16 Effective SMS Marketing Ideas to Supercharge Sales

Are you maximizing the potential of your SMS marketing efforts? Leveraging creative SMS text marketing ideas grows your reach, increases conversion rates and delights your customers. 

In this article, we’ll show you some of our favorite SMS marketing examples to jumpstart your creativity, then share tips on how to send engaging SMS marketing campaigns.

Table of Contents

1. Offer Subscriber-Only Flash Sales or Discounts

Sending exclusive deals to your SMS database is one of the easiest, most effective ways to get subscribers to purchase. 

Run flash sale campaigns regularly so your audience has a big incentive to stay subscribed to your list.

• Send a limited-time discount code to customers who have opted in to receive SMS messages.
• Highlight a specific product or service with a promotional offer and include a link to purchase.
• Send a thank-you message after a purchase, including a discount code for a future purchase.

2. Share New Product and Service Updates

Are you dropping a new product or adding an incredible new service? Don’t keep it a secret! 

Sharing new product and service updates via SMS is a powerful way to boost sales. They inform customers about your latest offerings, enticing them to be early adopters with exclusive deals and discounts. 

3. Upsell Related Products or Services

We never blink when asked if we want fries with our hamburger, but we often miss opportunities to upsell our own business’ offerings! Upselling, or suggestive selling, is a fast and easy way to add value by helping customers consider purchasing complementary products.

4. Offer Customer Service and Support

Offering customer service and support via SMS is a savvy marketing strategy. It provides convenient and personalized communication, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

Quick responses on mobile devices reduce waiting times and open doors for upselling opportunities. In addition, positive experiences lead to positive word-of-mouth. Here are some ideas for incorporating customer service and support into your SMS marketing strategy:

• Send an order confirmation message after a customer submits a support request.
• Provide updates on the status of the request as it is being processed.
• Follow up after the issue has been resolved to ensure customer satisfaction.

5. Promote Your Content or Blog

Use SMS marketing to share helpful and valuable content from your website. Driving contacts to your most popular blogs, guides or resources educates them on your business and proves you know your stuff.

Cross-promoting content through SMS messages is another excellent way to boost website traffic and click rates. Plus, it’s easy to repurpose evergreen content or send relevant, seasonal content during appropriate times of the year. 

Read 11 Budget-Friendly SMS Marketing Tips (And Mistakes to Avoid)

6. Integrate SMS and Email and Marketing

Blending email and SMS messaging strengthens branding by delivering a cohesive message across multiple platforms. Email allows for detailed content, storytelling, and visual elements, while SMS offers immediate and concise communication.

Combining these two channels allows you to reach customers through multiple touchpoints, reinforcing your message and ensuring a seamless customer experience.

7. Create an SMS Referral Program

Creating an SMS referral program offers significant value. By leveraging the power of word-of-mouth marketing through SMS, you can tap into your customers' networks and expand your reach. 

A well-designed referral program incentivizes and empowers customers to refer your products or services to friends, family, and colleagues. By incentivizing referrals through SMS, you encourage advocacy, acquire new customers, and boost brand loyalty. 

8. Offer Weekly or Monthly Tips

Push an SMS blast weekly or monthly with tips to provide even more value for your subscribers.

Here are a few creative examples your business can replicate:

• An arts and crafts store promotes DIY projects to tackle over a long weekend. 
• A dry-cleaning business sends suggestions on caring for delicate blouses or materials. 
• A home decor brand shares tips on the latest interior design or color trends. 

9. Celebrate Milestones, Holidays and Events

Celebrating milestones, holidays, and events with customers via SMS is a powerful marketing strategy. 

Acknowledging and sharing in their special moments strengthens the emotional bond between customers and your brand. This thoughtful approach enhances customer engagement, encourages repeat business, and generates positive word-of-mouth.

• Send personalized messages to customers with a special offer or discount code on their birthday or anniversary.
• Include a link to a landing page with a birthday or anniversary-themed promotion or giveaway.
• Follow up with a thank-you message after the customer takes advantage of the offer.

10. Send Time-Sensitive Offers

Sending time-sensitive offers via SMS is a highly effective marketing strategy. Time-limited promotions or flash sales conveyed through SMS grab attention and drive immediate action. 

By leveraging SMS for time-sensitive offers, you can capitalize on customers' impulse buying tendencies and motivate them to take advantage of exclusive deals before they expire.

