Direct Marketing Blog

SMS and email campaigns, without another platform to learn.

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SMS Marketing 18 guides Email Marketing 6 guides Direct Marketing 5 guides
Direct Marketing
September 8, 2026

Can You Text or Email a Purchased List?

The short answer is no for SMS and a heavily qualified maybe for email. What the rules actually say, why the two channels differ, and what to do instead.

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SMS Marketing
September 8, 2026

The TCPA Revoke-All Rule Lands 31 January 2027

One opt-out will stop every message a business sends, not just the campaign it came from. What the delayed FCC rule requires and what to fix before it takes effect.

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SMS Marketing
September 8, 2026

Text Blasting for Real Estate Investors

Skip-traced lists are the whole problem. What still works for investor SMS in 2026, what the exposure actually costs, and how to build a list you can defend.

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SMS Marketing
May 29, 2026

SMS Marketing Compliance in 2026: TCPA, Opt-Outs & SHAFT Rules

A plain-English guide to the rules governing bulk SMS in 2026: TCPA written consent, opt-out handling, quiet hours, SHAFT limits and 10DLC.

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SMS Marketing
April 27, 2026

10DLC Registration: Complete Guide for Bulk SMS Senders

Everything direct marketers need to know about A2P 10DLC registration — requirements, timelines, throughput limits, and when 10DLC isn't the right tool.

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SMS Marketing
March 18, 2026

Bulk SMS Campaigns for Restaurant Promotions

Run a restaurant SMS promotion that fills slow nights: list building, message formats, send cadence and the offers that actually convert.

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SMS Marketing
March 18, 2026

Bulk SMS Marketing for Gyms and Studios

Five high-ROI SMS use cases for gyms and fitness studios, the ones that underperform, and how to build a member list that responds.

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SMS Marketing
March 18, 2026

Bulk SMS Marketing for Real Estate Agents

Bulk SMS for real estate agents: the lists that convert, message templates that get replies, and the 10DLC and TCPA rules you must follow.

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Email Marketing
March 18, 2026

Send Mass Email Without Hitting Spam

What Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo actually filter on, plus the authentication, domain warm-up and list hygiene steps that keep mail inboxed.

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SMS Marketing
February 27, 2026

Bulk SMS for Churches and Nonprofits

How churches and nonprofits use bulk SMS for service alerts, giving campaigns and volunteer calls, plus opt-in list building that works.

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SMS Marketing
January 14, 2026

Bulk SMS for Insurance Agents: Scripts

Bulk SMS scripts for insurance agents, the verticals that reply most, list sources that work, and the compliance rules that apply.

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Telemarketing · Historical
November 5, 2025

Auto Dialer vs Manual Dialing

Auto Dialer Software vs Manual Dialing: Pros and Cons — Expert tips and strategies from Smarterblast, a managed bulk SMS and email blast service.

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Email Marketing
November 5, 2025

How to Write an Email Blast That Gets Clicks

Subject lines, preheaders, body structure and calls to action: the five jobs an email blast has to do to earn clicks, not just opens.

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Email Marketing
September 18, 2025

Best Time to Send an Email Blast

Tuesday at 10am is not an answer. What actually drives email blast open rates, and how to find the best send time for your own list.

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Email Marketing
July 22, 2025

How to Build an Email List Fast

Opt-in subscribers and prospect lists are built differently. Realistic timelines, sourcing methods and trade-offs for each approach.

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Telemarketing · Historical
July 22, 2025

Set Up an Outbound Telemarketing Campaign

How to Set Up an Outbound Telemarketing Campaign from Scratch — Expert tips and strategies from Smarterblast, a managed bulk SMS and email blast service.

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Telemarketing · Historical
July 22, 2025

Telemarketing Service Guide: Outsource vs. Self-Serve

When to outsource telemarketing vs. run your own campaigns. Covers B2B, outbound, flat-rate voice broadcasting, and TCPA compliance for high-volume senders.

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Direct Marketing
February 19, 2025

Bulk Direct Marketing: What Works and What Is Dead

What still works in bulk direct marketing, what is dying, and how channel economics have shifted since 2022. Response rate and cost data.

