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

Feb 28, 2023
5 MIN READ

Are you a startup looking to make a profit with low initial costs and minimal risk? Well, you are not alone. Most entrepreneurs and marketers look to find opportunities for low-risk, high-yield investments. 

While it might seem unrealistic to balance low costs and high returns, it’s not something that only exists in a perfect world.

Mobile communications have led to a fast and highly cost-effective channel – text message (or SMS) marketing. Unlike outbound marketing channels like newspaper ads or TV commercials, text message marketing is an affordable way to engage with your customers and build brand loyalty. 

Most consumers have their mobile devices on hand almost 24/7, leading mobile marketing campaigns to perform seven times better than emails. But reaching your customers is half the battle. 

The key to successful SMS marketing campaigns is to create engaging offers and powerful incentives that will make your customers take action and help you build long-lasting relationships with them.

8 Low-Cost SMS Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business

Here are eight of the best SMS marketing tips for running an SMS campaign that can help you get the most out of your digital marketing efforts: 

  1. Keep it simple
  2. Watch your timing
  3. Segment your audience
  4. Get personal 
  5. Be consistent
  6. Don’t miss big opportunities
  7. Use clear CTAs
  8. Listen to your customers

1. Keep it Simple

Pay attention to the content of your texts – the most effective marketing messages offer your customers an immediate benefit. Be precise about your offering, avoid flowery language and include clear calls to action.

Hi [First_Name], happy birthday! To celebrate, we’re giving you a 25% discount with the code BDAY, valid for one month: [Store_Link]

example of how to write an effective marketing text message

Pro tip: Make sure to deliver only one message at a time. While including several offers in one SMS message is tempting, multiple ideas can confuse your customers. 

Don’t let your texts be confined to 160 characters! Textedly lets you send SMS texts with over 300 characters!

2. Watch Your Timing

Have you ever received a special deal from your favorite restaurant right around mealtime? A huge advantage of SMS marketing is that 60% of customers read texts within five minutes of receiving them. So why not capitalize on this advantage?

Reach out to your customers when they are most likely to purchase. For example, if you want to increase foot traffic to your business on a slow day, send out a special offer that targets customers when they’re checking out events nearby for the evening. 

Hi [First_Name), Come in tonight with a friend, show the bartender this message, and get 20% off on all drinks! [Business Name]

sample text for time-sensitive SMS

Textedly enables you to schedule messages in advance and send them to your contacts at just the right moment, no matter how busy you are.

3. Segment Your Audience

Your SMS campaigns should offer customers deals and incentives that fulfill their wants and interests. So segment your contact list into subgroups based on demographic factors like age, gender and location, customer interests and previous buyer behavior. 

Pro tip: If you don’t know much about your customers, you can launch new SMS campaigns to collect additional information through contests or surveys, offering special deals or giveaways in return.

4. Get Personal

Everyone likes to be addressed by name. Show customers you “see” them by speaking to them directly in your text communications.

Hi [First Name], thanks for booking a room for your upcoming convention at [Hotel Name]! Visit our website for a list of local restaurants to enjoy while you’re in town: [Link]

example of a personalized marketing text message

5. Be Consistent

While you don’t want to annoy your customers with too many texts, you don’t want them to forget about you. Consistency is the key to the success of every marketing strategy, and SMS marketing is no exception. While unwanted messages that don’t deliver tangible value will be considered spam, actionable and well-timed messages are appreciated. 

Pro tip: Create a marketing calendar and stick to it. It will help you nurture existing customer relations and encourage them to return to your business again and again.

6. Don’t Miss Big Opportunities

Holidays are the best time to invest your marketing dollars in thoughtful, creative campaigns that appeal to your customers by helping to meet their needs. Get the most out of any holiday by developing a well-rounded marketing strategy with fun contests, discounts and interactive texts.

Everyone on your list wants comfy pants this holiday season. Visit [Website] for 25% off all workout wear through Saturday.

sample holiday campaign SMS

7. Use Clear CTAs

Make it easy for customers to understand what you want them to do. Unfortunately, by skipping clear calls to action (CTAs), you’re probably leaving money on the table. 

Are you using CTAs like these in your text messages? 

  • Shop now
  • Click here to learn more  
  • Enter [keyword] at checkout
  • Subscribe here
  • Go to [link]
  • Join our email list today [link]

8. Listen to Your Customers

Engaging in genuine communication with your customers is key to building brand loyalty. Instead of sending texts from an unidentified number, use two-way texting to engage them in interactive communication through polls and surveys

By doing so, you’ll make them feel their opinion matters to you while you collect invaluable information about your product and service offerings.

3 SMS Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

Before you dive in and create SMS campaigns to reach your customers, keep the following in mind for what not to do:

1. Texting Without Permission

A common mistake many marketers make is starting an SMS marketing program without permission. You must obtain express written consent from your customers before sending them marketing communications. Skipping this step can result in serious consequences, including steep fines for violating TCPA laws.

There are a few easy ways of getting consent from customers:

  • Text a keyword
  • Fill out a form online or in-store
  • Responding to a customer after they text you first

In addition, providing an easy way to opt out of communications keeps customers happy with your brand.

2. Creating Generic Content 

Returning to our segmenting tip, not creating content specifically for your target audience is a missed opportunity. You may have several audiences, each with specific wants and needs. Take the time to explore each of your customer personas and craft content that grabs their attention and compels them to convert.

3. Retaining Uninterested Customers

Honoring customers’ SMS opt-out requests is critical (and illegal if you don’t). But why else would you keep someone in your database who’s never made a purchase? “The more, the merrier” rule doesn’t always apply, especially in marketing.

Don’t be afraid to purge your customer list occasionally – there’s no point in growing your database with dead weight. 

Consider reaching out to customers who haven’t purchased and offer them a discount for returning to your store, but let them know that you’d be happy to remove them from your customer list. Sometimes FOMO can motivate people to return to the fold – especially with a sweet deal!

Choose Textedly for Cost-Efficient Marketing Campaigns

SMS marketing can be a powerful and cost-effective tool for your business when executed well. You only need a well-rounded strategy and a bit of creativity to design campaigns that drive revenue and customer engagement.

With a user-friendly texting platform like Textedly, you can create your own offers, mobile coupons and marketing messages and deliver them to your contacts with just a few clicks.

Sign up for a free trial of Textedly to discover how easy it is to connect with your customers via SMS!

Start Texting Your Customers for Free With Textedly