The Complete Guide to Apple Messages for Business
Explore iOS customer marketing with Apple Messages for Business—your key to unlocking a new world of customer engagement.
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Modern customers expect you to meet them where they are—and “where they are,” these days, is on iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs.
In fact, more than 1.46B people worldwide are using iPhones. In the U.S. alone, almost every other person you meet owns one. Looking at the up-and-coming generation, about 90% of teenagers own an iPhone—and intend to keep buying iPhones as they become adults.
But not all businesses are jumping at the opportunity to speak to the growing iOS audience, which is a huge missed opportunity. Apple Messages for Business could be just the golden ticket your brand needs to reach your customers where they spend most of their digital communications time: right in their Messages app.
With Apple Messages for Business, you can connect with your audience in a way that’s not only convenient for them, but feels as personalized and familiar as texting a friend.
What is Apple Messages for Business?
Apple Messages for Business connects businesses directly with their customers through the familiar and widely used Messages app on iOS devices. It's a powerful tool integrated into the Apple ecosystem, designed to facilitate seamless, efficient, and personalized communication between companies and their customers.
At its core, Apple Messages for Business leverages the popularity and intuitive design of the native iOS messaging platform. This means customers can interact with businesses as easily as they send texts, but with added functionalities tailored for professional interactions.
Adopting Apple Messages for Business is a smart move for any business looking to tap into the iOS user base. It's all about making customer interactions more convenient, secure, and personal, right from their iPhones, iPads, or Macs.
Why use Apple Messages for Business?
Apple Messages for Business is the up-and-coming way to drive customer engagement and meet your customers on Messages—an app they already love.
Here are some benefits you’ll offer customers by integrating this Apple solution into your engagement strategy:
Reach a Wider Audience: With over a billion active iPhone users globally, using Apple Messages for Business puts you in direct contact with a vast and growing audience that represents over 70% of the premium smartphone market.
Familiar and Convenient for Users: The familiarity of the Messages app for iOS users means there's virtually no learning curve. Customers can communicate with your business as easily as they would text a sibling.
Enhanced Customer Experience: With rich media, like photos, videos and links and direct, immediate customer support, Apple Messages for Business elevates and personalizes the customer experience beyond simple text messages.
Seamless Integration with iOS Features: Integration with Apple Pay and calendar makes finding products, completing transactions, and scheduling appointments effortless.
Privacy and Security: Known for its commitment to user security and privacy, Apple protects customer data as a paramount priority. Conversations are encrypted, and customers have control over the information they share, building their trust and loyalty to the iOS ecosystem and particularly, the Messages app.
Incorporating Apple Messages for Business is more than just following a trend; it's about making a calculated decision to level up your customer communication strategy.
What can Apple Messages for Business do?
To integrate Apple Messages for Business effectively, you’ll have to do more than send text messages. Luckily, the channel supports rich media and iOS features that help you take customers from ordinary to extraordinary conversations with your business. Once you start personalizing your interactions (with customer consent), you’ll deliver consistently relevant communications that customers actually want to receive.
1. Rich links
Share interactive, visually appealing links with customers. These can include previews of web content, making it informative for the user and giving them the confidence to follow the link outside of Messages.
2. Quick replies
Offer two to five pre-written reply options, directly in-line, for customers to click what they mean rather than type it all out.
3. List pickers
Provide customers with a list of options to choose from directly within the chat. This feature is perfect for selecting products, services, or support options when customers initiate contact with your brand.
4. Time pickers
Simplify the process of scheduling appointments or delivery times. Customers can easily select a date and time, and add it to their calendar—all without leaving the Messages app.
5. Apple Pay
Empower customers to complete transactions and make purchases directly within Messages, using a secure, convenient payment method they’re already familiar with. Turn Messages into a sales or e-commerce channel by sending Apple Pay requests.
6. Authentication
Protect interactions between your business and customers, asking customers to verify their identity for personalized, secure information sharing.
7. iMessage App
Offer custom, interactive apps directly within the chat that make sense for your business.
8. Image and video sharing
Both customers and businesses can share images and videos with each other, making communication more dynamic and detailed. This could be especially useful for product showcases or faster issue resolution, particularly with troubleshooting assistance.
