SMS marketing is one of the most effective ways to communicate with customers, boasting high engagement and conversion rates. It's also more cost-efficient and personal than many other marketing channels, nurturing stronger customer relationships without draining your budget.
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This blog post will guide you through the basics of SMS marketing, with some best practices and examples to help you build an effective SMS marketing program.
Short message service (SMS) marketing uses text messages to build relationships with customers and communicate promotional information. The goals of SMS marketing include generating leads, persuading recipients to click a link, and sharing information about a customer's order or profile.
SMS marketing messages often contain copywriting, emojis, eye-catching images, links, and other easy options for making a purchase. They are typically sent to large lists of subscribers.
Strategically, and SMS marketing are similar. The goal of SMS marketing, like marketing, is to sell, educate, or build loyalty. SMS is an owned marketing channel'the sender fully controls the list of numbers and distribution'and businesses can send one-to-one or one-to-many messages, depending on their goals.
Just like marketing, you should ensure you're capturing consent from customers before sending a marketing message via SMS.
Shopify makes it easy to collect SMS consent during checkout. To turn this feature on, follow these steps.
Once you get permission from a subscriber, you can test different SMS marketing campaigns:
SMS marketing requires a shortcode, the SMS equivalent of a company address. A shortcode is an abbreviated, easy-to-remember number of five or six digits.
To opt into receiving your SMS messages, buyers text a keyword (like HOTSAUCE) to this shortcode. Because subscribing to SMS messages requires this deliberate act, it's a good way to build a high-intent subscriber list with few bogus numbers:
Before you start sending promotional messages in a mobile marketing campaign, you'll need to build a list of numbers with opt-in consent to send.
Typically, this list is gathered from prospects and customers, so if you aren't generating traffic to your website, it may be too early to consider SMS marketing. First, invest your time in building a contact list.
Here's an example of how athleisure brand Alo Yoga builds its SMS subscriber list, by offering new website visitors a discount:
SMS marketing works well during peak shopping seasons when spam is high, paid advertising is expensive, and consumer attention is strained. It's also a great way to automate your customer communications. Write a text and set up a trigger, then let your marketing tool send out texts at the perfect moment.
For Shopify store owners, getting started with SMS marketing is simple, thanks to a range of purpose-built apps.
All SMS marketing platforms available on the Shopify App Store have built-in compliance features. Here are four popular options:
Use Postscript to build automated and personalized mass SMS messages. Pricing varies by usage.
Send SMS texts to audience segments with Klaviyo's triggers that use historical and real-time data.
Big brands with hundreds of thousands of subscribers use Attentive, including Sephora, Coach, and Williams-Sonoma.
With pay-as-you-go pricing, Yotpo is a popular SMS marketing app.
Reach out with a text
Most customers prefer to communicate with you through SMS.
Browse SMS appsLet's look at some examples to inspire your SMS marketing strategy.
A short and snappy SMS is a great way to promote one-off flash sales or major promotions. Because you're communicating with voluntary subscribers, there's a good chance that most recipients will be responsive.
Line breaks, emojis, and product images make sure the promotion can be easily understood.
Don't launch a flash sale without some hype. A couple of promotional text messages, sent a few days before the event, can help with conversion. Many people like to think about their purchases ahead of time, so it's wise to give your favorite customers a heads-up before your sale goes live.
SMS is an appropriate format for conversational commerce, making it an effective way to increase interactions with customers.
For example, when developing new product ideas, you could send an SMS to customers asking their opinion. If they reply, there's an opportunity for a valuable 1:1 discussion that brings them behind the scenes and makes them more likely to make a purchase.
This message informs customers about the availability of sold-out inventory. It's a gentle yet effective way to re-engage past visitors. Encourage engagement by combining it with a free shipping offer or option to pre-order a product. Transactional messages are impactful and simple to automate.
If you want to get more leads from your SMS marketing efforts, host a text-to-win giveaway or contest. These types of marketing strategies expand your customer base with minimal effort on your part.
