Top 10 Best Practices for Effective A2P 10DLC Messaging

As with all modern business operations, communication changes as technology evolves; we’ve seen this with radio, TV, and social media.  In 2021, a year after the pandemic pushed multiple companies to depend more on SMS, we’ve reached a stage where customers receive more text messages from businesses than ever. 

In that case, businesses must know and follow best practices regarding the effectiveness and compliance of their messaging campaigns. Today’s article will examine A2P 10DLC messaging, the top 10 best practices for effective A2P 10DLC messaging, key factors, and best practices. 

So, let’s dive right into it !!!!!!

What is A2P 10DLC Messaging?

In modern business communication, A2P 10DLC messaging is essential as it allows Application-to-Person(A2P) messaging using standard 10-digit long codes (10DLC). This helps businesses send SMS campaign messages to customers through automated systems using regular phone numbers in a simple, direct way.

Unlike short codes, 10DLC numbers are more affordable and scalable than shortcodes, which are usually shorter and more costly. Businesses use A2P 10DLC messaging for marketing, campaign registration, appointment reminders, customer support, and more.

Types of A2P 10DLC messaging numbers 

• Short code number

Although shortcodes are not officially A2P 10DLC numbers, they are sometimes used in A2P messaging attempts as an alternative messaging process.

 It often consists of five or six numbers and is essential during most high-volume messaging situations, such as marketing campaigns, campaign registration, promotional activities, or alert notifications. With shortcode numbers, it has made outreach and customer engagement a lot easier and faster.

• Toll-free number 

A toll-free A2P 10DLC number is a valuable communication tool for businesses looking to engage with customers without any additional charges on the customer’s end. These numbers are frequently used in outreach programs, client service, and marketing campaigns.

  It offers your clients seamless communication experiences and removes their call charges. Promoting positive interactions with toll-free A2P 10DLC numbers can increase brand recognition and trust.

• 10-digit long code number

Businesses typically have standard 10-digit Long Codes, which are only used for A2P messaging and consist of regular 10-digit phone numbers. Since they are flexible, they are the foundation for several applications, including customer service, marketing campaigns, notifications,  appointment reminders, etc. 

10-digit long code numbers give businesses an easy means by which they can understand businesses and clients engage effortlessly, making it easier for them to communicate with their customers.

Explore the Advantages of A2P 10DLC Messaging.

The following are the benefits of A2P 10DLC Messaging.

1. Improved customer engagement

One of the most significant benefits of using A2P 10DLC messaging is that it allows businesses to have more personal relationships with their customers by enabling them to send personalized and customized SMS messages and gain consumer consent.

Customers are ensured that they will be informed and updated at all times, and immediate alerts are provided. The accuracy and accessibility of A2P 10DLC messaging ensure SMS messages arrive on schedule, increasing customer engagement.

Businesses can achieve higher customer satisfaction and retention rates by improving engagement, brand identification, and loyalty.

2. Cost-effective 

For businesses, A2P 10DLC messaging is the most affordable option when compared to shortcodes. Customer communication is essential for any organization to grow, and A2P 10DLC makes it cheap and easy for smaller companies to benefit from this service.

As a result, businesses can boost customer engagement by staying in touch with their customers using reasonably priced messaging services without exceeding their operational budget.

3. Scalability and flexibility

Businesses that require flexibility and scalability in communication environments could consider implementing A2P 10 DLC messaging because of its scalability and flexibility.

Since there are no restrictions on SMS campaigns, this feature enables organizations to be scalable and meet changing demands for delivering SMS messages.

4. Integration with CRM system

A2P 10DLC messaging can seamlessly integrate with the existing CRM system. This integration capability allows business agents to manage their contacts and clients effortlessly without any hassle. 

Moreover, the business owner can manage all customer and contact conversations on a single platform without switching to multiple apps. This allows businesses to improve operational business efficiency, reduce manual data entry, and simplify their operational workflow. 

5. Two-way communication

A2P 10DLC allows two−way communication, allowing businesses to hold live chats with their customers anytime. Features like live chats make it easier to address individual needs, improving sales because customers can communicate freely with sellers and quickly respond to client’s requests while getting feedback that can help improve products/services. 

6. International reach 

A2P 10DLC is an effective means for businesses that intend to expand internationally. It makes it easier to attract more clients since there is no location restriction. This also removes the possibility of missing a chance to connect with lifelong customers. 

Top 10 Best Practices for Effective A2P 10DLC Messaging

The top 10 best practices for effective A2P 10DLC Messaging are the following.

• Two-way communication

It’s suitable for businesses that want effective A2P 10DLC messaging to have two-way communication. Companies can engage in dynamic, tailored interaction, which results in effective customer service. 

Businesses can enhance their services by promoting conversation, responding quickly to complaints, and building stronger client relationships. Two-way responsive communication using two-way communication increases customer satisfaction and loyalty, helping you boost engagement.

