As a powerful communication channel, SMS marketing is the ideal tool for boosting your sales and achieving your marketing goals. Unfortunately, some companies struggle to make their campaigns successful because they don't know how to go about it. In this article by Octopush, we have decided to list the best practices for making your SMS marketing campaigns successful and profitable.

Write a message that gets straight to the point

An SMS must contain a maximum of 160 characters, so you need to avoid beating around the bush in your text messages. The idea here is to write a clear, precise, and concise message. In fact, one of the most important rules in SMS marketing is: one message = one call-to-action.

Of course, even though 160 characters is short, you still need to make sure you include all the information necessary for the communication. For example, if your SMS marketing is about an exclusive offer, you will need to present the content of the offer, the conditions of the offer, and its validity period. All this, while ensuring you write engaging and interesting text.

Are you having trouble writing your messages yourself? At Octopush, we provide you with over 330 SMS templates. With a little searching, you will certainly be able to find a template that suits your business.

Comply with the regulations governing SMS marketing

Before you get started with SMS marketing, note that this channel is governed by GDPR and the CNIL. You will therefore need to pay attention to the various rules to follow before sending your messages.

For example, the GDPR strictly prohibits sending marketing SMS between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., on public holidays, and on Sundays. Similarly, the CNIL strictly prohibits sending professional SMS to recipients who have not given their consent (opt-in). Your contacts must therefore give their prior agreement before you can send them marketing SMS. Finally, still according to the CNIL, you must include the STOP mention in your SMS communications.

Personalize your messages

A non-personalized marketing SMS is a marketing SMS that lacks impact. We therefore suggest that you personalize your messages using simple practices. For example, you can start by inserting the first/last name of your recipients in the messages. Also, remember to personalize the sender of your SMS so that you can be easily recognized.

Otherwise, you can always personalize the content of your SMS based on the purchasing habits of your recipients. In this way, you will be able to offer them deals that are more likely to interest them.

Send your marketing SMS at the right time

Furthermore, you should know that the impact of your SMS marketing campaigns also depends on the timing chosen for sending. Unfortunately, there are no clear statistics on the subject. Nevertheless, we suggest that you test what works best for your audience. This way, you will be able to know precisely which time and day work best.

Note, however, that the timing for sending marketing SMS also differs depending on the case. For example, for event promotion SMS, sending a reminder a few hours before can be more than enough. For welcome offers, the SMS should be sent a few minutes after the contact signs up. This is precisely the kind of case where SMS automation is recommended.