Some studies suggest that up to 46% of contestants will share contests without any extra incentive, but you can increase organic sharing of your giveaway by offering a reward, such as additional entries.
You can set up a giveaway quickly across your current marketing channels. Just add your shortcode to any of the following:
When a user signs up for your giveaway, they automatically become a subscriber whom you can reach with future SMS campaigns.
Schedule messages around popular shopping dates and events, such as Black Friday shopping season. Time-sensitive SMS marketing campaigns jump on the excitement surrounding an event and encourage recipients to act fast before the sale is over.
Whenever someone signs up for your list, you can send them a series of welcome messages. Use short, concise language to tell them about your products, provide links to further content or popular products, and give them a coupon.
Access to discounts and coupons rank among the most common reasons to sign up for marketing text messages. Data suggests that a 10% discount is a sufficient incentive to capture most subscribers.
An abandoned cart SMS is sent to people who added products to their cart but did not complete the purchase.
You can use SMS or to follow up with abandoners and encourage sales. However, since people are more likely to see an SMS push notification than notice an in a crowded inbox, abandoned cart SMS messages may lead to better results.
Strategic upselling and cross-selling can improve your average order value and customer lifetime value. It involves sending recommendations to customers based on their past purchases, a common tactic in marketing you can replicate through texts.
If a prospect or customer doesn't give you consent to text them, you could face legal problems. SMS text marketing is regulated under US law and marketers must follow codes of practice enacted under the Consumer Protection Act and CAN-SPAM Act. Moreover, texting without permission feels spammy'not a good look for your company.
People often forget when they sign up for mailing lists, so make sure you keep a record of opt-in agreements.
More than any other channel, SMS marketing requires buyer trust. This trust can be built by making it easy for customers to opt in and out of your SMS list.
While accessible unsubscribe options can reduce your number of recipients, they also ensure that those who remain are genuinely interested in your offerings. This leads to a more engaged audience and, ultimately, better conversion rates.
Since it's easy to opt out of promotional SMS messages, it pays to be considerate of your buyers' patience. Most of your messages should be informational'related to orders and noteworthy dates or events. Promotional messages should be few and far between, ideally no more than once per week.
When designing SMS marketing campaigns, resist the urge to send random messages to subscribers. Contextually relevant texts are more likely to generate clicks without draining subscribers' goodwill.
For example, if you have a promoted event on Friday night, send a text on Friday afternoon. If you want to run a bar special, send your message at 3 or 4 p.m. on a workday. Keep it simple'you'll avoid getting pinged as spam, and you'll see better results.
Many SMS marketing tools harness the data you collect about your customers to segment your SMS list and personalize messaging. Segmentation can be based on past purchases, browsing behavior, location, or even the time a customer usually shops. By segmenting your list, you can send more personalized messages that are likely to result in higher engagement and conversion rates.
If you run a clothing store and know that a group of loyal customers previously bought summer dresses, you could send them a text when your new summer collection arrives. Or, if you have a group of customers who usually shop in the evenings, you could schedule your texts containing promo codes to send when they're likely to be browsing.
and SMS marketing are both powerful tools in your marketing arsenal, but they serve different purposes and are effective in different scenarios.
is a versatile medium that allows for rich content, including text, images, and links. It's ideal for sharing detailed or extensive content, such as:
Depending on your audience's preferences, you may want to include this content in the body for immediate consumption and mobile accessibility. For a more streamlined experience, however, use the to present an overview and include a link to the full content on your website.
Moreover, is great for nurturing leads over time. You can create a series of emails that guide a potential customer through the buying process, providing them with incr easingly promotional information at each stage.
also allows for more branding and design elements than SMS, helping to reinforce your brand identity.
Text messages are typically read within minutes of being received, making SMS perfect for time-sensitive communications. For instance, you could use SMS to send flash sale alerts, appointment reminders, or delivery updates.
SMS is also optimal for sending short, impactful messages that require a response, such as a one-day discount code.
