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How to send text to multiple contacts without group message?
How to send text to multiple contacts without group message? This question may pop up, especially if you run a business. Sending texts to multiple contacts without group message can be easily executed using android, IOS, Whatsapp and business texting softwares. This type of texting is important while sharing:
- Sensitive information
- Personalized marketing and discount offers
- Appointment reminders
- Emergency alerts etc.
Doing so can not only help save a lot of time but if executed well it can also drive useful customer engagement.
Top 4 methods to send text to multiple contacts without group message
How to send text to multiple contacts without group message through Android
Texting multiple people without using group messaging an android device is simple enough. Just follow these steps:
1. Open your phone’s default text messaging app
2. Tap on ‘new message’ or ‘+’ according to your phone’s design
3. In the recipient box, add all the contacts you wish to send the message to
4. Add the message
5. Hit Send
Through this method, you will be able to send individual texts to your customers. To make it easier for you to continue sending mass texts to the selected group of contacts, you will be able to see a group such as this in your conversations. You can continue sending messages here and they will go out as mass texts.
Along with the above-mentioned group, you can also see the individual threads you have with each of the recipients like such
The challenge with mass texting on Android
- There is a limit to the number of contacts you can send a mass text to. It varies from phone to phone. Some allow only 20 recipients at a time and others allow upwards of 20. In most cases, the cap is 30 recipients.
- It does not allow for personalization. The message that you send to the recipients has to be the same, there is no room for personalization. For example, you cannot refer to the recipient with their first name at the beginning of the message as such:
“ Hey John, avail a 50% discount on all merchandize using the code FREEDOM” valid till 4th of July
- Messages sent through SMS are not HIPAA compliant and most often not encrypted. If a healthcare service wants to text their patients they will not be able to do so until certain regulations are exercised. Read more about HIPAA compliance.
- You cannot schedule messages. Mass texting through android doesn’t allow for a schedule option.
- It’s difficult to keep track of all ongoing conversations. It’s difficult to track multiple conversations on a mobile device especially if your recipient list is large and you end up creating multiple broadcast groups
How to send text to multiple contacts without group message through IOS
Please note to send a mass text message from an IOS device you will first need to turn off iMessage, here’s how — go to settings > Message > Turn off iMessage.
Once you turn off iMessage then follow these steps:
1. Launch the default Message App on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the ‘new Composition’ button on the top-right side corner of the screen.
3. Tap into the ‘TO’ field and enter the first contact, then tap the (+) plus button and add other recipients from the contact address book one by one.
- Now type and send your text message as usual.
When you create a ‘group’ and send messages to the recipients they will receive the message as an individual thread between you and them, just like in the android group method.
You can, however, still have the ‘group’ in place and keep sending the messages to all the recipients on that group. They will be received by the recipients on the same individual thread between you and them.
The challenge with mass texting on IOS
- There is a limit to the number of contacts you can send a mass text to. The total number of contacts that you can add to a group for mass texting is only 25.
- Apart from the recipient cap the other limitations are similar to sending mass texts from Android, you cannot personalize messages, iMessage too is not HIPAA compliant, you cannot schedule messages and it is difficult to keep track of all ongoing conversations on multiple threads
How to send text to multiple contacts without group message through WhatsApp
Whatsapp’s broadcast feature allows you to send mass texts. You can create a broadcast list by following these steps:
1. Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
- Select ‘New broadcast’.
- Select up to 256 contacts to send the mass text to.
- A broadcast group will be created. You can send the message here.
- Each of the recipients of the broadcast list will receive the message on their personal chat with you
The challenge with mass texting on WhatsApp
- All recipients should have your number saved. To send a broadcast message to your contacts, you have to ensure that all of the contacts have saved your number. If not, you will not be able to add them to your broadcast list.
- All customers should be using WhatsApp You cannot be sure if all of your contacts are using WhatsApp. If they don’t use WhatsApp, you won’t be able to include them in your broadcast list.
- It is internet dependant. Your recipients will only be able to read the broadcast message if they have an active internet connection and if they open WhatsApp.
- You cannot schedule messages. Scheduling messages features is not available on WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp too is not HIPAA compliant. It cannot be used to transmit Patient Health Information(PHI) as it does not have the proper safeguards in place to protect sensitive information.(Source)
How to send text to multiple contacts without group message through a business texting software
A business texting software will allow businesses to overcome all of the above mentioned-challenges and do a lot more. Let’s look at how to execute a mass texting campaign through Emitrr.
The process of sending mass texts through Emitrr is pretty simple. You just need to follow these steps.
- Login to the Emitrr dashboard
- Select ‘send’ on the top left panel > New message.
- In the recipient box, add the intended recipients one by one. You can either select them from the drop-down menu, upon typing the initials of the customer, or you can add a new contact number.
- You will see as soon as you add more than one recipient, you will get a prompt like the one below
- To text multiple contacts without group message Select ‘Message recipients individually’. Next, add a name to this group/list if you want.