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SMS Marketing · Historical
January 28, 2025

How Debt Collection Agencies Use SMS

How Debt Collection Agencies Use SMS and Calling Campaigns — Expert tips and strategies from Smarterblast, a managed bulk SMS and email blast service.

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SMS Marketing
January 28, 2025

Political Campaign Text Messaging & Canvassing

How campaigns use bulk SMS for canvassing, persuasion and get-out-the-vote, plus the compliance framework political texting works inside.

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SMS Marketing
December 3, 2024

How Much Does Bulk SMS Cost? Full Breakdown

Bulk SMS is priced five different ways. Real 2026 costs by volume, the hidden carrier and 10DLC fees, and what you should actually budget.

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Direct Marketing · Historical
December 3, 2024

Combine SMS, Email and Calling in One Campaign

How to sequence SMS and email into one campaign: channel roles, timing between touches, and how to measure combined response.

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Email Marketing
December 3, 2024

What Is an Email Blast?

An email blast is not a newsletter. The three types, when a blast is the right call, and when it will damage your sending reputation.

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Direct Marketing · Historical
October 15, 2024

Direct Marketing for Auto Dealerships

Direct Marketing for Auto Dealerships: SMS, Calls & Email Combined — Expert tips and strategies from Smarterblast, a managed bulk SMS and email blast service.

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Telemarketing · Historical
October 15, 2024

Ringless Voicemail vs Live Calls for Lead Gen

Ringless Voicemail vs Live Calls: Which Works Better for Lead Gen? — Expert tips and strategies from Smarterblast, a managed bulk SMS and email blast service.

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SMS Marketing · Historical
August 29, 2024

How BPO Companies Used Automated Calling

How BPO Companies Use Automated Calling to Scale Lead Generation — Expert tips and strategies from Smarterblast, a managed bulk SMS and email blast service.

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Email Marketing
June 11, 2024

Email Blast Service vs Mailchimp

Mailchimp is built for opt-in newsletters. Email blast services are built for volume. Compare list rules, deliverability and pricing.

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SMS Marketing
May 8, 2024

Best Bulk SMS Services Compared (2026)

Six bulk SMS services compared on published September 2026 rates, normalised to what 100,000 messages actually costs. Organised by use case, not affiliate payout.

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Telemarketing · Historical
March 22, 2024

Cold Calling Campaigns on a Small Budget

How to Run a Cold Calling Campaign With a Small Budget — Expert tips and strategies from Smarterblast, a managed bulk SMS and email blast service.

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SMS Marketing
March 22, 2024

Send Bulk SMS to 10,000 Contacts Without Blocks

Seven things that trigger carrier blocks, plus the 10DLC registration and message-variant steps that keep 10,000+ sends delivering.

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Direct Marketing
March 22, 2024

SMS Blast vs Email Blast: Which Wins?

SMS and email blasts win in different situations. Compare reply rates, cost per response at volume, and when to use each channel.

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SMS Marketing
January 17, 2024

Cheapest Bulk SMS That Still Delivers

Cheap SMS is worthless if it does not deliver. Real 2026 cost-per-delivered-message comparison, and the warning signs of a bad provider.

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SMS Marketing
January 17, 2024

Smarterblast vs EZTexting at High Volume

EZTexting suits small opt-in subscriber lists. Compare it with flat-rate campaign pricing at 100k+ volume on cost, limits and support.

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Telemarketing · Historical
January 17, 2024

Telemarketing for Mortgage Brokers

Telemarketing for Mortgage Brokers: Tips, Scripts & Compliance — Expert tips and strategies from Smarterblast, a managed bulk SMS and email blast service.

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SMS Marketing
June 14, 2023

Best Bulk SMS Service for Small Business

Retention texting and lead generation need different tools. Compare bulk SMS services for small business by use case, with real pricing.

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Telemarketing · Historical
June 14, 2023

Telemarketing Scripts That Convert

Best Telemarketing Scripts That Actually Convert in 2023 — Expert tips and strategies from Smarterblast, a managed bulk SMS and email blast service.

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