Why Your Business Needs Both Email and Texting
If you’re running a business in Brisbane—whether you’re a sparky in Chermside, a lawyer in the CBD, or you run a boutique shop in Paddington—you know the frustration of the "silent phone."
You send out a quote, and you hear nothing. You send a newsletter about a sale, and nobody shows up. You send an invoice, and it sits unpaid for two weeks.
Most business owners think the solution is to just "do more marketing." But usually, the problem isn't that you aren't talking to people; it's that you're talking to them in the wrong way at the wrong time.
I’ve seen dozens of local businesses double their bookings simply by stoping the habit of relying on just one way to reach people. If you only use email, you’re getting buried in a crowded inbox. If you only use SMS, you’re annoying people with too much information on a small screen.
When you use them together? That’s when you start seeing real money hit the bank account. In this guide, I’m going to show you exactly how to combine email and text messages to get more customers, save yourself hours of admin time, and—most importantly—make sure you never miss a lead again.
The Honest Truth About Email vs. SMS
Let's be blunt: most of what you read online about "omnichannel marketing" is rubbish written by people who have never had to meet a payroll on a Friday afternoon. You don't need a complex "strategy." You just need to understand how your customers behave.
The Role of Email
Email is great for the "heavy lifting." It’s where you send your long-form stuff: your monthly updates, your detailed quotes, your "how-to" guides, and your price lists. It’s cheap, it’s professional, and people expect it. However, people check email on their own time. They might see your email three days after you sent it.If you aren't careful, you can end up paying for emails that nobody ever bothers to open. That is literally throwing money into the Brisbane River.
The Role of SMS (Texting)
SMS is the "emergency flare." It gets noticed immediately. About 98% of text messages are read within minutes. If you need someone to confirm a booking for tomorrow morning, or you want to tell a regular customer that you have one spot left in your diary for the week, you send a text.But be warned: SMS is expensive compared to email. In Australia, you’ll usually pay between 5 and 10 cents per message. If you text 1,000 people the wrong thing, you’ve just wasted $100 and probably annoyed half your customer base.
The Magic Formula
The secret is using Email for Information and SMS for Action.Step 1: Sorting Your Tools (Without Getting Ripped Off)
You don’t need to be a tech genius to set this up, but you do need the right gear. Most small businesses make the mistake of using one app for emails and a completely different app for texting. This is a nightmare because the two apps don't talk to each other.
I always tell my mates to look for a platform that does both. You want a system where, if a customer clicks a link in your email, the system knows not to send them a follow-up text. Or, if they reply to a text, it updates their file in your email list.
When looking at email platform costs, make sure you check what they charge for Australian SMS credits. Some US-based companies charge a fortune to send texts to Aussie mobiles.
What to look for: 1. Local numbers: You want your texts to come from a standard Australian mobile number or a dedicated short code, not a weird international number that looks like a scam. 2. Two-way texting: If a customer replies to your text saying "I'm running 5 mins late," you need to be able to see that on your computer or phone. 3. Simple Automation: You want a "set and forget" system. For example: "If they haven't opened the email after 24 hours, send a text."
Step 2: The "Golden Window" Booking System
Let’s look at a real-world scenario. We worked with a carpet cleaner in Carindale who was losing about 30% of his quotes because he’d email the price, and the customer would simply forget to reply. They weren't saying no; they were just busy with life.
Here is the exact step-by-step workflow we set up that increased his bookings by 40% in one month:
1. Immediate Email: As soon as the enquiry comes in, the system sends a professional email with the quote and some photos of previous work. 2. The 24-Hour Check: If the customer hasn't clicked the "Accept Quote" button within 24 hours, the system automatically sends a friendly text: "Hi [Name], just checking you got the quote for the carpet cleaning? We've had a couple of spots fill up for Thursday. Cheers, Gaz." 3. The Result: Most people replied to the text instantly saying, "Yes, sorry! Just saw it, let's go ahead."