11. Promote Sweepstakes or Contests

Run sweepstakes or contests to increase engagement and grow your database with new SMS subscribers. Text-to-win campaigns are easy to set up – just don’t forget to create terms and conditions for the contest. 

To promote your contest, send contacts to a landing page or prompt them to reply with a keyword via text. Or, announce the campaign on your social media channels (or website) with a banner or popup that asks for entrants’ mobile phone numbers. 

After the giveaway ends, follow up with people who didn’t win. Send a consolation prize discount so they don’t walk away empty-handed. 

12. Create Abandoned Cart Recovery Notifications

By reminding customers of the items they left behind and offering a convenient pathway to resume their purchase, you can effectively recover potential lost sales and boost conversion rates. Abandoned cart notifications can include personalized offers, discounts, or incentives to entice customers to complete their purchases.

• Include a link to the shopping cart and a personalized message that incentivizes the customer to complete the purchase
• Follow up with a thank-you message and a discount code if the customer completes the purchase

13. Promote Events

Do you have an upcoming event, like a conference, music festival or product launch? Use SMS to build an audience or count down the days until go-time. 

You can also leverage SMS to send essential details about your event, such as ticket sales, maps, parking information, schedules or day-of updates and alerts. 

• Send out an initial save-the-date message for upcoming events
• Send a reminder message a few days before the event with details about the time, location, and any special instructions
• Follow up after the event with a thank-you message and a survey for attendees to provide feedback

14. Send Thank-You Messages

After a customer makes a purchase or visits your store, follow up with a thank-you message that includes a discount or offer they can use on their next visit. 

15. Request Reviews

Don’t underestimate the power of online reviews! Boost your company’s reputation or increase local search visibility by asking for positive reviews from your top customers. 

Current research shows that 98% of people read online reviews for local businesses. In addition, 49% of consumers say they trust consumer reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family. 

16. Create Surveys or Polls

Build customer loyalty by asking for their feedback on your product or service. Given the high open and response rates of SMS marketing, you can count on receiving helpful and actionable responses fast.  

Use these SMS survey ideas to get started:

• How satisfied are you with our customer service? 
• How likely would you be to recommend us to a friend or family member?
• Vote for the next flavor/product/feature of the month!
• What would you like to see at our next event?

4 Elements of Any Creative SMS Marketing Campaign

Here are four tips you need to know before sending SMS texts to your customers.

Follow All Rules and Regulations

Last but not least, remember that failing to adhere to federal rules and regulations for telecommunications can result in severe consequences. 

For United States businesses, text message communications must comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). 

The TCPA states that businesses can only send marketing texts if they get consent from consumers first. You must also disclose the campaign’s terms, message frequency and opt-in and opt-out instructions. 

Read our Complete Guide to SMS Compliance

Promote Compelling Offers or Information

Folks are often hesitant to share their cellphone number with outsiders or businesses. So why should they provide their number to receive marketing messages from you? 

Consumers need a compelling reason to sign up for your SMS campaign and stay subscribed. Continue to send exclusive deals and valuable content over time to keep your SMS list engaged.

Express Urgency

It’s easy for recipients to dismiss or delete text messages when they receive them from a business. Instead, use attention-grabbing language such as “Limited Time Offer,” “Ends Tonight,” or “Today Only” to encourage customers to act quickly. 

Since most SMS marketing messages have a limited character count, using particular words that capture your target audience’s attention is essential.

Provide a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

In marketing, it’s always a good practice to include a clear call-to-action that entices customers to take the next step. 

After a customer reads your text, what do you want them to do? Click on a link? Make a purchase? Visit your in-store location? Use straightforward language that’s short, sweet and urgent.

How to Send Creative SMS Marketing Campaigns

Textedly can elevate your SMS marketing campaigns to new heights. With Textedly's user-friendly and affordable solutions, you can effortlessly set up SMS and MMS campaigns that captivate your audience. 

With Textedly’s seamless platform, you can start messaging your customers right away, promoting compelling offers, expressing urgency, and delivering clear calls to action. 

SMS marketing platforms like Textedly give you the tools to start sending creative text message marketing campaigns. With features including mass group texting, text message scheduling and unlimited subscribers, Textedly provides everything you need to build lasting customer relationships. 

Sign up for a free Textedly trial and jumpstart your SMS marketing ideas today!