This guide introduces the concept of "segments," their role in messaging, and how they interact with the token system. We encourage you to review your current outbound strategy to ensure your messages are concise, compelling, and contextual.

Segments & Tokens Breakdown

In Bonzo, tokens are fundamental for automating outbound messaging across various channels, including campaign and broadcast texts and voicemail messages.

The building blocks of messages are known in the industry as "segments."

A basic SMS event with 160 characters or less is one segment, and each segment costs 4 tokens. Note, we show this as 150 characters in Bonzo to save room for merge tags. You can think of a segment as a packet of data, with each containing up to 160 characters. Should your message exceed this character limit—thus requiring additional segments—the token cost will increase accordingly.

The above message is under 160 characters and is 1 segment at 4 tokens.

The above message is over 160 characters (194) and is 2 segments at 8 tokens.

Also of note, carriers are increasingly on the offensive and are actively filtering (blocking) high segment messages sent in batches. Ensuring your messages are contextual, personalized, and concise serves to ensure deliverability, while also maximizing token returns.

Key point: There is a direct relationship between segment length and token cost, with each segment costing 4 tokens

Adding Media & Emojis to SMS Messages

When media elements like GIFs or videos are added to a message, it changes from a standard SMS to an MMS. This shift demands more resources from carriers to transmit the added content, thus increasing the token cost to 11 tokens per message.

That said, media also highly personalizes messages, increasing the likelihood of obtaining a response. We recommend evaluating your approach and leveraging GIFs/images in a highly-targeted way, as the ROI of an eye-catching, targeted message is much higher than a bland alternative.

Lastly, the inclusion of emojis alters message encoding, reducing the standard SMS character limit from 160 to 70 characters per segment. While adding one emoji initially increases the token cost, subsequent emojis do not affect it further.

Key point: Adding media/emojis may increase token cost, but they also provide a personal touch increase response rates.

Outreach Strategies

These strategies will help you maximize your token usage by ensuring high message deliverability and targeted personalization, ultimately providing more responses from prospects and driving better results for your business.

1. Cut ✂️ Unnecessary Fluff

Attention spans are shorter now than they've ever been; outreach messaging has to follow suit. Cut out unnecessary information, and drive the point home!
Speak directly to what information the prospect wanted to learn about. Introduce yourself, your company, why you're contacting them, and how they can quickly reach you to learn more. That's it, that's all you need!
If you are adding media, ensure it's relevant and cohesive within the overall framework of the message. Use it to highlight a key point or make the content stand out.

2. Fully Utilize Each Messaging Channel

Omnichannel messaging means just that: utilization of every messaging channel. Bonzo is powerful because of multi-channel synergy—use all of them!
Leveraging each channel serves multiple purposes: varying your means of communication, using the form best fitting your need/the information you'd like to convey, and increasing the odds of your message being seen.
One strategy is to send videos over email, since you can send longer clips. You can then leverage a one-segment text message to alert the prospect to check their email.
Another is physically calling the prospect instead of sending a voicemail drop. Drops can and do provide a ton of value, but calling them can organically lead to unique, meaningful conversations on-the-spot.

3. Avoid Mortgage "Bad" Words

Carriers are currently cracking down on certain types of traffic, and financial services—particularly mortgage—is in the crosshairs. Not to fear, you can still absolutely connect with your prospects and customers! However, there are automated systems set up to isolate and filter key "bad words," and knowing them, and alternatives, is critically important.
Our Telecommunications Team put together a Messaging: Best Practices & Tips guide concerning this topic, and we highly recommend reviewing!

4. Use a Targeted Approach

Communication tokens are maximized when outreach is highly-targeted, and drives a response. Media like GIFs, emojis, and videos will increase the per-message token cost, but will also drive more responses.
We recommend identifying high-yield groups—based on their specific funnel or any other identifying attributes—and creating messaging to speak to them and their specific needs.
- One suggestion is a custom landing page for each "bucket" of individuals you're targeting, with highly-tailored messaging and media speaking directly to them.
By cutting down on the fluff and being purposeful with your media usage, you can increase your overall ROI by landing additional deals.

5. Live by the Three C's

Optimizing your messaging strategy is simple if you remember the three C's:
- Concise: Eliminate unnecessary verbiage and let your point—the value you're providing—shine through.
- Compelling: Craft messages that grab your audience's attention, compelling them to take action.
- Contextual: Tailor messaging to resonate with the specific needs and interests of your target audience.
If your aim when crafting messaging is always to elicit a response by providing concise, contextual, information—you'll naturally maximize deliverability and will have more conversations. And remember, conversations lead to relationships which lead to opportunities 💪🏼.

With this information, you can ensure that your messaging strategy is both efficient and effective, optimizing your communication efforts with Bonzo's token-based system.

Note: To learn more about Tokens, click on the link below.
Tokens: General Overview

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