These days, scandals involving a lewd text message seem to come to light quite regularly. Whether it is revelations about illicit affairs by a politician or a sporting legend, the fall out from these racy text messages can be profound -- just ask Tiger Woods. Of course celebrities and politicians aren't that only ones that can fall foul of inappropriately worded text messages. Business must also take care with the contents of their bulk SMS messages to customers and clients. It is important to remember that the way customers view your business is affected by how you communicate with them, including your SMS messages.

With SMS, your text message is limited to just 160 characters, so you would think that it would be fairly simple to create. However, it can be harder than you would think. And, if the main subject matter of your text message isn't clearly conveyed, it can confuse and annoy the recipient -- losing you a valued customer along the way. With this in mind, we have developed some simple guidelines for SMS etiquette for businesses. Sticking to these golden rules of textiquette should make your SMS messages to customers a roaring success.

One: Avoid Txt Spk

Probably the most important thing to avoid in your bulk SMS messages to customers is "text-speak". Occasionally you can include very common text shorthand phrases, such as "plz" or "b4". However, most acronyms and other forms of shorthand (such as "u" instead of "you") are best avoided altogether. You should bear in mind that not everyone will understand text speak. More importantly it implies that you are too lazy to write out the whole phrase. Save your "txt spk" for personal use and keep you business SMS messages more formal.

Two: Use a professional tone

Following on from the point above, you should keep your bulk SMS messages on a professional footing. Bear in mind the point of the message, who it is going to and what your message is trying to achieve. When you are simultaneously sending a single message to multiple mobile phone users it is generally better for the tone of your message to be slightly formal, rather than too laid back. Even if you know your audience is young, cool and text savvy, your SMS message should still come across as professional, not sloppy.

Three: Proofread the message

Double-check your message for any errors, be they spelling mistakes, incorrect numbers or missing links. You may want to get someone else that is good at spotting errors to read through it few times: once to be sure that it makes sense and twice to check for any errors. Of course any spelling mistakes or mistyped code is going to reflect badly on your business, so it is vital to take the time to check that your bulk SMS message is correct.

Four: Show consideration

Mobile phone users tend to have their phone with them at all times, and may not want to be awoken by a text message from your company in the middle of the night. Of course one of the main advantages of SMS is that it is discreet and people can choose when they want to read the message. However, that doesn't mean that you can send your message at any hour of the day or night. As with all business communications, ideally your bulk SMS message should arrive during business hours. If you are sending messages to people in different parts of the world you will need to take into consideration the local time of your recipients.

Five: Combine bulk SMS with other communications

Remember the old adage "Don't put all your eggs in one basket"? Certainly this well-worn phrase still rings true, especially when it comes to marketing and customer management. One advantage of a brand or business using SMS is that it allows them to interact with their loyal customers instantly. Yet most campaigns work best when they make use of a variety of communication methods -- from ads, to social networking and text message marketing. Even telephone mannerisms play an important role in maintaining your customer relationships. Ensure that your bulk SMS message sits comfortably next to your other customer communications.

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