In addition, SMS marketing can be more personal and interactive. Customers can easily reply to your messages, creating a two-way conversation that can turn a prospect into a sales lead. While replies are possible with , it's not standard practice and may feel less natural to your subscribers.
Both and SMS marketing have their strengths. The key is to use each channel strategically, based on your goals and your audience's preferences.
Across marketing channels, SMS has some of the most forgiving open rates and click-through rates. Since SMS marketing requires customers to opt in, your list will only include customers who wantto hear from you.
Shopify merchant Bushbalm has been using SMS marketing for years to generate engagement. Its automated series of welcome messages regularly sees click-through rates of more than 50%.
In comparison, the brand typically achieves 25% open rates with marketing emails, and only 2% click-through rates.
Anyone who's written a mass to customers knows the painstaking effort required, whether to craft the perfect subject line or the right copy that gets people clicking.
With such a small SMS window on mobile devices, there's only room for a couple of lines, and perhaps an image. Design and brand elements are replaced with emojis and GIFs'simple!
SMS marketing helps build more personal, loyal relationships with customers. Texts are inherently easier to respond to, encouraging real dialogue. Marketing SMS messages have an average response rate of 45%, which is many times higher than .
Messaging is no longer a one-way street. Your customers expect to hear back from you quickly and want the option to engage in conversation. This two-way conversation goes far beyond traditional customer service.
Use a chat support app to:
The instantaneous and personal feel of SMS marketing makes it attractive for large and small businesses'and customers. After , SMS and other types of smartphone messages are the preferred way to hear from businesses. The right SMS marketing tools can help you connect with customers and earn more sales.
Many online marketers steer away from SMS marketing because they assume it's expensive and intrusive. Not so. If you apply the principles above, you'll cut through the noise, increase your conversion rates, and improve customer loyalty in the process.
Illustration by Pete Ryan
SMS marketing is legal if you obtain expressed written consent from consumers before sending them marketing texts. SMS text marketing is regulated under US law and marketers must follow codes of practice enacted under the Consumer Protection Act and CAN-SPAM Act.
The first step in SMS marketing is to build a list of numbers that have given consent to receive promotional messages.
Drawbacks of SMS marketing include the limited character count, which can make it difficult to convey complex information; the potential for messages to be perceived as intrusive if not properly targeted; and the need for customer consent, which can limit the size of your audience.
SMS marketing strategies generally boasts high open rates, reportedly as high as 98%. Response rates and click-through rates are also typically high, making SMS marketing one of the most effective direct marketing channels available.
Do you want to use SMS marketing to get more traffic, win more sales, and encourage customer loyalty?
A strong SMS marketing strategy lets you send your best offers right to customers' cell screens, where they're likely to click, engage, and buy.
However, if you handle your text messages poorly, you risk annoying your subscribers. And you may lose them as customers forever.
How can you thread that needle? In this ultimate guide to SMS marketing, you'll learn everything you need to know to start an effective text message marketing campaign. Along the way, we'll share tips and examples to help you optimize your texts to get great conversion rates and more sales.
SMS marketing is a strategy that allows businesses to send promotional messages to customers via text message. As a form of direct marketing, an SMS strategy fits in seamlessly with a business's marketing and direct mail efforts.
SMS stands for 'short message service' and refers to the text messages we send and receive on our mobile devices. Text message marketing is a powerful tool for notifying customers of special offers and announcements.
So, is SMS marketing effective? Let's take a closer look at some of the benefits:
SMS marketing is lightning fast. When you send out a text message, it gets delivered immediately. This allows you to send real-time notifications.
Because of this, you can send time-sensitive messages like flash sales and event-related promotions. For instance, eCommerce businesses could send users a message on Cyber Monday to maximize sales for that single day.
So, once you press that 'send' button, hundreds or thousands of users will instantly get your message.
Plus, most people always have their phones with them, increasing the chances that your message will get seen as soon as it's delivered.
In fact, 90% of SMS messages are read in the first 3 minutes.
