Norwegian SMS service for businesses and organizations
SMS can be an outstanding communication channel for short and concise messages. Make offers a flexible Norwegian SMS service for businesses and organizations that want to send messages quickly, target-oriented, and securely – regardless of size or industry.
For Norwegian businesses and organizations, choosing an SMS provider is not just about the price per message. The solution should also provide control over consent, opt-outs, segmentation, statistics, keywords, and costs.
How often do you leave an SMS unopened? Very rarely, right? That is precisely what makes SMS a highly effective form of communication. In fact, few other communication channels can boast better open rates and engagement than SMS. On average, 95 percent of recipients read the message within five minutes.
Flexible SMS solution suitable for various purposes
SMS is an effective two-way communication channel that allows the use of keywords and receipt messages. This makes the process simple and clear, letting you use it for everything from notifications and alerts to customers and members, to large-scale voting or competitions.
Our SMS solution is designed for both simple and advanced needs, and can be used for both mass broadcasting and one-to-one communication. SMS can be part of a larger campaign and used to support newsletters, for example, but also works excellently on its own. A mix can be highly effective; combining newsletters and SMS allows you to reach out with both long and short messages.
SMS service for different areas of use
There are many suitable use cases for an SMS service. The most obvious is sending information to customers and members quickly and efficiently. It simply does not get any easier: write a text and send! The vast majority read the message as soon as they receive it. This is good news for response handling and brand reputation.
You probably know how convenient it is to receive an SMS reminder about next week's dentist appointment or the event you signed up for two months ago. Sending automatic reminders via SMS can ensure that customers show up on time and appointments are not forgotten. With automation in Make, you can set up automated workflows to reach the right contacts at the right time.
It is also possible to avoid hassle with different passwords, forgotten passwords, and failed logins. SMS can function as a login method, replacing the often-forgotten password. With SMS instead of a password, you enter your phone number, receive a unique code, and log in.
SMS is also well-suited for various voting processes with its keywords and receipt messages. But as always – remember to choose your communication channel based on purpose, content, and target audience.
Features you should expect from a good SMS provider
A good SMS provider should offer more than just sending text messages. Our SMS service has a range of features that make it user-friendly and flexible. For example, reserved keywords allow you to receive incoming messages and opt-outs. This way, recipients can order products or appointments, or participate in competitions, by including the keyword in their order or reply.
By using merge tags, you can easily personalize your messages. These merge tags automatically replace predefined fields in an SMS with the recipient's personal details, such as name, appointment time, or the ordered item. This instantly makes the message feel more relevant.
In Make, you can segment and divide your contacts into subgroups based on the information you have about each contact. This allows you to send targeted SMS based on demographics, geography, or behavior, making the message appear far more relevant to the recipient than if it had been part of a general mass broadcast.
Statistics in Make give you a complete overview of who has received your text messages at any given time. There is also a dedicated visualization feature that allows you to preview how the message will appear on the recipient's mobile screen.
Send tens of thousands of SMS – with full cost control
If you want to send short and concise messages, SMS can be a smart channel choice. Voting, notifications, and verifications require fast delivery and often quick response handling. With our solution, you can send and receive tens of thousands of messages within a few minutes.
Avoid unforeseen costs caused by a text message unintentionally becoming much more expensive than originally planned. Using emojis, for example, can quickly double or triple the price per SMS. Make gives you an overview of the message length, so you have full control over costs.
In addition, you have full control over costs. We have a built-in SMS character counter that gives you precise control over the number of characters used and their price. This keeps you updated on the length of the message and avoids unnecessary costs. For instance, using emojis can quickly double or triple the price per text message. And if you write too much and have to split the text over two messages, you have suddenly doubled your costs. It is therefore useful to have a feature that alerts you to expenses per broadcast and reminds you that when it comes to SMS, brevity is key.
Our SMS solution makes communication fast, efficient, and simple. In combination with newsletters, the effect can be outstanding.
How to market smarter with SMS
When it comes to marketing, SMS is email's underrated supporter. It can hardly run an entire campaign on its own, but it has unique use cases that fit perfectly with newsletters, for example.
SMS is read by almost everyone
The advantage SMS has over email and other channels is that almost no one will leave an SMS unread. It often takes as little as 5 to 10 minutes from when the SMS is sent to when it is read, and many will also click through the attached links. If you have something to communicate to your customers, there is hardly a better way to do it than via SMS.
When should you send SMS?
The challenge with SMS is that the inbox feels like a more private space than email. Few will mind receiving an SMS once in a while, but if you send them too frequently, they will quickly be perceived as spam. If it is about notifications, such as from an airline informing you of delays, people will be grateful for hourly updates. For unsolicited SMS, between one and four a month is a better target.
Also, never send SMS later than 18:00. Most people do not want to be disturbed late in the evening, and it will take some time to send out all the messages, meaning they could arrive even later than the time you click "send".
Keep it short
When you send SMS, every letter is premium, and 160 characters is the maximum. You can, of course, split the message over multiple sends, but this quickly becomes expensive. If you use emojis (recommended!), the length also drops to 140 characters. If you want to include a link, you should therefore use URL shorteners like tinyurl or bit.ly.
People appreciate being able to scan an SMS quickly anyway, so there is little to gain by sending them an entire novel.
GDPR also applies to SMS
Just like with your email lists, you must comply with GDPR for SMS. This means that contacts who have not consented specifically to being contacted via SMS for offers or alerts should not receive any text messages.
It must also be easy to opt out, typically by using a keyword. You are required to include opt-out information or a link at the bottom of the first SMS, but we recommend including it every time. If the recipient does not want your SMS, you have nothing to gain by making it difficult for them to opt out.
Follow up on the newsletter via SMS
Since sending SMS to everyone on your list can be costly, it is often smart to send an email first, and then give a second chance to receive relevant information via SMS if the email is not opened. This also allows you to direct them to your newsletter for further information, avoiding the need to include all details in the SMS.
Alternatively, you can contact those who read the email but did not click through. SMS then becomes a tool to give an extra little push in the right direction to those who show interest. You decide where the need is greatest and how to best utilize your SMS budget.
A great match for simple two-way communication
By adding SMS keywords to boards, advertisements, or newsletters, you make it easy for potential customers to communicate with you. For uncomplicated (and highly automated) two-way communication, this is perfect. Often, we are talking about competitions where you can quickly confirm receipt of entry via SMS. Then, you contact the lucky winners again via the same phone number. Such incentives make it appealing for many to share their contact information and, at the same time, consent to receive other relevant information or offers.
8 requirements you should demand from a Norwegian SMS provider
There are great advantages to being able to send SMS to existing and potential customers, subscribers, and users. However, choosing the right SMS provider can be difficult. That is why we have gathered our best advice and created a list of requirements you can use when evaluating a Norwegian SMS service.
Most points require you to have a dedicated SMS service. This is perhaps obvious, as you are unlikely to send SMS manually from your private phone, but keep in mind that the SMS service you choose must be able to handle all the scenarios mentioned below.
"Registration for our events skyrockets right after the SMS is sent!" – Christian Mjelde, Huseiernes Landsforbund
If you are unsure which SMS service is right for your business, you can test Make for free. Click the Try for free button and register, and a sales representative will contact you for a walkthrough.