Promotional SMS: Strategies, Tips, and Best Practices

Almost everyone owns a mobile phone today, and since SMS doesn’t require an internet connection, it’s a highly accessible way to reach a broad audience, regardless of their online connectivity.

Promotional SMS marketing is quite affordable compared to other marketing channels. In addition to having the advantage of a lower price, it can be highly effective, often leading to a strong return on investment by prompting actions such as purchases or event attendance.

In this article, we will discover some of the effective strategies for maximizing promotional SMS and enhancing marketing efforts.

Difference Between Promotional and Transactional SMS

Knowing the difference between transactional and promotional SMS marketing can help you use each effectively and stay on the right side of regulations.

Transactional SMS messages are used to keep customers informed. They include updates like appointment confirmations, reservation details, and order statuses. Transactional messages are purely informational and can be sent anytime because they carry essential information that customers need to know.

Promotional SMS, on the other hand, is used specifically for marketing. These messages are used to promote a product, service, or event and are only sent to people who have opted to receive marketing communications. 

According to the law, promotional SMS must be sent during reasonable hours—typically between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM. This ensures that the messages consider the recipient’s time and daily routine.

Why Businesses Should Use Promotional SMS Messages

Promotional SMS messages offer an efficient way to reach your customers. When you send an SMS, it goes straight to your customers’ phones almost instantly. This makes it ideal for sharing time-sensitive promotions or important announcements. 

Moreover, text messages boast an open rate of nearly 98%, with most people reading them within just a few minutes of receiving them. This high engagement rate ensures that your message reaches your audience and captures their attention immediately.

Now that we’ve covered the importance of promotional SMS let’s explore how you can make the most of this tool in your text message marketing strategy.

Tips for Using Promotional SMS

Writing a promotional SMS might seem simple, but crafting one that captures attention and motivates action requires strategy and thought. Here are tips on how to send effective promotional SMS messages that resonate with your audience:

Start with a Clear Purpose

Before you type anything, know exactly what action you want your recipient to take. Is it to visit a website, attend an event, or take advantage of a sale? Having a clear goal will help you craft a direct and to-the-point message.

Be Concise

While SMS isn’t strictly limited to 160 characters, brevity remains key. People expect text messages to be quick and to the point. Use clear, direct language to deliver your message efficiently. If you need to communicate more details, include a picture with those details to complement the message.

Personalize the Message

Incorporate personal touches such as the recipient’s name and tailor content based on individual preferences or past interactions. This can make the message more relevant and increase the chances of customer engagement.

Craft a Compelling Call to Action (CTA)

A call to action prompts customers to take action, whether purchasing, visiting a website, or signing up for more information. A clear CTA uses simple language to tell readers exactly what to do next.

Use strong verbs like “Buy now,” “Register today,” or “Claim your offer” to encourage immediate response.

Create Urgency

Adding a sense of urgency makes your audience feel like they must act now, or they might miss out. Some effective promotional SMS examples use time-bound language, such as “Hurry,” “Last chance,” and “Offer ends soon.” 

Letting people know that an offer is only available “while supplies last” or “for the first 100 customers” makes the deal feel special and limited. Also, including a specific deadline, like “Sale ends at midnight,” gives a clear cut-off point for those deciding to purchase sooner rather than later. 

Include a Direct Link

A direct link simplifies the process and guides customers exactly where to go with a tap. A link should provide instant access to more information, a place to register, or a page to make a purchase. It can save recipients the hassle of searching for your website or a specific product page.

Links can also serve as valuable tools for monitoring your campaign’s effectiveness and guiding your future marketing strategies.

Time It Right

Choose the best time to send your SMS based on when recipients will likely read and act on your message. For instance, if you’re targeting professionals, weekdays during lunch hours might be optimal. For retail promotions, late afternoons or weekends could be more effective.

It’s generally good practice to avoid sending messages too early in the morning or late at night. You want to catch people who are likely attentive to their phones and not busy with other daily routines.

Timing your SMS to coincide with special dates or events related to your offer can also increase engagement. For example, send a promotional message about a sale on summer clothing just as the weather starts warming up or a reminder about Valentine’s Day gifts a few days before.

