28 A+ Templates for Your Back-to-School Marketing Campaign

SMS Marketing

Aug 24, 2023

Eric Miller

The end of summer is an advantageous time for businesses and educational institutions to refresh their messaging and lean into back-to-school marketing initiatives. Parents welcome deals of all forms as they pull out their pocketbooks and prepare for the coming school year.

Having the right communication is critical to successful promotional campaigns. And, as text message marketing grows in popularity, today’s brands must learn how to leverage SMS while they brainstorm back-to-school campaign ideas.

The templates below will help kickstart your creative messaging for the back-to-school marketing season.

Understanding Back-to-School Marketing

Based on projections from previous years, by the end of July 2023, Americans will have spent over $135 billion during their back-to-school shopping. Since many families and students are prepared to spend at summer’s end, businesses can take advantage of high customer intent and help potential clients discover savings opportunities during the back-to-school season.

That said, the back-to-school marketing landscape is highly competitive. Businesses must catch consumers’ eyes with:

Value-forward messaging
Innovative advertising channels (like SMS)
Creative messaging and promotions

Since this guide is focused on SMS templates, let’s consider some of the benefits of leveraging text messages for back-to-school marketing:

Direct and immediate communication – Text messages are a direct line to your customers’ smartphones—the tools they’re already using to find deals and shop.
High engagement – The click-through rate for text messages is 10% higher (on average) than any other digital marketing platform, and 60% of people open and read texts within five minutes of receipt. You simply can’t ignore SMS’s promise of high engagement.

Personalization and targeting – Brands can use SMS to target specific customer segments with personalized messaging on a platform they’re highly likely to use day-to-day.

10 SMS Templates for Back-to-School Marketing

As you build your back-to-school SMS campaign, you’ll need compelling messages that resonate with shoppers, offer unique value and entice them to purchase. The templates below can help kickstart your creative process.

For Businesses

The templates below are designed for general businesses: brands within and outside the education space.

#1 School Supply Promotion Messages

Shopping for school supplies, [Name]? Take advantage of [Brand Name]’s [in-store/online] offer for X% off your next supply purchase and browse our selection of must-haves for next semester.

[Name], you can save big on school supplies this year when you shop the [Brand Name] supply sale. Grab everything you need for an A+ year in-store or online!

Don’t miss the [Brand Name] back-to-school sale, [Name]! Shop quality supplies at unbeatable prices—and take X% off your purchase between now and [End Date]

#2 Tutoring Services Promotion Messages

Looking to help your child score better grades this year, [Name]? Start the school year on the right foot with tutoring services from [Brand Name]. Crush tough subjects and help your child achieve their goals with top-tier academic support.

Support your student during the [20xx-20xx] school year with [Brand Name]: tutoring and academic support that produces positive results. Sign up during the first month of school for X% off the entire semester.

[Name], you’re one of [University Name]’s best and brightest. Get the support you need to excel with tutoring services from [Brand Name] and hone your full potential this semester.

#3 Uniform and Apparel Sale Promotion

Ready to look your best this semester, [Name]? Take advantage of our back-to-school sale for X% off [uniform purchases/embroidery/apparel].

Dress for success with [Brand Name], your source for back-to-school gear, uniform wear and accessories. Take X% off with code [Code] during our back-to-school sales event.

The school year is almost here, [Name]. Order [uniforms/back-to-school clothes] online between now and [Date] to save X% on your purchase. [Link]

For K-12 Schools

K-12 schools can leverage SMS marketing to reach parents, offer tips and communicate key information before the semester starts. Here are some templates for school text messages.

#4 Welcome Back Messages

The [20xx-20xx] school year is almost here, [Name]! Head to our website to register your child, add money to their lunch account, find supply lists and more: [Link]

We’re excited to welcome your child back to [School Name] for the [20xx-20xx] school year, [Name]. The first day of school is [Date], school starts at [Time], and dismissal begins at [Time]. Please check our website for all the information you’ll need for a successful year!

#5 Highlight Online Learning Tools

[Name], did you know that [School Name] offers online learning resources to support student success? Check out our full list of digital tools to support your child throughout the [20xx-20xx] school year: [Link].

Success at school begins at home. Check out online learning resources for [School Name] students and help your child discover extra support: [Link]

#6 Parent-Teacher Night Announcement

[Name], Parent-Teacher Night is coming up! Mark your calendar for [Date] at [Time], and get ready to learn about all of the exciting things happening at [School Name] this year.

Parent-Teacher Night is fast approaching! Prepare questions you have for your child’s teacher(s) and RSVP on our website: [Link]

Meet your child’s teacher(s) and learn about all of the excitement at [School Name] at Parent-Teacher Night on [Date] at [Time]. Learn more on our website: [Link]

#7 Share Lunchbox Ideas

Looking for fresh lunchbox ideas, [Name]? Check out our [website/social media] for a list of our favorite healthy school lunches and snacks. [Link]

[Name], is your child getting bored of boxed lunches? Check out our list of kid-approved lunch favorites on our [website/social media]: [Link]

Need fresh ideas for school lunches, [Name]? Check out [School Name] students’ favorite lunchbox ideas on our [website/social media]: [Link

For Higher Education

Check out the following templates that colleges and universities can use to connect with prospective grads.

#8 Campus Events Notification

[Name], [Event Name] is coming up! [Get tickets/RSVP] for your seat at [Location] on [Date] at [Time], and get connected with the [School Name] community.

Have your tickets for [Event Name] yet? Grab a seat on our website and check out #[Hashtag] on Instagram for more information. Hope to see you there!

Ready to experience [School Name]’s most exciting event of the semester, [Name]? Get tickets to [Event Name] here: [Link]

#9 Bookstore Discounts Alert

[School Name] Bookstore sale alert! Take X% off textbooks, study supplies, spirit wear and more until [Date]. Shop the biggest sale of the semester in-store or online: [Link]

[Name], save big at the bookstore this semester with X% off between [Date] and [Date]. Shop supplies, books and [Mascot Name] gear at the lowest prices of the semester.

Show your [School Name] pride with [Mascot Name] gear from the bookstore, on sale for X% off for a limited time. Shop online now: [Link]

#10 Study Tips Sharing

Battling distractions? Reserve a study room in the [School Name] library for peak focus and distraction-free study time: [Link]

Looking to study smarter, not harder? Check out [School Name] students’ favorite study tips on our latest [Social Media/blog] post: [Link]

Get study tips from top [School Name] students and lay the groundwork for a successful semester: [Link]

Score Back-to-School Sales with SMS Marketing from Textedly

Whether you’re marketing a local business or communicating with students, leveraging SMS for a back-to-school marketing campaign can increase your reach and support peak engagement ahead of the new school year.

If you’re looking for an SMS partner who can do it all (marketing, automation, customer service and more), choose Textedly. Integrate your SMS efforts with thousands of supported apps, harness powerful automation and take advantage of one of today’s highest engagement channels.

Start your 14-day free trial and discover the power of SMS marketing solutions with Textedly.