According to Asurion, nearly all US consumers own a smartphone, and US smartphone owners check their phones an average of 96 times a day. With people looking at their phones frequently, business texting can be a powerful marketing tool for brands looking to keep their customers informed.
However, the way you write your marketing messages and design your SMS campaigns can have a huge impact on their effectiveness. Below are 15 effective SMS marketing examples broken down by message type, along with strategies for how your business can tailor these examples for your next SMS marketing campaign.
Tips Before starting an SMS marketing campaign, review the text messaging laws that should govern your outreach efforts.
Introduction and welcome texts
A customer's first exposure to a brand is an important opportunity to create a positive impression and encourage them to sign up for future updates from your company. It is also possible to provide a receipt for the first purchase.
Your master copy will be the first business copy a customer gets from your business, so it's important to know how to develop it effectively.
Welcome and confirmation of registration
Here's an example of a simple but effective welcome note and signup confirmation:
- Thanks for registering for updates! To confirm that you wish to continue receiving text messages from us, please answer "Yes".
If you don't need customers to subscribe to messages, for example because you don't plan to send updates, you can use a similar text message to thank them for signing up and offer a discount or coupon. Buy it
2. Offer references to new clients
Here is an example of a simple and effective referral offer for new customers:
- Thanks for registering for updates! Use your referral link to invite your friends and get 10% off your next order.
Your custom referral link might look like this: "onlineshop.com/uniquereferral".
Many businesses use inbound scripts to increase customer referrals. This offer encourages customers to contact friends and family about your business.
FYI: You can use a link shortener to make the link at the bottom of the post as specific as possible, but using a longer link with a clearer destination has its benefits. This link will act as a call to action (CTA) and will be less suspicious to the recipients of the message.
Event invitations and reminders
Event invitations and reminders are another way to attract customers, increase brand awareness, and increase their loyalty.
3. Invitation to a webinar or online event
Here is an example of a simple and effective referral offer for new customers:
- Join us for the virtual event on Friday at 4pm. Answer the questions or find out more at Eventlink.com.
Notify customers of upcoming events with a short text that tells them the purpose of the event, as well as the place and time of the event. You can also direct them to a web page where they can get more information about the event.
If the event is virtual, it might be a good idea to add a short note at the end of the text to let customers know they can participate online.
4. Presentation of the conference
Here is an example of a simple and effective voice introduction:
- Calling all small business owners: Our annual eCommerce Summit kicks off this weekend. Join us to stay up to date on the latest e-commerce technologies and trends. Click here to register and receive a 25% discount on your admission ticket.
For events with paid admission, you can also use the invitation text to offer a discount on the admission ticket. These texts inform target recipients of upcoming events and encourage them to act quickly to ensure their acceptance.
Booking confirmation and appointment reminder
Booking confirmations and appointment reminders are helpful for the customer and ensure they reach the company on time.
5. Booking confirmation
Here is an example of a simple and effective booking confirmation that a customer will receive after making an appointment or booking a service:
- Hi Sara This message is to confirm your meeting with your local credit union on September 25th at 2.30pm. If you have any questions or need to change your appointment date, please call 555-555-5555 or visit our online customer portal. Send STOP to finish.
This confirmation is personalized with the customer's name and contains all the details necessary for the next booking, including company name, date of the appointment and contact details and methods of withdrawal.
At a glance, the customer can see the meeting details and see who is calling or where to go if they have any questions. They can also opt out of receiving text updates on this or future meetings.
You know that a business SMS survey is a great way to gauge customer response to product decisions and future marketing moves.
6. Reminder and confirmation of the appointment
Here's an example of a live meeting confirmation request:
- Hi Sara Please confirm your meeting with us tomorrow at 14:30 by answering "yes" to this message.
Appointment confirmations are a great way to remind customers of upcoming appointments and confirm reservations. They help simplify planning and avoid missed appointments or reschedules at short notice.
For help
Text messaging chatbots can be useful for customers and lighten the load on your support team.
7. Chatbots and telephone directories
Chatbots are one of the most powerful text messaging applications. These bots use preprogrammed responses to answer questions and provide information to customers.
