10 Expert Suggested Tips on How to Write SMS Text for Marketing

September 4, 2024

Creating an effective SMS marketing message is challenging. You need to grab attention, deliver a clear offer, and drive action—all in just 160 characters. With so many notifications competing for attention, it’s easy for your message to get lost. 

How can you write an SMS that stands out, engages your audience, and leads to more sales?

Written below are the expert-provided ten tips to craft an SMS that gets the job done.

1. Keep It Short and Focused

Given the 160-character limit for SMS messages, brevity is essential. 

However, being concise doesn’t mean you should sacrifice clarity or value. Ensure that your message delivers essential information without ambiguity. 

Eliminate any fluff and focus on the core message—what action do you want your customer to take?

• Additional Tip: Use abbreviations or symbols strategically, but ensure they don’t compromise understanding. For example, “% off” instead of “percent off” can save space but still convey the same message.

2. Personalize Your Message

Personalization goes beyond just addressing the recipient by name. Use data from previous purchases, browsing history, or engagement behavior to make the message feel truly tailored. 

Customers are more likely to engage when they feel the message is directly relevant to them.

• Additional Tip: Leverage dynamic fields that automatically fill in specific details such as product recommendations, local store information, or membership status to make the message feel even more targeted.

3. Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA)

A strong CTA guides the recipient on what to do next and why it’s valuable for them. Instead of just saying “Shop Now,” provide a reason—“Shop Now and Save 20%.” 

The CTA should be prominent and easy to understand, pushing the user toward immediate action.

• Additional Tip: Experiment with action-driven words that spark curiosity or excitement, such as “Discover,” “Claim,” or “Unlock,” which can outperform generic terms like “Click Here” or “Visit Us.”

4. Create a Sense of Urgency

Urgency is a psychological trigger that prompts quicker action. When customers know that an offer won’t last long, they’re more likely to respond. 

Limited-time offers, countdowns, and “last chance” messages can help create this urgency.

• Additional Tip: Use countdown timers on landing pages linked to the SMS to reinforce the sense of urgency and visually remind the customer that time is running out.

5. Offer Exclusive Deals

SMS is a personal and direct channel, so reward your customers by offering deals that feel exclusive. 

Whether it’s early access to a sale or a VIP-only discount, exclusive offers make customers feel valued and appreciated.

• Additional Tip: Promote scarcity along with exclusivity. For instance, phrases like “Limited quantity available” combined with an exclusive offer make customers feel they’re getting something truly special.

6. Stay Compliant with TCPA Guidelines

Compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is critical for any SMS marketing strategy. 

Not only does it protect you from legal consequences, but it also ensures that your customers are receiving messages they’ve opted into. 

Always include an opt-out option in every SMS to stay compliant.

• Additional Tip: Make it easy for customers to opt in or out without friction. Utilize double opt-in processes for higher engagement and trust, and always provide a clear and effortless way for recipients to unsubscribe.

7. Test Your Messages Before Sending

A/B testing helps you identify what messaging works best for your audience. 

Test different variables such as tone, length, timing, CTAs, and offers to determine what leads to the highest engagement. 

Continuous testing is vital for optimizing SMS campaign performance.

• Additional Tip: Don’t just test the message itself—test the delivery time, sender name, and even how different segments respond to different types of offers. Small changes in message tone or timing can have a huge impact on your results.

8. Align Timing with Customer Behavior

Sending your SMS at the right time is just as important as crafting the right message. 

Customers are less likely to engage with a message received at inconvenient times, like early morning or late at night. 

Analyze your audience’s habits to find optimal times to send.

• Additional Tip: Track customer engagement times from other channels (like email or social media) to determine when they are most active. Also, consider sending messages during breaks, lunch hours, or evenings when people are more likely to have free time.

9. Segment Your Audience for Maximum Impact

Segmentation ensures that the right message reaches the right audience. Sending a one-size-fits-all message can result in lower engagement. 

By using segmentation, you can send targeted messages based on customer behavior, location, purchase history, or demographics.

• Additional Tip: Use advanced segmentation based on behavioral data such as cart abandonment, previous purchases, or frequency of visits. Segmenting by recency and frequency (RFM) metrics can also boost relevance and engagement.

10. Track and Analyze Performance

To improve your SMS marketing efforts, track KPIs such as open rates, CTR, conversion rates, and ROI. 

Use this data to continually refine your messages, ensuring you’re getting the best results possible.

• Additional Tip: Dive deeper into analytics by measuring metrics like customer lifetime value (CLV) from SMS campaigns. This helps you understand the long-term impact of your SMS marketing efforts beyond immediate conversions.

Write Text for SMS Marketing with Supercharged SMS Templates

Want to put these expert tips into practice with ease? 

Supercharged SMS can help you create personalized, segmented, and automated SMS campaigns that are optimized for conversions. 

With features like AI-driven insights, automated flows, and in-depth analytics, you can ensure every message counts. 

Install the Supercharged SMS Shopify app today to start driving better results with your SMS marketing!