- Type the message you wish to send. You will see beneath the writing block there are three options:
- Use a Property: You can select ‘Use a property’ to personalize the message according to each recipient.
- Template: You can select Template, to use an existing template for the message or to create a new template.
- Attach: You can use attach to add relevant documents to the message if needed.
Once done you can either send the message immediately or schedule it to a later time.
Why should you use a business texting software for mass texting?
All the above-mentioned methods IE Android, IOS and Whatsapp are more like a workaround, rather than a permanent solution for sending a text to multiple contacts without group messages. This is because-
- You cannot manage a database of your customers through your mobile devices. It’s difficult to segment different customers or add further details about the customer on mobile devices. The information that you add about your customers could help you craft a better, personalized message and as a result, drive better engagement.
- Limited scope of personalization. The usual mass texting methods limit the scope of personalization. Messages which are addressed to the customer have a better engagement rate than those which are not. In short, you may end up losing out on customer attention by not personalizing the messages they receive.
- The possibility of getting the number marked as spam.
Since texting through phones is considered P2P texting (person to person) and not A2P (Application to person), if you send mass texts through phone it is likely to get marked as spam. You need a business texting software that allows for A2P texting. This will in turn ensure that messages don’t get marked as spam and also ensure a high delivery and response rate. - Lack of HIPAA Compliance. As discussed in the sections above, sensitive information transfer cannot be done through the android, ISO and whatsapp because they are not fully encrypted. HIPAA compliance is another factor that healthcare businesses need to be wary of.
- You cannot schedule messages. Message scheduling is an important feature that will allow you to communicate with customers at the desired time. Once you’ve scheduled a message you can be free of the burden and set your sight on other tasks. It can help make the communication processes in your business way easier and automated.
- Lack of integration options. It does not allow for any integration with CRMs. With such integrations out of the picture bringing in more customer data and managing their information becomes impossible.
- Task delegation is not possible. It does not provide any opportunity for task delegation. For every reply that you receive from a customer, the person with the mobile device has to be the one answering it every time. You cannot delegate or forward messages to intended departments for follow-ups.
- Easily manage multiple conversations. Managing multiple communication threads on mobile devices is also a huge challenge, with a business texting software you can drive personalized conversations with ease.
- Automating mass texting – this can be used for review campaigns, to send reminders, do payment follow ups etc. automating texts is not an option when using android, IOS, and WhatsApp for mass texting
When to use mass texting over group messaging?
If you are still unsure about using group text or mass text consider the following situations:
- Suppose you run a healthcare practice, you cannot afford to send a group message with any Protected Health Information(PHI). Communication with patients should follow HIPAA compliance rules, If you send any message in a group with other patients, it will be considered a HIPAA violation.
- Suppose you have a recruitment agency, and you send a mass text to candidates asking them to send their current salary or their resume. You cannot have candidates read each other’s information. In such a case, group text messages should be avoided.
- If you are in the HVAC industry and you want to send a mass text about your pricing to different customers. This pricing may vary from one customer to another (Depending on various factors). In such a case you will need to ‘customize’ the pricing for each customer and hence you will need a personalization option. You won’t be able to personalize if you use group messaging. Hence, mass texting through business texting software would be preferred.
- If you run a Real Estate agency, and you want to inform a list of your potential clients about a new listing, you wouldn’t want the clients to see each other’s information and hence group texting should be avoided.
Generally speaking, you should not use group text messages if any of these options hold true for you:
- You do not want the recipients to see the numbers of other recipients.
- You do not want the recipients’ replies to go to multiple people.
- You do not want the recipients’ replies to be grouped in a group message, but to be part of each individual thread instead.
- Depending on the message, you may specifically not want a given recipient to know that other recipients received the same message.
Some FAQ’s related to mass texting
- Is it possible to send a mass text without it being a group text?
Yes, you can send a mass text without it being a group text. Each method (android, iPhone, WhatsApp, business texting software) has a different process. Look at the above sections for a solution. - How do I send the same text to multiple contacts?
Depending on the medium you choose for mass texting, there are different ways to achieve it as mentioned in the sections above.
- How do you send a mass text on iPhone without a group?
You can send a mass text on your iPhone by toggling off group messaging. by:
Settings > Messages > Turn off iMessage
Conclusion
In most cases, group messaging is not the ideal option for any business to communicate with its customers. It is not personal and poses a threat to customers’ privacy violation.
It will come as no shock, that you will be looking at solutions that allow you to send mass text messages with ease. The limitation with using the ‘free’ methods such as texting through android, iPhone, and WhatsApp is that you can only send limited mass texts(Max 30 & 256).
Sending mass texts through mobile devices is considered P2P SMS Text messaging (person-to-person) and is not ideal for business communication. The ideal business communication method is A2P (Application to person).
This allows businesses to send mass texts (upwards of 100) without the risk of getting marked as spam, with a better delivery and response rate. A2P SMS text messaging is enabled through business texting softwares.
With additional features like scheduling and automating messages if driving customer engagement is your primary goal than a business texting software like Emitrr is the best medium for texting multiple contacts without using group messaging.
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