When you send out an marketing campaign, subscribers have to check their before they even see your subject line. Users have to see a notification, open up their app or log in on desktop, and scan through the messages in their inbox. Only then do you have a chance of them opening your .
With so many and social media notifications on a daily basis, users are more likely to ignore them.
But, with SMS marketing, users will be instantly made aware of a new message with a text notification. Since people usually get texts from their friends and family, those notifications are less likely to be ignored.
Plus, most phones display a snippet of text messages right on the lock screen. SMS marketing is more personal and stands out from other notifications, causing SMS message marketing to have high open rates.
What are SMS open rates?
Sources around the web cite the average SMS marketing open rate as 98%.
Just like with open rates, which can range from 20.77% to 45.49%, there are likely to be a lot of variables depending on industry and other factors.
A survey by Shift, a communications agency, sought to determine SMS open rates by asking users a simple question: 'Do you read every SMS text message sent to you?'
Out of responses, 82% said that they read every single text message they receive.
The takeaway here? SMS marketing has a lower barrier to being seen than other direct marketing messages.
After all, people throw away junk mail and ignore promotional emails every day. But they usually read all of their texts.
Of course, open rates aren't the final goal of SMS marketing. You need those text messages to convert into website traffic, in-store visits, and sales.
Insider Intelligence and eMarketer conducted a series of surveys in related to SMS marketing.
Here are the key points from these surveys:
Essentially, customers prefer to get mobile marketing via SMS, so they engage more with those messages. That means they're more likely to click your links, view your coupons and discounts, browse your website, and buy.
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The result? 75% of consumers make purchases as a result of SMS marketing.
Now you have an idea of how SMS marketing can help your business. Next, let's explore some best practices that will help you succeed in your text messaging strategy.
Just because you have a contact's number doesn't mean you can go ahead and use it. Texting people without permission isn't just rude. It's actually illegal.
Companies must get explicit permission from users before texting them. You can do this in 2 ways:
Create an optin campaign. OptinMonster is the world's best lead-generation software. We help you use your own website to grow your list and your SMS marketing list.
How? With optin campaigns like lightbox popups, floating bars, and inline forms.
You can use OptinMonster to create a killer SMS campaign just like this!
With our pre-made templates, it only takes a few minutes to have a campaign like this up and running on your site.
Require customers to check an optin box, similar to how users sign up to your list.
When a user makes a purchase on your website, your checkout page can include a checkbox to sign up for text messages.
It's also important to tell users what type of text messages they can expect to receive from your business and how often. For instance, signing up for SMS order confirmations and shipping updates is different than agreeing to receive marketing texts.
Be clear about what messages you'll be sending, and keep your promise to users.
Don't bust out your personal cell and start texting customers. Instead, use SMS marketing tools.
SMS marketing software handles the task of processing texts to large subscriber lists. It also lets you automate your SMS marketing. For instance, you can set up automated texts to go out when a user signs up for your SMS list, makes a purchase, or shows interest in certain products.
Learn more about marketing automation workflows.
SMS marketing software also makes it easy for you to track your results. You can see how many people opened your message, how many times the link was clicked, and so on.
We'll cover the best SMS marketing tools a little later in this article.
When users optin to receive text messages from you, they expect those messages to be worth their while. So, don't send text messages just because. Instead, you've got to make them valuable.
One of the easiest ways to make your text messages valuable is by offering up something amazing, like a special deal or a coupon that's exclusive to your SMS marketing list.
Exclusive offers will make your customers feel like VIPs.
Take a look at this example from Avenue. They include the phrase 'Just for you' to create a feeling of exclusivity.
Even if your deals aren't as exclusive as they may seem, if the user feels special, they'll be more likely to appreciate the offer and take action.
A strong call-to-action (CTA) is important in any type of marketing campaign. A CTA encourages users to take the next step, moving them along in the buyer's journey.
Your customers aren't mind readers, so if you want them to do something, you have to ask them.
