How to SMS Marketing through text messages? In today’s mobile-first world, SMS marketing stands tall as one of the most direct, personal, and cost-effective ways to connect with customers. Whether you’re a small business owner, a digital marketer, or a brand strategist, understanding how to use SMS marketing effectively can drive engagement, increase sales, and improve customer loyalty.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how SMS Marketing through text messages works, why it’s effective, how to get started, best practices, legal compliance, and strategies to make your campaigns stand out.
What is SMS Marketing?
SMS marketing involves sending text messages to customers to share promotional offers or important transactional information. These messages are sent to a user’s mobile phone, typically with the intent to promote a product, service, update, or event.
Unlike emails or social media posts that can go unread, SMS messages boast open rates as high as 98%, with 90% read within 3 minutes. That’s a game-changer for marketers looking for speed, immediacy, and high engagement.
Why Use SMS Marketing?
Let’s find out why SMS marketing is one of the best tools in a marketer’s arsenal:
1. Incredible Open Rates
People check their phones constantly. Text messages are almost always opened—& usually within minutes of being received.
2. Higher Conversion Rates
SMS campaigns tend to convert better than many other marketing channels, especially when paired with limited-time offers.
3. Instant Delivery
Messages are delivered & seen almost immediately—perfect for time-sensitive updates or flash sales.
4. Personalization
SMS allows you to tailor messages to specific customers, making your brand feel more human and responsive.
5. Cost-Effective
SMS marketing offers a much better return on investment than traditional advertising or paid social media.
Getting Started with SMS Marketing
Here is a step-by-step break-down of how to launch an SMS marketing campaign.
Step 1: Define Your Goals
What do you want to achieve? Are you promoting a product? Building your subscriber list? Sending appointment reminders? Your goals will shape your strategy.
Step 2: Choose an SMS Marketing Platform
A wide range of platforms is available to choose from, such as:
- Twilio
- EZ Texting
- SimpleTexting
- TextMagic
- SlickText
Choose a platform that fits your business size, budget, and feature requirements (e.g., automation, integrations, analytics).
Step 3: Collect Opt-Ins
Before you send a single message, you must get permission from your customers. This is not only the best practice—it’s the law.
Ways to collect opt-ins:
- Example of a keyword campaign: ‘Text JOIN to 123456 to receive the new updates.
- Sign-up forms on your website
- Checkboxes during checkout
- In-store promotions with QR codes
Always disclose what subscribers are signing up for and how often they’ll hear from you.
Step 4: Segment Your Audience
Not all your customers want the same thing. Segment your list based on:
- Location
- Purchase history
- Behavior
- Preferences
This allows you to send more relevant messages, which leads to better engagement & fewer opt-outs.
Step 5: Craft the Perfect Message
Here’s where the magic happens. You’ve only got 160 characters (sometimes less with opt-out links), so every word counts.
Keep it:
- Clear and concise
- Action-oriented
- Personalized (use their name if possible)
- Urgent (limited-time offers work well)
Example:
Hi Sarah! “Get 25% off your next order—but hurry, the offer ends today!” Use code SAVE25 at checkout. Shop now: [link]
Types of SMS Marketing Messages
Different situations call for different types of messages. Here are the most common:
1. Promotional Texts
Used to promote products, flash sales, or events.
Example: “Get 2-for-1 pizza TONIGHT! Order before 9PM. [link]”
2. Transactional Texts
Sent after a purchase, booking, or sign-up. These include confirmations, shipping updates, etc.
Example: “Your order #12345 has shipped! Track it here: [link]”
3. Reminders
Great for appointments, events, or subscription renewals.
Example: “Reminder: You have a dentist appointment tomorrow at 2 PM. Text CONFIRM or RESCHEDULE.”
4. Customer Support & Feedback
Request feedback or resolve issues through conversational messaging.
Example: “How was your recent visit? Rate us 1-5.”
SMS Marketing Best Practices
Success in SMS marketing is not just about pressing the ‘send’ button. It’s about strategy, timing, and respect.
DO:
- Get explicit opt-in consent
- Include opt-out instructions (e.g., “Reply STOP to unsubscribe”)
- Use personalization where appropriate
- A/B test messages to optimize performance
- Send at reasonable hours (no 3 AM texts!)
- Monitor metrics like open rates, click-throughs, and opt-outs
DON’T:
- Spam your audience
- Send too frequently
- Use slang or abbreviations that may confuse readers
- Neglect legal compliance (TCPA, GDPR, etc.)
- Forget to optimize landing pages for mobile
Timing and Frequency: When to Text and How Often
The best time to send a text depends on your audience and message type. Here are general guidelines:
| Message Type | Best Time to Send |
|---|---|
| Promotional | Midday or early evening |
| Appointment Reminder | 24 hours before |
| Flash Sales | 2–3 hours before it starts |
| Order Confirmations | Immediately after the action |
When it comes to frequency, begin by sending 2 to 4 messages each month. Increase only if your audience is highly engaged and opting in voluntarily for more.
Staying Legal: SMS Compliance 101
SMS marketing is heavily regulated in many countries. Non-compliance can lead to significant financial penalties.
Key Guidelines:
- Get express written consent before sending marketing texts
- Clearly identify your business in every message
- Provide an easy way to opt out (Example: “Reply STOP to unsubscribe”)
- Honor opt-outs immediately
- Keep a record of opt-in confirmations
Major Regulations to Know:
- TCPA (U.S.): Telephone Consumer Protection Act
- GDPR (EU): General Data Protection Regulation
- CAN-SPAM Act (U.S.): Applies to electronic communications
Pro tip: Most SMS platforms help you stay compliant by providing built-in tools like opt-out management and audit trails.
SMS Marketing Metrics to Track
To measure success of your SMS campaigns, pay close attention to these key metrics:
- Delivery rate – How many messages were actually delivered?
- Open rate – Usually very high for SMS
- Click-through rate (CTR) – Who clicked your link?
- Conversion rate – How many people made a purchase or took an action?
- Unsubscribe rate – Too high? Reevaluate your content/frequency
- ROI – measures the revenue earned in relation to the cost of running your campaigns
Real-Life SMS Marketing Examples
1. Retail Promotion
“It’s Back! Our best-seller is now in stock—only while supplies last. Grab yours here: [link]”
2. Restaurant Special
“ 20% off all burgers this weekend only! Show this text at checkout.”
3. Service Appointment
“Hi John, your haircut is tomorrow at 3PM with Lisa. Respond with YES to confirm, or NO to choose a new time.
4. Event Reminder
“ Don’t forget! The live webinar starts at 7PM tonight. Join here: [link]”
Advanced SMS Marketing Strategies
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can level up with these tactics:
Two-Way Conversations
Permit subscribers to reply & interact with you in real-time. This builds trust and improves customer service.
Automations & Drip Campaigns
Set up sequences for onboarding, cart recovery, or re-engagement using automation.
Integrate with CRM and Email
Use tools like Zapier or native integrations to combine SMS with email and CRM for omnichannel campaigns.
Rich SMS (MMS)
Send images, videos, or GIFs to increase engagement (note: MMS costs more).
Final Thoughts
How to SMS Marketing through text messages? SMS marketing isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s a powerful tool to connect with your audience on a personal, immediate level. But with great power comes great responsibility. Always respect your subscribers, provide real value, and never spam.
With the right strategy, tools, and tone, SMS marketing can become one of your most effective digital marketing channels.
So whether you’re launching your first campaign or refining an existing strategy, keep it short, sweet, and smart—and your audience will thank you.