS segments = 71-134 characters
After reaching 134 characters, every additional segment will constitute 67 characters.
Why is a text signature needed though? What difference does it make? Let’s find out!
Why should you add a signature to your text messages?
To establish authenticity
When you add signatures to text messages while communicating with your customers, you tell them who you are as a result, the recipient can be sure that the message is from the intended sender and not from someone else impersonating them. Here are two examples to help you understand:
The difference between the two messages lies in the signature that follows in the second message. This signature adds an authentic and personal touch to the message. The customer knows it’s from the business and isn’t spam.
To provide extra information
In addition to letting your customers know you texted them, adding a signature to text messages also helps provide extra information. This piece of information can include your contact details such as email or phone number, operating hours, or links to your service page. Doing so opens a way for your customers to reach out to you in case they need anything. Here’s an example:
In the above example, the email ID is the piece of extra information that will help the customer easily communicate with your business.
To reinforce the brand message
There are multiple ways to put across your brand message, text message being one of them. This is an example of portraying your brand message through text signatures:
This example illustrates that the sender has clearly and smartly put across the brand tagline for the consumer. So the next time when the consumer has to book a cleaning service, he/she will remember this business.
To add a professional touch
Spam texting is on the rise and people need to be educated about messages that are genuine and ones that are spam. Adding a signature to text messages allows the user to differentiate between genuine and spam messages while adding a professional touch.
Here’s an example:
The above example gives a clear idea of the message and is also free from suspicion. The patient has availed treatment from the clinic and can easily click on this link to pay. To further verify that the message isn’t spam, he can also call the clinic.
Personalization
A signature can be a great way to add a personal touch to your SMS messages. You can use it to include a friendly message or quote that represents your personality or the nature of your relationship with the recipient.
Here’s an example:
This message has been sent to a patient who has availed treatment before from this clinic and tells the patient that their yearly checkup is due.
Not only will this act as a reminder for the patient to schedule an appointment but will also have a positive impact on their mind as it reflects that the clinic cares about its patients.
How to add a signature to a text message?
If you wish to add a signature to text messages for business messaging, then the best way to do so is by using a text messaging software, while android and IOS phones do have inbuilt features to add signatures to texts they are very difficult to use effectively for business messaging.
Here’s how you can add a signature to text messages using Emitrr:
Step-1: Log in to your Emitrr Account
Step-2: On the top left corner, click on the ‘gear’ icon. You’ll find it right beside your account name.
Step-3: You’ll be redirected to the User Preferences page on your account.
Step-4: Click on ‘Enable signature’ to activate it. If you haven’t added any, You can click on ‘Edit signature’.
Step-5: Simply Add the signature, click on save, and you’re set!
Now whenever you send a new message, this signature will tag along with each message.
Here’s more on how to add a signature to a text message:
FAQs: Add a signature to text messages
Can I add a signature to text messages on Android/iOS?
While it is possible to add signatures to text messages on android and iOS, it’s not the most efficient method if you’re intending to send mass texts or group texts to your customers. If you’re texting for business purposes, then using a business texting software is the best way to do it.
What can a text signature contain?
The signature can contain your contact information like an email address or phone number, opening hours, name, season greetings and any other relevant and handy information for your customers.
What things should I keep in mind while adding signatures to text messages?
Make sure that you don’t add any unnecessary information, and try to personalize your message to ensure that the customer doesn’t mark it as spam. Maintain a professional tone to your message and keep it crisp and to the point.
Is the text signature included in the character limit of text messages?
Yes, the signature is a part of the character limit of text messages, that’s why you need to be mindful while adding signatures to text messages. Don’t make the signature too long as then you won’t have much character limit left to put across the message that you want to convey.
Conclusion
Texting is slowly becoming the mode of communication that businesses small and large are swearing by. To communicate effectively with your customers, you need to ace your texting game. Whether it is texting from a landline, adding a signature to text messages, sending email to text or text to email, you need to be on your feet and ensure to build a strong and engaged customer community. To enjoy uninterrupted and simple messaging, check out Emitrr’s offerings by signing up for a demo now!