Why this works: The email did the selling, but the text provided the nudge. It cost Gaz about 7 cents to send that text, and it saved a $350 job. That’s a pretty good return on investment.
Step 3: Stop Blasting, Start Winning
One of the biggest mistakes Brisbane business owners make is sending the same message to everyone. If you own a pet shop, don't send a text about dog food to the lady who only buys birdseed.
You need to use segmentation strategies to group your customers.
Try these groups: The VIPs: Your top 10% of spenders. Give them first dibs on sales via SMS. The "Lost" Customers: People who haven't bought in 6 months. Send them a "We miss you" email with a big discount, followed by a text 2 days later if they don't open it. The Quote-Hangers: People you’ve given a price to but hasn't booked yet.
Step 4: Using SMS to Get Paid Faster
Cash flow is the killer of small businesses. I know plenty of tradies who are "rich" on paper but have $0 in the bank because they are waiting on $50k of unpaid invoices.
Stop chasing people with awkward phone calls. Use the Email-SMS combo: 1. Day 1: Email the invoice as soon as the job is done. 2. Day 7: If unpaid, send an automated polite email reminder. 3. Day 10: Send a text: "Hi [Name], just a quick reminder that invoice #123 is due today. You can pay via the link here: [Link]. Thanks!"
People find it much harder to ignore a text message than an email. It’s not about being a pest; it’s about making it easy for them to pay you while they are holding their phone.
Step 5: The "Don't Be a Jerk" Rules
Because SMS is so personal, you can ruin your reputation quickly if you overdo it. Here are my non-negotiable rules for Brisbane business owners:
Never text before 8:00 AM or after 7:00 PM. Nobody wants a marketing text while they’re trying to put the kids to bed or having their first coffee. Always include an opt-out. It’s the law in Australia. If you don't have an "Opt out reply STOP" at the end of your marketing texts, you can get slapped with massive fines from ACMA. Keep it short. If the text is longer than two sentences, it should have been an email. Identify yourself. Don't assume they have your number saved. Start with "Hi, it's Sarah from the Hair Studio."
What Will This Cost You?
Let’s talk brass tacks. You’re probably worried this is going to cost a fortune.
Software: A good system that handles both email and SMS will cost you anywhere from $50 to $200 a month depending on how many customers you have. SMS Credits: Budget about $20–$50 a month for texts. Remember, we aren't texting everyone every day. We are only texting when it matters. Time: Setting up the "flows" (the automatic steps) takes about 3–5 hours once. After that, it runs while you sleep.
If that $150 a month gets you just one extra booking or saves you two hours of chasing invoices, it has paid for itself five times over.
How Long Until You See Results?
You will see results the very first time an automated text goes out. I’ve sat in offices with clients where we turned on an "Abandoned Quote" text, and within 15 minutes, their phone started pinging with replies.
This isn't like SEO where you have to wait six months to see if Google likes you. This is direct communication. You’ll know if it’s working within 48 hours.
What Should You Do First?
Don't try to build a massive system overnight. Start here:
1. Pick one goal. Do you want more bookings, or do you want faster payments? 2. Clean your list. Make sure you actually have mobile numbers for your customers in your database. 3. Set up one "nudge." Create an automation where if someone doesn't open an important email (like a quote or a booking confirmation), they get a text 24 hours later.
A Quick Warning About "Free" Tools
I see a lot of people trying to do this using free versions of overseas software. Be careful. Often, these free tools don't allow you to send SMS to Australian numbers, or they add their own branding (e.g., "Sent via FreeApp") which makes your business look cheap. It's worth paying a few bucks for a professional setup.
Summary: The Path to a Busier Business
Integrating email and SMS isn't about being a "high-tech" marketer. It’s about being a smart business owner who knows how to get a customer's attention in a noisy world.
By using email for the details and SMS for the "nudge," you’ll find that: Quotes get accepted faster. Invoices get paid on time.
- Your diary stays full without you having to spend all day on the phone.
Ready to stop missing out on jobs? Contact us at Local Marketing Group and let's chat about how we can get your phone ringing again.