If texting represents uncharted territory, then you need these six do’s and don’ts on writing SMS for marketing campaigns.
You know your audience.
You know what email messaging resonates with them.
You have that one Facebook ad that outperforms the rest and your Instagram captions are spot on.
As great as these channels are–and the content you write for them–you’ve decided to see if the stats about SMS marketing are true.
The problem is you have no clue how to write a marketing text message.
Sure, you text your friends and family all the time, but you know texting your customers is different.
You don’t want to annoy anyone–but you also want people to take action.
Here’s how to write SMS messages that compel people to take action–without a word wasted.
- Don’t Overdue Abbreviations
- Don’t Sound Robotic
- Don’t Forget to Say Who It’s From
- Do Make It Actionable
- Do Pique Curiosity
- Do Make It Urgent
First, Review These SMS Marketing Best Practices
Before you even think about writing your message and clicking send, it’s worth revisiting three core SMS marketing best practices:
- Focus on adding value to the reader: subscribers give you access to the most direct and personal way to reach them. So successful campaigns offer value to their subscribers in return.
- Get your timing right: it doesn’t matter how perfectly written your texts are if they end up waking someone up at four in the morning.
- Avoid irregular campaigns: you don’t want to annoy your subscribers. You also don’t want them to forget you exist. Try and maintain a reasonably regular campaign schedule.
Get these SMS marketing fundamentals right and you’re already one step closer to success.
Six Tips to Help You Write SMS for Marketing
We’ve broken these six tips on writing SMS for marketing campaigns into three do’s and three don‘ts.
Don’t Overdue Abbreviations
While the 160 character limit of SMS means you need to be careful about waxing lyrically, there’s no reason to go overboard with abbreviations.
Instead of being clear and to-the-point, you sacrifice clarity and professionalism more often than not.
Compare these two examples to see what we mean.
Today 4:15 PM
Go2 Joes 2day 4 a gr8 deal! 20% off 1 slice wen u sho this text
Too Many Abbreviations
Today 4:15 PM
Visit Joe’s today for a great deal! 20% off any slice when you show this text.
No Abbreviations
If you really need more space, you can always send an MMS message that gives you up to 1,600 characters.
Don’t Sound Robotic
Texting is an intimate way to connect with your customers–it’s how people communicate with family and friends.
Don’t be afraid to let your company’s personality come through in your texts so that your message doesn’t come across as awkward.
The key to getting this right is to be authentic.
If you’re a bubbly, energetic organization, make sure that comes through in your messages. On the other hand, if you’re more formal and technical, you shouldn’t stray from that.
It’s about meeting your customer expectations. Test it like this: if your SMS marketing copy sounds wildly different from your email marketing, then it’s probably time to recalibrate.
Today 8:25 AM
Explore Black Friday deals starting today at Yankee Candle! http://bit.ly/352shOH
Robotic Language
Today 4:15 PM
Buy a gift for a friend and get yourself one for free! Treat yourself to BOGO Yankee Candles this Black Friday http://bit.ly/352shOH
Conversational Language
Don’t Forget to Say Who It’s From
This applies to everything from discount messages and appointment reminder texts, to a welcome SMS for new customers.
People are busy and there’s always a chance they don’t remember signing up for your text list.
If you got a text out of the blue about raincoats, but no mention of the brand or store, you might even think it was spam.
Today 8:25 AM
Explore all our raincoat deals and get yourself ready for spring showers! http://bit.ly/352shOH
No Brand Mentioned
Today 4:15 PM
Patagonia’s raincoats are the best way to stay dry. Explore all our raincoat deals and get yourself ready for unexpected spring showers! http://bit.ly/352shOH
Brand Mentioned
Do Make It Actionable
Every article on writing SMS campaigns tells you to include a clear call to action.
That’s because the short nature of texts sometimes means people sometimes forget to tell the recipient what they want them to do.
The call to action should be immediately apparent to your recipient. No clever wordplay or unnecessary words needed.
Also, don’t forget that certain persuasive terms hold more sway than others. Some of the most powerful action words include:
- You
- Because
- Instantly
Today 10:25 AM
We recently launched our new line of raincoats, including new colors and models: http://bit.ly/352shOH
No Clear Call to Action
Today 4:15 PM
You need to stay dry. Because who wants to get unexpectedly soaked? Shop our new line of North Face raincoats and get 10% off: http://bit.ly/352shOH
Clear Call to Action
Do Pique Curiosity
There a ton of different ways you can use curiosity to drive better results from your copy. (This article is a good overview of the different strategies.)
One strategy involves using expectations to your advantage. Compare these two messages to see what we mean.
Today 10:25 AM
Increase results from your Google ads by spending more money. Get the guide here: http://bit.ly/352shOH
Expected
Today 4:15 PM
Spend less money on your Google ad campaigns and see a 5x increase in the number of leads. This guide explains how: http://bit.ly/352shOH
Unexpected
Disorder is created when you propose something that runs counter to common wisdom–which requires investigation to restore sense and meaning.
This is a tactic that can do wonders for your click-through rates.
Use Urgency to Your Advantage
Urgency and text messages go hand in hand.
That’s because 90% of text messages are opened within three minutes.
It’s what makes SMS perfect for flash sales or time-sensitive offers–your customers will almost always see your message.
There are a ton of different creative ways to do this–you could put a time constraint on a sale or let your customers know how much stock is available.
The most important element of this tactic is that it’s something tangible–not just a vague reference to “limited supplies” or “limited time”.
Today 10:25 AM
We just launched our summer collection. Shop it now while stocks last.
No Urgency
Today 4:15 PM
We’re giving the first 100 people to buy from our just launched summer collection a $25 gift card. If you want to be one of the lucky few, get on it now: http://bit.ly/352shOH
High Level of Urgency
Your Simple Litmus Test
When people ask us how to write better SMS for marketing, we always ask them to read the last campaign they sent out.
When they’re done, our question for them is this:
“Would you reply or click on this message?”
If the answer is “no,” then it’s back to the drawing board.