Don’t Spam

Be mindful of how often you send messages. A good rule of thumb is to send SMS messages only when you have something valuable to say or offer. Depending on your audience’s preferences, this could mean limiting your messages to once a week or even less frequently.

Make every message count by ensuring it offers real value to the recipient. This could be an exclusive discount, important update, or exciting announcement that interests them.

Comply with Regulations

Under the TCPA, recipients must give explicit written consent before sending promotional SMS. This means they must opt-in to receive messages from your business. Keep records of these consents as proof in case they are ever questioned.

When customers sign up for your SMS messages, be clear about the type of messages they will receive, including the frequency and content, so they know exactly what to expect.

SMS messages should include a simple way for recipients to opt out of future communications. This could be a reply text like “STOP” or a link to a preferences page.

How to Send Promotional SMS Campaigns Using Textellent

Launching a promotional SMS campaign with Textellent can help you reach your audience with timely and relevant messages. Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Sign up with Textellent

Start by signing up for a Textellent account.

Step 2: Choose Your Plan

Select a plan that suits your business needs. Textellent offers various options, so choose one that aligns with the volume of messages you anticipate sending and the features you require.

For those in the Accounting and Tax field, Textellent offers a unique calculator to help estimate your costs.

Other industries can choose from set pricing plans:

• Lite Plan: $29/month includes one user and 250 SMS  credits.
• Essentials Plan: $49/month comes with one user and 750 SMS credits.
• Standard Plan: $99/month allows two users and provides SMS 2,000 credits.
• Premium Custom Plan: Offers customizable options for users, credits, and additional credits and campaigns  tailored to your business needs.

Step 3: Optional Integration

Textellent offers quick integration options, including a Chrome extension, Zapier integrations, and APIs for more comprehensive system connections.

Step 4: Upload Your Contacts

Add your customer contacts to the Textellent platform. Ensure you have obtained proper consent to send SMS marketing messages to these contacts in compliance with regulations.

Step 5: Create a Promotional SMS Campaign

Now, craft your message content. Whether announcing a sale, sending appointment reminders, or updating customers on their orders, make sure your messages are clear, concise, and compelling.

Step 6: Choose Your Audience

Decide who should receive your messages. Use Textellent’s advanced tagging system to segment your audience based on criteria such as previous interactions, purchases, or how they subscribed to your updates. 

Step 7: Schedule a Text Message

Finally, schedule your promotional text messages for optimal times. You can set up a date and time and send scheduled messages immediately.

Textellent also offers automated campaign options that allow you to trigger follow-on drip campaigns based on customer actions.

See Immediate SMS Campaign Success with Textellent

Boost your promotional messages and connect with customers in a new way with Textellent’s text marketing solution.

Don’t miss the opportunity to boost your sales, improve customer loyalty, and streamline your marketing efforts. It’s simple, effective, and can make a big difference for your business. 

Sign up Free Trial or request a Demo consultation.

Conclusion

The success of your SMS campaigns depends on a few key things: clear and concise messaging, sending messages at the right time, and respecting your audience’s preferences.

Keep these principles in mind, and you’ll be set to improve your marketing efforts, strengthen customer relationships, and drive your business forward with promotional SMS.

FAQs About Promotional SMS

Is there a difference in response rates between SMS/MMS and other forms of marketing?

SMS typically has higher response rates than many other forms of marketing due to its direct nature and the personal way people use their mobile devices. This direct line to customers often results in quicker and more actionable responses than email or social media channels.

What are the key metrics to track in an SMS campaign?

Key metrics to track include delivery rate, open rate, click-through rate, conversion rate, and unsubscribe rate. These metrics will help you understand how well your SMS campaign is performing and where there might be room for improvement.

How do I handle negative feedback or complaints from SMS recipients?

When you receive negative feedback, respond quickly and courteously. Acknowledge the recipient’s concerns and provide a solution or compensation if appropriate. Ensuring a positive customer service experience can often turn a dissatisfied subscriber into a satisfied one. If they are asking to be unsubscribed but don’t use conventional words like stop, they can easily be added to be blocked list, ensuring that they don’t get future messages