• Prioritize customer experience

Providing excellent customer service is essential, and with A2P 10DLC messaging, your business can enhance the client experience and assure smooth, relevant, and exciting interactions.

This involves being aware of customer preferences, delivering timely messages, setting up communication channels for help and feedback, etc. Putting the customer experience first increases engagement and retention by promoting brand recognition and satisfaction.

• Transparency

Transparency is necessary for the A2P 10DLC message to be compelling. Providing open and honest conversations about the reason behind messaging potential customers helps build positive and healthy client relationships, trust, and brand awareness.  

Customers’ overall experience improves when they know they have clear opt-in and opt-out options, giving them control over their communications preferences. By prioritizing transparency in A2P 10DLC messaging, businesses can boost consumer engagement, trust, and confidence. 

• Integrate with CRM system

By implementing A2P 10DLC messaging into your CRM systems, you can efficiently use client data to send highly personalized and targeted SMS messages.

Businesses are integrating messaging systems with database management platforms to gain insights into customers’ needs, desires, and preferences. With database management integrated, you can personalize and develop SMS that speaks directly to each individual. 

• Appropriate messaging time

Timing message delivery is essential to maximize the send-out method in A2P 10DLC. This increases the chances that people will get and respond to messages, improving engagement.

When scheduling messages for delivery to customers, it is essential to consider their schedules and local time zones. Carefully planning your messaging time can enhance the user experience by increasing message open rates and reducing delays.

• Personalized message

Personalized SMS messages are necessary when delivering A2P 10DLC messages. They allow businesses to communicate according to customer preference and behavior, making your marketing message more relevant and exciting for the customer.

When emailing someone, use their name, talk about a previous purchase they made, or recommend some goods that might interest them. This method allows you to target individual customers and build more personalized and close client relationships. 

• Monitoring and analyzing 

For A2P 10DLC messaging to function optimally, it must be tracked, and SMS message performance must be evaluated. Analyzing such metrics is essential for a business that wishes to outdo its competitors since it helps determine which trend lines are up and down to facilitate data-driven decision-making.

• Implementing top security measures

The successful implementation of A2P 10DLC communications requires cutting-edge security procedures. These include safeguarding message campaigns and sample SMS messages to receive messages without allowing anyone who isn’t supposed to read them to view client-sensitive information.

 Multi-factor authentication must be used to prevent unwanted access. Text messages must also be encrypted and sent to prevent unknown individuals from reading them. Security measures should also be regularly updated.

• Staying up-to-date with industry trends

To run a successful A2P 10DLC SMS campaign, businesses must stay current on technological developments and update communication methods to keep up with regulatory changes and consumer behavior shifts.

To achieve this, businesses must conduct deep research on relevant topics, participate in industry-related workshops, and network with other professionals to exchange information. They must also adopt CTIA communications to stay ahead of their competitors.

• Automation

As A2P 10DLC messaging sends messages automatically, automation is one of the critical concepts for success. Thanks to automation, businesses may simplify the process by sending SMS sample messages more quickly and manually.

 Automation ensures that SMS sample messages are sent on time and consistently so businesses and their customers can continuously interact with message scheduling, delivery, brand recognition, response handling, etc. It also uses customer details to achieve personalized communication.

Conclusion 

Lastly, a few essential considerations are needed to improve A2P 10DLC messaging. This article has discussed several techniques that, when applied, improve business-to-business communication by making the most of A2P messaging.

These procedures follow the CTIA messaging guidelines to create exciting sample SMS messages and use data to improve them over time and increase brand recognition. 

The above article discusses the benefits of A2P 10DLC messaging and the top ten best practices. To get the most out of these best practices, we ask that all businesses thoroughly investigate and implement them.

FAQs

What is A2P 10DLC messaging?

A2P 10DLC messaging is a process of application-to-person messaging that uses standard 10-digit long codes to enable organizations to send messages to customers for various marketing purposes.

How is A2P 10DLC messaging different from traditional SMS?

A2P 10DLC messaging differs from traditional SMS as it utilizes standard 10-digit long codes instead of shortcodes for message delivery, offering great flexibility for businesses to reach customers for marketing and engagement purposes.

How can businesses protect the security and privacy of A2P 10DLC messages?

Businesses can safeguard the security and privacy of A2P 10DLC messages through different measures, such as end-to-end encryption, secure and multiple-step authentication, up-to-date data protection regulations, secure message transmission, data minimization, regular security maintenance, employee training, safe storage, etc.

What are some best practices for A2P 10DLC messaging?

The following are some best practices for A2P 10DLC messaging.

• Staying up-to-date with trends 
• Appropriate timing
• Monitoring and tracking  
• Utilizing feedback and reviews

What are the types of A2P 10DLC messaging? 

The following are the types of A2P 10DLC messaging.

• 10-digit long code number
• Toll-free number 
• Short code number