9. Document attachments
Send and receive documents, like invoices, tickets or forms, directly through the chat, streamlining the back-and-forth of document sharing.
10. Augmented reality
Offer an immersive way for customers to view your products or information in a real-world, 3D context, like their homes or workplaces.
How to sign up for Apple Messages for Business
To sign up for Apple Messages for Business, you’ll need to work with an Apple-approved Managed Service Provider (MSP). Apple has specific guidelines and standards that must be met to use their Messages for Business platform; MSPs are familiar with these requirements and handle compliance for you, preventing any potential issues or violations.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to signing up for Apple Messages for Business:
Choose an Apple-Approved MSP: Your first step is selecting a Managed Service Provider (MSP) that is approved by Apple. Companies like Bird fall into this category, offering the necessary expertise and integration services.
Register Your Organization: Register your company through the Apple Business Register. Note: There’s a button for brands looking to get started toward the bottom of the page.
Create a Messages for Business Account: Provide details about your business and what you plan to use the service for.
Collaborate With Your MSP: Your chosen MSP will assist you in the technical setup, integrating Apple Messages for Business with your existing systems, and ensuring compliance with Apple’s guidelines.
Customize Your Branding: Adjust your Business Profile to align with your brand identity. This can include setting up business logos, color schemes, and other branding elements.
Submit Your Account to Apple for Testing and Approval: Before going live, Apple will conduct a user experience review to make sure everything works as expected. After this, Apple will also need to approve your account, which can take a few days.
Go Live: Once approved, your Messages for Business account is ready for customer interactions!
Why choose Bird for Apple Messages for Business
Bird isn't just an MSP; it's an all-in-one customer marketing, sales, and payments powerhouse. Our integration with Apple Messages for Business helps you reach customers on a platform they know and love, while delivering high-quality interactions every time. With Bird, you're not keeping up with communication trends; you're setting them.
Clearly we’re biased, but here’s why you should consider Bird as your Apple Messages for Business MSP:
1. Streamlined, omnichannel communication
Manage conversations with the same people across various channels from a single, user-friendly interface in our omnichannel Inbox. Inbox unifies your marketing and support efforts so that every customer interaction across various touchpoints is tailored and relevant, providing personalized experiences that today's customers expect. With Bird, you can consolidate your efforts across channels, save time, and keep your focus on the customer experience.
Here’s a look at what Inbox’s centralized dashboard looks like. We’re all about simplified channel management in this multi-channel marketing environment.
2. Unified customer profiles
By bringing together different communication channels, Bird creates centralized, unified customer profiles. Get a 360-degree view of each customer’s behavior, activity, and preferences, then reach out with hyper-targeted messages based on their actions.
3. Advanced analytics
Bird provides comprehensive analytics, offering insights into customer interactions across all channels. You’ll be able to identify trends, measure campaign effectiveness, and uncover new opportunities, despite complex data landscapes.
4. User-friendly interface
We designed Bird to be easy to use with the hope of reducing a marketing or support team’s reliance on engineers for setting up new tools or generating reports. Now, these customer-facing teams can autonomously manage communications and access analytics without technical assistance.
5. Built-in compliance
Bird’s platform is designed with privacy and compliance at its core, ensuring adherence to local, national and global privacy laws. We offer a fully managed, compliant messaging solution for teams who might not fully understand the intricacies of these regulations.
6. Messaging automation
Handle routine queries and direct messages efficiently with Flows, automating your marketing and messaging without any code. Automation is crucial for teams dealing with a high volume of customer interactions across multiple platforms.
Reach your iOS customers: Explore Apple Messages for Business with Bird
Tapping into the potential of Apple Messages for Business doesn’t mean sacrificing quality on your other communication channels. With Bird, you can unify all of your communication channels under one efficient, intuitive umbrella and connect with your customers on the platforms they love and use daily.
If you're ready to try Apple Messages for Business, or are simply curious about unifying your communication channels for a better customer experience, reach out for a tailored demo. We can help set up your use case or answer any questions you have about Apple Messages for Business.
Ready to see Bird in action?