Including a call-to-action in your SMS marketing campaigns is as simple as adding phrases like:
In this SMS marketing example from BoxLunch, they let users know that they have a sale on bags. Before the link, the CTA text reads 'Shop Now!' This CTA lets subscribers know that the link will take them to a webpage to shop their bag sale.
When customers get messages that are tailored specifically to them, they're more likely to pay attention and take action. In fact, personalized CTAs convert 202% better than basic CTAs.
So, be sure to include personalization tags in your SMS marketing. Some eCommerce personalization examples include
For instance, I received this personalized text from Instacart, asking me to rate and review a recent order:
A text message is not the appropriate format to send users an entire novel. In fact, you only have about 160 characters to work with. So, keep your text messages short and simple.
Start off with something attention-grabbing, like the amazing offer you have to share. Adding a phrase like 'SPECIAL OFFER' near the beginning of your message will pique the interest of users, encourage them to keep reading, and drive them to take action.
Imagine this: it's the middle of the night, you're sound asleep in your cozy bed, and you're suddenly awoken by a text message from a business. Can you think of anything more annoying?
It's also not fun to get texts from businesses early in the morning, on a holiday, or during dinner with your family.
To avoid this type of situation, which could cause you to lose even your most loyal customers, you need to consider timing with your SMS marketing.
Pay attention to the time zones your customers are located in and send messages during appropriate times.
According to SMSGlobal, the best time of the day to send general marketing messages is between 10:31 am'11:29 am or 2:34 pm'3:27 pm.
Have you ever gotten an anonymous mystery text message? Did you answer it? Probably not.
Remember that when sending text messages to customers.
If a customer receives a text message without knowing who it's from, they'll likely consider it spam or suspect it's been sent to the wrong number.
Just as you would when you meet someone in person, introduce yourself. When customers know that it's your business that's communicating with them, they'll be more likely to respond. Plus, repeating your company name helps improve brand recognition.
For example, look at the text below from Starbucks. They introduce themselves right away.
People get bombarded with an overwhelming number of marketing messages day in and day out, whether by text, , direct mail, social media ads, and so on.
It's important that your business doesn't add to that stress by sending too many texts. If you don't have anything important to say or offer, it's best not to send a text at all.
In fact, 71% of US consumers say that too many texts will make them no longer want to hear from a brand.
By sending out only your most exciting texts, you'll avoid annoying customers. Plus, when they do see that they've gotten a text from you, they'll know it's something good.
As we mentioned earlier, it's illegal to text your customers without their permission. It's also illegal to not give users a way to opt out of receiving your messages.
You should always give users a way to unsubscribe. At the very least, your first text message must include your opt-out instructions. Some brands even include it at the end of each message. This gives any user the chance to opt out easily if they subscribed accidentally or no longer want texts.
For example, Dominos instructs customers to text 'STOP' to unsubscribe, and they also include the standard 'text messaging rates may apply' disclaimer.
Reminding users that they can unsubscribe at any time will help you avoid annoying them. It will also ensure that your SMS marketing list is filled with people who are actually interested in getting your messages.
Let's look at a few examples of SMS marketing messages from different brands. We'll discuss what you can learn from each of these text campaigns.
Buff City Soap sends texts as part of their marketing efforts to drive traffic into their physical stores. Here, they offer a $10 rewards bonus with any $50 purchase made in-store.
Notice that Buff City Soap includes a graphic with this text message. This is a strategy you shouldn't overuse due to factors like data usage. However, an occasional photo, graphic, or GIF can catch subscribers' attention. Note that these inclusions can cost more than text-only messages.
Text messages are a great way to notify your SMS list subscribers about a sale event. Abercrombie & Fitch also creates a sense of urgency by saying the sale is 'Tonight only.' Other phrases to use include 'Last Chance,' 'Limited-Time,' and 'Ends Soon.'
Subscribers can click the links to visit the Men's or Women's clearance pages, as seen on the right.
Local Eclectic, an online jewelry store, sends regular promotional texts about sales and special offers. In this SMS marketing example, they notify subscribers about a new line of jewelry boxes.
