How to Recover When You Send the Wrong Text

We’ve all been there before: We type out a message too quickly, then send it out before noticing an autocorrected word or some incorrect information. While a mistake-ridden text is embarrassing, it can cause serious damage to your brand’s reputation if you don’t address it. 

But learning how to apologize for sending the wrong text can make a huge difference.

If you already sent a text blast to your entire subscriber list and catch a mistake later, don’t stress. With the right apology, you can even turn that mistake into an advantage — or at least minimize the damage. Today we’ll review how to apologize for sending the wrong message.

How to Apologize for Sending a Text to the Wrong Person

Understanding how to apologize for sending a text to the wrong person is an essential part of any successful SMS marketing strategy. When and how you say can make or break your brand image, so here are six suggestions for how to apologize for sending the wrong text:

Own the Mistake

Unlike the average texter, you represent a brand, and your text messages go to hundreds or even thousands of people who signed up to receive marketing messages from you. If the message contains inaccurate information, then not addressing it will make your business look even worse.

Don’t ignore your mistake or downplay how serious it is. Instead, take full responsibility right away. By informing your team of the situation as soon as possible, you can quickly come up with a plan and decide on the next steps. Although it can be uncomfortable to admit to a mistake, telling your team will help you create the best strategy to resolve the situation.

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Start Damage Control

Although time is of the essence when figuring out how to apologize for sending the wrong text, there is no room for panic. Starting damage control sooner rather than later can help you avoid further hits to your brand’s reputation.

If you don’t have a plan in place for addressing mistakes in your marketing messages, you need to assess the situation and plan accordingly. For example, if a text went to the wrong segment of your subscriber list, that might need less damage control than a text blast that was sent to all of your subscribers.

Go a Step Further

How bad was the text? How badly did it hurt your brand? Depending on the text, you might need to do more than send a simple apology text. If the mistake was more serious, then you need to be strategic and give your subscribers a reason to forgive.

When planning on how to apologize for sending a text to the wrong person, consider giving them some extra incentive. For businesses, that can include a special promo code for subscribers only or a free gift with their next purchase. With a transparent, humble apology and a coupon code, you can easily retain most of your subscribers.

Use Humor

Even if your mistake seems serious to you and your team, that doesn’t mean your response has to be as well. Even businesses aren’t immune to human error, so chances are your customers will understand.

If it’s appropriate, craft a humorous apology that appeals to your subscribers’ better nature. Using humor shows the human aspect of your brand, which can turn the situation around in your favor by making you appear more genuine. 

Leverage Social Media

Just like any marketing campaign, it’s important to include social media in your plan of action. In addition to an apology text, address your mistake on social media, especially Twitter. Your subscribers are likely active on social media and will share what happened online, so it’s best to publicly own your mistake.

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Move On

Last but not least: Don’t get stuck on this for too long. You’ll forget about it soon enough, and your audience will move on even more quickly. Dwelling on the mistake won’t help your brand, especially after you apologized to your audience. Instead, consider it a badge of honor, learn from your mistakes, and move on.

Start Texting Your Customers With Textedly

Planning how to apologize for sending a text to the wrong person can be a daunting task for any business, but learning how to resolve these challenges will help your brand grow. If you are transparent with your customers, they won’t hold it against you. In fact, many of them will respect you for owning up to your mistake instead of sweeping it under the rug.

Textedly’s user-friendly platform includes powerful features, like auto reply texts and two-way SMS, that will take your SMS marketing strategy to the next level. To see if Textedly is the right fit for your business, sign up for a free trial today.