In today's fast-paced digital world, reaching customers where they are most attentive has become crucial for business success. With the average person checking their phone over 100 times a day, SMS marketing has emerged as one of the most direct and effective ways to connect with your audience. Unlike emails that often go unread or social media posts that get lost in crowded feeds, text messages boast an impressive 98% open rate. However, this powerful marketing channel comes with its own set of rules and best practices that can make or break your campaigns.
What Is SMS Marketing?
SMS marketing is the practice of sending promotional messages, updates, alerts, and other business communications directly to customers' mobile phones via text message. These short, concise messages can include everything from flash sales and discount codes to appointment reminders and shipping notifications. The immediacy and personal nature of SMS make it an incredibly powerful tool for driving engagement, building customer relationships, and increasing conversions.
Should Your Business Use SMS Marketing?
The short answer is: probably yes. SMS marketing works exceptionally well for businesses across various industries, from retail and e-commerce to healthcare and hospitality. If your customers carry mobile phones and value timely, relevant information, SMS marketing deserves a place in your marketing mix. The channel is particularly effective for time-sensitive offers, appointment reminders, order updates, and exclusive deals that create a sense of urgency.
Opportunities to Leverage SMS Marketing
SMS marketing shines in several key scenarios. Use it for flash sales and limited-time promotions that require immediate action. Send order confirmations and shipping updates to keep customers informed. Deliver appointment reminders to reduce no-shows. Share exclusive VIP offers with your most loyal customers. Re-engage dormant customers with special comeback incentives. Collect feedback through quick surveys. The possibilities are vast when you understand your audience's preferences and needs.
Are There Any Rules to SMS Marketing?
Absolutely. SMS marketing is regulated by laws like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in the United States and similar regulations worldwide. The golden rule is consent: you must have explicit permission before sending marketing texts to anyone. Additionally, you're required to provide clear opt-out instructions in every message and honor unsubscribe requests immediately. Violating these regulations can result in hefty fines and damage to your brand reputation.
10 SMS Marketing Best Practices to Follow
1. Talk like an actual human being
Your customers want to hear from a real person, not a corporate robot. Use conversational language, natural phrasing, and a friendly tone that reflects your brand personality. Instead of "Dear valued customer, we are pleased to inform you," try "Hey Sarah! We've got something special for you." This approachable style builds connection and trust.
2. Incorporate emojis and images where they naturally fit
A well-placed emoji can add personality and help your message stand out. Use them to emphasize points, convey emotion, or simply make your texts more visually appealing. Similarly, MMS (multimedia messaging) allows you to include images that showcase products or add visual interest. Just don't overdo it—one or two emojis per message is typically enough.
3. Schedule your SMS marketing campaigns in advance
Planning ahead ensures consistency and allows you to coordinate campaigns across multiple channels. Most SMS platforms offer scheduling features that let you set up messages days or weeks in advance. This is especially useful for holiday promotions, product launches, or recurring communications like weekly deals.
4. Send contacts what you said you would
When customers opt in to your SMS list, they have certain expectations based on your sign-up messaging. If you promised exclusive deals, don't spam them with general announcements. If you said you'd send appointment reminders, don't bombard them with promotional content. Keeping your word builds trust and keeps unsubscribe rates low.
5. Include clear call-to-actions in your texts
Every message should have a purpose and a clear next step. Whether it's "Shop now," "Reply YES to confirm," or "Click here to claim your discount," make it obvious what you want recipients to do. Include links when appropriate, and use URL shorteners to save character space.
6. Consider the timing of your text messages
Timing can make or break your SMS campaign. Generally, avoid texting before 9 AM or after 8 PM in the recipient's time zone. Consider your audience's lifestyle—a lunch special makes sense at 11 AM, not 11 PM. Test different send times to discover when your audience is most responsive.