What better way to announce a new product than to send an announcement directly to your customers' mobile phones?
Is content creation a big part of your business? If so, you can include that content in your text message marketing.
I received the above text from Food52 after I signed up for their SMS list. Most of their marketing texts promote the products they sell, but this one focuses instead on their huge library of recipes.
Shipping costs can often be a barrier to making a purchase. And so can shipping times, especially before a holiday. This text message from Alex and Ani tackles both of these objections. It offers free shipping and tells subscribers the last day they can order to receive Valentine's Day gifts in time.
In order to send promotional SMS messages like the ones above, you'll need the right tools. Let's take a look at a few different options for SMS marketing software.
OptinMonster is one of the best lead-generation tools available. It allows you to create eye-catching website popups using stunning, ready-to-use templates and our visual drag-and-drop builder.
What's more, OptinMonster offers seamless integration with SMS marketing platforms.
Plus, you'll get to choose from multiple campaign types, like popup, fullscreen mat, and floating bar.
Our customers use these campaigns to grow their and SMS subscriber lists. Then, they can boost sales with exclusive deals for SMS subscribers.
Here's an example of an SMS marketing optin built with OptinMonster:
For more, check out this article: How to Collect Numbers on Your Website Using Popups
Pricing: $9-$49 per month
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is one of the best and SMS marketing service providers. Brevo lets you segment your target audience and send personalized texts in bulk.
With Brevo's SMS marketing features, you can easily promote time-sensitive discounts and special events. It comes with built-in analytics, so you can see which messages perform the best.
Pricing: Brevo's free plan offers limited SMS marketing. Paid plans range from $25-$65 per month. However, you have to buy SMS credits separately for all plans.
ActiveCampaign is an omnichannel marketing platform. That means it seeks to offer a single platform for all marketing channels, including , social media, and SMS marketing.
Like Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), ActiveCampaign lets you automate your SMS marketing campaigns.
ActiveCampaign's SMS marketing features let you automatically send flash sale notifications or appointment reminders. It comes with form-building tools so you can collect numbers on your website. Plus, if anyone wants to leave your list, they simply need to reply with 'STOP' or 'UNSUBSCRIBE.' This helps you keep your list filled only with your most engaged subscribers.
Pricing: The SMS add-on is available in the Plus plan and above, with plans ranging from $49-$259 per month. Like Brevo, SMS credits cost extra. Monthly SMS plans range from $21 for 1,000 credits to $1,221 for 101,000 credits.
EZ Texting is a simple, standalone SMS marketing tool that lets you send bulk texts.
Within EZ Texting, you can organize your contact list and track your SMS marketing analytics. You can use this service to send SMS updates about contests, coupons, and online promo codes. It also comes with marketing attribution tools to see your conversion sources.
This platform takes the 'EZ' label seriously. It has thorough onboarding and easy-to-understand documentation.
Pricing: $20-$3,000 per month.
No, SMS marketing is not illegal as long as you follow the laws of your country and/or state. There are 2 main rules for legal compliance:
Most SMS marketing platforms will help you maintain legal compliance by offering 2-step optins and easy opt-outs.
Yes. If done well, text messages can be a vital part of your digital marketing strategy. According to data from Klaviyo, their clients' SMS campaigns saw a click rate of 10.14% across all industries. Compare that to their marketing data, which shows a click rate of 1.44% for campaigns.
And those clicks translate to sales. The mattress company GhostBed generated over $77,000 in revenue from an SMS welcome series for new subscribers.
You'll need to purchase 2 types of tools to get started with SMS marketing:
To build your list, OptinMonster starts at just $9 a month. If you already have an marketing service, check to see if your plan already includes SMS or if it's available as an add-on. If not, a small business can start with a service like EZ Texting for as little as $20 a month to send 500 monthly texts.
As you build your SMS marketing list, you can expect each text to cost between 1 and 5.5 cents. With most platforms, your per-text cost will go down as your volume increases.
To build your SMS list, you can use several strategies:
Get Started With SMS Popups Today!
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