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Promotional SMS: Everything you need to know

know how to boost customer engagement and sales with effective promotional SMS marketing. Discover best practices, tips, and examples.

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You can maintain a lasting relationship by staying in touch with your clients regularly. But how do you do it? D7 Networks SMS Marketing is an effective and direct way to communicate with your customers. It's easy to reach customers with mobiles, as almost everyone owns one.

Both promotional and transactional SMS can improve customer retention, engagement, and lifetime value. Both SMS messages are important, and their open rates often exceed 90%. However, they do have some differences. Understanding the differences will help you communicate effectively with your clients.

This article offers examples of transactional SMS and tips on using promotional SMS effectively.

What is a promotional SMS?

A promotional SMS is a text message sent by an organization for marketing and advertising.

Promotional SMS messages can be used to promote specials, services or products. You can include coupons and events. You can use SMS marketing to alert your customers about an upcoming sale, event or deadline. You can also ask them to participate in a quiz or poll.

You could encourage people to take a survey, buy a product, or click a link to a landing page.

Characteristics that are Critical of Promotional SMS

Purpose: To engage and convert customers by offering them exclusive deals or discounts.
Emailing: During business hours is a great tool to maximize engagement and ensure compliance.
Content: Engaging, short, and with a CTA that encourages the recipient to take action, like visiting a website or redeeming a discount coupon.

Common Use Cases

Different industries use SMS marketing messages. Here are a few examples.

E-commerce and Retail: Flash Sales or New Arrivals
Restaurants and cafes: Offer happy hours and unique menu items in restaurants and cafes.
Health & Fitness: Informing clients about new classes, gym promotions or
Travel and hospitality: Remind customers about special travel packages, flights or hotel offers.

Regulations

Businesses must follow specific rules when sending promotional SMS messages to protect their customers. Take a look at these critical points:

Consent: The recipient must have expressly agreed to receive promotional messages.
Opt-out:If you want to opt out, the message must contain a simple way to unsubscribe. For example, replying with "STOP" will suffice. "
Time restrictions: In many places, promotional SMS cannot be sent at night.

What's the difference between promotional and transactional SMS?

Promotional and transactional SMSs are both essential to business communication. They have different objectives and follow various guidelines. Here is a comparison between their significant differences.

Aspect	Promotional SMS	Transactional SMS
Purpose	Promotes products, informs customers of events, or engages them. Designed to boost sales and increase user engagement.	Delivers important information, such as order confirmations, account alerts, OTPs, and service updates. Messages may be urgent or essential.
Content	Contains marketing content, like events and special offers. Engaging and action-oriented tone.	Non-marketing content that is typically informative. Delivered in a direct and straightforward tone.
Sending Time Restrictions	Restricted to certain hours, usually between 9 AM and 9 PM, to avoid annoying customers.	Can be sent at any time, even outside regular business hours.
Opt-In and Opt-Out Requirements	Requires explicit consent from the recipient and must provide an opt-out option.	Requires consent but is generally easier to obtain, as it delivers service updates.
Sender ID Differences	May come from a shortcode or use a generic sender ID.	Sent from an easily identifiable sender, such as the company, so recipients know who sent the message.

By understanding the differences between SMS and other forms of digital marketing, businesses can effectively manage SMS strategies while remaining compliant with regulatory requirements.

How to write an SMS Promotion?

When creating a promotional text, you need to be creative and precise. Here are some guidelines that will help you to create compelling and engaging messages:

Keep It Short and Sweet

In general, promotional SMSs have a maximum of 160 characters. Keep it simple, keep your message direct and engaging, and avoid unnecessary jargon.

Example: "Flash Sale! For today only, get 30% off on all products. Shop Now: [link ]."

Include a clear call to action (CTA).

Your CTA must be compelling and clear. It should also encourage the reader to act. Your CTA must be persuasive and clear.

Example: "Limited-time offer! Join us and get 50% off. Join us to get 50% off.