7. Coordinate SMS with email and social media campaigns
SMS marketing works best as part of an integrated strategy. Use texts to amplify your email campaigns, drive traffic to social media content, or create a cohesive multi-channel experience. For example, send an email announcing a sale, follow up with an SMS reminder as the sale ends, and post about it on social media throughout.
8. Offer quality incentives for engagement
Give people a compelling reason to opt in and stay subscribed. Exclusive discounts, early access to sales, VIP perks, or valuable content all work well. The key is ensuring your incentives provide real value and aren't available through other channels.
9. Create automations to streamline SMS marketing
Automated workflows save time and ensure consistent communication. Set up welcome messages for new subscribers, abandoned cart reminders for e-commerce, birthday greetings with special offers, or post-purchase follow-ups. Automation lets you deliver personalized, timely messages at scale.
10. Use a business text messaging platform
Professional SMS marketing platforms provide essential features like bulk sending, scheduling, automation, analytics, and compliance tools. They also give you a dedicated business number, help you manage opt-ins and opt-outs, and track campaign performance. Never attempt serious SMS marketing from a personal phone.
10 SMS Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
1. Sounding like a robot or long-winded email
Stiff, formal language and paragraph-long messages kill engagement. Remember, texts are meant to be brief and conversational. If your message reads like a corporate press release, rewrite it. Keep messages under 160 characters when possible, and always prioritize clarity and brevity.
2. Using common spam trigger words
Words like "FREE," "ACT NOW," "URGENT," or excessive exclamation points can trigger spam filters and make customers suspicious. While you can occasionally use attention-grabbing language, overdoing it makes you look unprofessional and may harm deliverability.
3. Texting contacts who have unsubscribed
This is not only annoying—it's illegal. Always honor opt-out requests immediately and maintain a suppression list of unsubscribed contacts. Continuing to text someone after they've opted out can result in complaints, legal action, and damage to your sender reputation.
4. Sending texts without a clear goal
Random, purposeless messages frustrate subscribers and waste your resources. Before hitting send, ask yourself: what do I want recipients to do? How does this message provide value? If you can't answer these questions, rethink your campaign.
5. Sending texts in the middle of the night
A 3 AM promotional text is a surefire way to anger customers and drive unsubscribes. Respect people's time and personal space by only texting during reasonable hours. If you have customers across time zones, segment your list and schedule accordingly.
6. Abandoning other marketing channels
SMS is powerful, but it shouldn't exist in isolation. Customers engage with brands across multiple touchpoints, and your marketing should reflect this reality. Use SMS to complement—not replace—your email, social media, and other marketing efforts.
7. Promoting offers you can't deliver
Nothing destroys trust faster than broken promises. If you advertise a discount code, make sure it works. If you promote a limited-time offer, honor the timeframe. Overpromising and underdelivering will cost you customers and credibility.
8. Trying too hard to be "hip"
Using outdated slang, excessive emojis, or forced casual language comes across as inauthentic and cringeworthy. Be yourself, match your brand voice, and communicate naturally. Your customers will appreciate genuine personality over manufactured coolness.
9. Ignoring customer replies
SMS marketing should be a two-way street. When customers reply with questions, concerns, or feedback, respond promptly and helpfully. Ignoring replies signals that you don't care about customer experience and wastes an opportunity to build relationships.
10. Sending SMS campaigns from a personal phone
Using your personal device for business SMS creates numerous problems: limited sending capacity, lack of professional features, difficulty tracking results, and blurred personal-professional boundaries. Invest in a proper platform to handle your SMS marketing professionally and effectively.
Conclusion
SMS marketing offers unparalleled opportunities to connect with customers in meaningful, immediate ways. By following these best practices and avoiding common pitfalls, you can create text messaging campaigns that drive engagement, build loyalty, and boost your bottom line. Remember that success in SMS marketing comes down to respect—respect for your customers' time, preferences, and inbox. Start with permission, deliver value consistently, and always put the customer experience first. When done right, SMS marketing becomes a powerful tool that customers appreciate rather than an intrusion they resent.