SmarterSends has expanded its SMS marketing capabilities by adding two-way SMS messaging to Braze campaigns. The update gives businesses a way to move beyond one-way promotional messages and create more interactive conversations with customers.
SMS remains an important communication channel for businesses because messages can reach customers quickly and encourage immediate responses. By bringing two-way messaging into Braze campaigns, SmarterSends aims to help marketers create more responsive and engaging customer experiences.
Two-way SMS can support that approach by making text messaging more interactive. For companies already using Braze for customer engagement, adding conversational SMS capabilities could provide another way to connect marketing campaigns with customer responses.
More Read: Postr Introduces Creator Marketplace to Help Brands Scale Outreach
What Is Two-Way SMS Messaging?
Traditional SMS marketing generally works in one direction. A company sends a message, and the customer receives it. While recipients may click a link or take another action, the communication itself does not necessarily create a direct conversation.
Two-way SMS changes this model by allowing customers to reply to messages.
For example, a business could send:
- “Reply YES to confirm your appointment.”
- “Reply HELP if you need assistance.”
- “Would you like to receive more information? Reply INFO.”
- “Reply 1 for delivery updates or 2 to speak with support.”
These interactions can make SMS campaigns more useful because customers can communicate directly through the same channel.
How the SmarterSends Update Fits Into Braze
Braze is widely used by businesses to manage customer engagement campaigns across channels. Marketers can use customer data and behavioral information to create personalized campaigns and communicate with users at different stages of their journey.
The addition of two-way SMS through SmarterSends can extend these campaigns by giving customers an opportunity to respond. Instead of treating SMS as a simple broadcast channel, marketers can use it as part of a more interactive communication strategy.
This can be useful for campaigns involving promotions, customer service, reminders, confirmations, surveys, and other customer interactions.
Why Two-Way SMS Matters for Marketers
Customer expectations have changed significantly as messaging has become a normal part of everyday communication. People are increasingly comfortable interacting with businesses through text messages.
Two-way SMS can help businesses make these interactions more natural.
Faster Customer Responses
SMS messages are designed for quick communication. When customers can simply reply to a message, businesses may reduce the number of steps required for certain interactions.
A customer confirming an appointment, requesting information, or responding to a campaign can potentially do so without opening another application.
More Interactive Campaigns
Two-way communication can turn a standard marketing message into an interactive experience.
For example, a retailer could ask customers whether they want information about a particular product category. A customer could reply directly, creating an opportunity for the business to continue the conversation.
Better Customer Engagement
A message that invites a response can create a stronger interaction than a message that only provides information.
Businesses can use questions, confirmations, feedback requests, and simple choices to encourage customers to participate.
Useful Customer Feedback
Two-way SMS can also provide another way for companies to collect feedback. After a purchase or service interaction, a business might ask customers to reply with a simple rating or answer a short question.
This can provide marketers with additional customer responses that may help improve future campaigns.
Potential Use Cases for Two-Way SMS
The new capability can support several types of customer communication.
Appointment Confirmations
Businesses such as clinics, salons, repair services, and professional offices can use SMS to ask customers to confirm appointments.
Customers could respond directly instead of navigating to another platform.
Order and Delivery Communication
Ecommerce businesses can use messaging to provide order-related information and allow customers to respond when they have questions or need assistance.
Promotions
Retailers can create campaigns that invite customers to respond to promotional offers.
For example, a campaign could ask customers to reply with a specific keyword to receive additional information.
Customer Support
SMS can also become another communication channel for basic customer questions and requests.
For businesses already communicating with customers through text, two-way messaging can make the channel more conversational.
Surveys and Feedback
Companies can use simple SMS questions to gather customer opinions after purchases, appointments, or other interactions.
Short responses can make feedback collection easier for customers.
Personalization Can Make SMS More Effective
One of the major benefits of integrating messaging with a customer engagement platform is the potential for personalization. Rather than sending exactly the same message to every customer, marketers can use available customer information and campaign activity to create more relevant communications.
For example, an ecommerce company could send different messages based on previous purchases or customer activity. Personalized messaging can also help businesses communicate with customers at more appropriate points in the customer journey.
Moving From Broadcasts to Conversations
The biggest change represented by two-way SMS is the shift from broadcasting messages to creating conversations.
- A traditional SMS campaign might look like this: Business → Customer
- A two-way campaign can instead create a flow such as: Business → Customer → Business → Customer
This creates more opportunities for customers to interact with a company. For marketers, the goal is not simply to send more messages. The focus can instead be on making messages more useful and creating clear opportunities for customers to respond.
What Businesses Should Consider
While two-way SMS can create new opportunities, businesses still need to plan their messaging carefully. Customers should understand why they are receiving a message and what kind of response is expected. Messages should also remain concise and relevant.
Businesses should consider:
- Clear opt-in and consent practices
- Appropriate message frequency
- Simple response options
- Clear customer support processes
- Privacy and data-handling requirements
- Appropriate handling of customer replies
- Relevant and timely messaging
Good SMS campaigns should provide value rather than overwhelming customers with unnecessary messages.
The Broader Impact on Customer Engagement
The SmarterSends update reflects a broader trend toward more conversational customer engagement. Marketing platforms have traditionally focused on sending messages across channels. Increasingly, businesses also want customers to be able to respond and continue interactions within those same channels.
As customer communication continues to become more conversational, two-way SMS provides marketers with another channel for creating direct interactions with their audiences.
Frequently Asked Question
What is two-way SMS messaging?
Two-way SMS allows businesses to send text messages and receive responses from customers. It turns SMS from a primarily one-directional channel into a more interactive communication method.
What is SmarterSends adding to Braze campaigns?
SmarterSends is adding two-way SMS messaging capabilities that allow customers to respond to SMS communications used within Braze marketing campaigns.
How can businesses use two-way SMS?
Businesses can use two-way SMS for appointment confirmations, customer feedback, promotions, order communication, customer support, and other interactive campaigns.
Why is two-way SMS useful for marketing?
It can make marketing messages more interactive by giving customers a direct way to respond. This can support faster communication and create additional engagement opportunities.
Can two-way SMS be personalized?
Yes. When integrated with customer engagement systems, SMS campaigns can be designed around customer information, behavior, preferences, and campaign activity, where appropriate.
Is two-way SMS useful for ecommerce businesses?
It can be. Ecommerce companies can use interactive SMS for promotions, customer questions, order-related communication, feedback, and other customer interactions.
What should businesses consider before using two-way SMS?
Businesses should consider customer consent, privacy requirements, message frequency, clear response instructions, and how customer replies will be handled. Messages should remain relevant and useful to recipients.
Conclusion
SmarterSends’ addition of two-way SMS messaging to Braze campaigns expands the role SMS can play in customer engagement. Instead of using text messages only for announcements, promotions, and reminders, businesses can use them to encourage direct customer responses. The capability can support appointment confirmations, feedback, promotions, customer support, and other interactive campaigns. Its effectiveness will ultimately depend on how businesses use it, including the relevance, timing, personalization, and frequency of their messages.