For example, you can follow mountain lifestyle brand Stio, which uses chatbots to provide customers with corporate catalog information and support when preprogrammed responses aren't enough. The company used a chatbot that integrates with an ecommerce support platform, a feature offered by many chatbot platforms. With this feature, you can standardize chatbot operations with ecommerce and customer service platforms for a seamless experience.
SMS marketing is also a great way to let customers know about your company's latest offers and promotions. These messages can be sent before an event or when certain conditions are met to highlight upcoming sales and sales, notify customers of rewards or loyalty offers they have earned, and promote new products for your business.
8. Show the abandoned cart
Here is an example of a text warning for items left in an online shop cart:
- hi roberto I see that you have left some items in your cart. Click here to return to the cart and complete your order: Onlineshop.com/cart
This type of message is sent when a customer makes a purchase or adds items to their cart, but does not complete the order.
Abandoned cart texts can remind customers of forgotten orders or encourage conversions. Many businesses also use these messages to offer gifts that offer customers a small discount if they complete their order.
9. Loyalty notice ("Eat now to reward")
Here is an example of a customer reward email:
- You have earned 10 points on your last order. Click here to find out which rewards you can claim: Onlineshop.com/rewards
When customers earn points or haven't used them in a while, a message like this can remind them of important rewards. The persuasive letter will contain information on the awards they have received and where they can go to take advantage of the awards and offers.
10. Christmas voucher
Here is an example of a birthday bonus text:
- Congratulations! To celebrate, order today and use the code BIRTHDAY22 at checkout to receive 20% off your purchase: Onlineshop.com/happybirthday
These messages can be used to celebrate any event, such as the anniversary of a customer joining a company's loyalty program or opening an account.
11. Holiday promotion
Here's an example of a text ad for a holiday event:
- Father's Day offer: from today until Sunday 20% discount on items in the Father's Day catalog. Onlineshop.com/ Father's Day
Such texts can inform customers about holiday events and motivate them to purchase by offering limited-time discounts. Like the other sales marketing message examples in this section, include a call to action and a descriptive link.
Status updates and payment reminders
SMS text messages can also be a great way to notify customers of policy changes or remind them of upcoming automatic payments.
12. Policy Changes
Here is an example of a simple policy change script:
- Sasha, we have updated our rules. Click here for more detailed information.
When customers need to be notified of policy changes, a quick script like this can be an effective option. It may also be helpful to include additional and more detailed information on changing the policy.
13. Payment Notice
Here is sample text for a payment reminder:
- On January 1, 2022, $ 75 will be charged to your linked credit card balance. To view your account online, click here.
This message informs customers of an upcoming payment, includes the payment date and method, and provides a link to an online statement. A similar format can be used to notify customers that a scheduled payment has completed successfully.
New products, updates and product renewals
This type of marketing text informs customers about the products they are interested in.
14. New product or new product
Here is an example of a product warning:
- Right now! Our line of summer essentials will prepare you for some time in the sun. Click here to see our latest line of t-shirts, tank tops, shorts and sportswear.
Announcing new products to the right audience is a great way to keep customers informed. Simple text like this, which includes the brand or font name, product details, and a link to the new product listing, is a great way to introduce your customers to a new product or let them know what's coming.
15. Low or limited stock
Here is an example of a text alert for a sale item:
- fast sale! We have almost run out of our best-selling birthday candles. When they run out, we won't restock them until next year, so take action now to get yours.
Informing customers about seasonal products, limited sales, or products that sell out faster than you can order is a great way to create a sense of urgency that can entice the recipient to make a purchase.
Create your campaign with the best SMS marketing examples
Whether you want to greet a customer, announce an event, or confirm an appointment, a short text message can be an invaluable marketing tool. The best text message marketing services provide a powerful and flexible communication channel for businesses, taking the guesswork out of message timing and list maintenance.
Technologies like chatbots can help you get the most out of your text messages. With chatbots, your customers can ask questions, learn more about your business, and track their order information without contacting your support team.