Personalization

Personalized messages are more engaging. When possible, address the recipient by name and customize the content according to their preferences.

Example: Get 20% off by clicking this link today. Click this link to get 20% off today.

Highlight Offer

The message you send should focus on the offer or benefit you are promoting. Your recipients must also easily understand iteasily understand it.

Example: "Exclusive deal! All pizzas are Buy 1, Get 1 Free. "Order now: [link].

Create an urgency.

Urgency encourages people to act quickly. Use phrases like "limited time" or "ending soon" to inspire people. "

Example: "Hurry! The sale ends at midnight. Enjoy huge discounts when you shop now.

Compliance Tips

Include an opt-out to remain compliant. Simple lines such as "Reply Stop" will suffice. Make sure you comply with privacy laws.

Examples Of Promotional SMS

Here are examples from various industries to help you plan your campaign.

Retailing & E-Commerce

"Weekend Special! Sitewide 40% discount: "Shop your favourites before midnight at [link]. "
New styles have just been released. See our latest styles by clicking on the link below!

Hospitality and Travel

Are you dreaming about a vacation? Get 20% off on all-inclusive package deals when you book now: [link ].
"Your next adventure awaits! Book your next flight with [link ]. to save big!

Restaurants

"Feeling hungry? Enjoy 15% off your next meal. " Show this to the server. "
Buy one drink and get one free until 8 pm (link). Buy one drink and get one free until 8 pm (link). "

Health and Fitness

Staying fit can help you save money! Join today to get your first month for free. The offer ends soon: [link].
"New yoga class schedule available! Click on the link ]. to reserve your spot now!

Events

Early bird tickets for our music festival are selling fast: [link]. Early bird tickets to our music festival sell out quickly: [link]. "
"VIP Experience awaits! Get exclusive benefits when you book your VIP pass. [link]"

These examples show how to draw attention, communicate value, and encourage action.

SMS Promotional Messages: Benefits

SMS Marketing can benefit businesses of all sizes.

High rates of open doors

The open rate for SMS is 98%, significantly higher than the email opening rate. Your promotional materials will be available almost instantly after sending an SMS.

Instant Delivery

SMS can be sent in seconds for campaigns requiring a quick response.

Cost-Effective

SMS marketing is a cost-effective way for small businesses to reach their target audience. SMS advertising is cheaper than traditional advertising.

Wide Reach

SMS can be sent to people without Internet access, and businesses can use this feature to reach areas with limited Internet connectivity.

Measurable impact

Many SMS platforms provide analytics that tracks delivery rates and click-through rates. Businesses can use this information to evaluate the success of campaigns and create future strategies.

High Engagement Levels

Emails and ads on social media are less appealing than SMS messages. Because SMS messages are short and concise, they can be quickly read.

Personalization Capabilities

Customized messages are possible with SMS marketing. It is easier to engage customers and connect with them.

Conclusion:

Promotional SMS marketing can be an effective tool. The open rate is unbeatable, and the message is delivered instantly. Businesses can leverage this strategy by understanding the best practices for creating persuasive messages and their nuances.

Always remember to respect the rules and personalize your messages. Promotional SMS, when used carefully, can help boost your marketing efforts.

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs )

How do I send promotional messages?

Use an SMS marketing platform to create and send short messages. Compelling with relevant offers with a clear call to action (CTA).

What time should I send promotional SMS?
Promotional SMS should generally be sent between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM to avoid disturbing customers at night.

How can I customize SMS messages for my customers?

Personalize the message by specifying the recipient's name and customizing the message based on their preferences or past interactions.

Can I send promotions via SMS outside of business hours?

To comply with the rules and to avoid inconvenience to the recipient. It is best to send promotional SMS during business hours (9:00 AM to 9:00 PM).

Are there any rules for sending promotional SMS?

Yes, to comply with privacy and marketing laws. You need to get the recipient's consent, offer a choice, and send the message within acceptable hours.