Your SMS copy has the potential to make or break your entire campaign which means you have one chance to get it right. SMS copy is tough, you’re limited to 160 characters (if you only wish to send 1 SMS) to convince your readers to do whatever it is you’re asking them to do. Despite how much writing experience you have, SMS copy is completely different to other types of marketing copy.
Thankfully, we’ve had plenty of practice when it comes to all things SMS Marketing & along the way we’ve learnt what to do & what not to do when it comes to writing effective SMS copy.
Here are our top 5 Chatti do’s & don’ts when it comes to writing your SMS copy:
SMS Marketing Do’s
- Get straight to the point
Your customers attention span is short which means your messages have to be too. The longer you spend beating around the bush as to why you’re texting your customers, the more likely they are to tune out and not bother to finish reading your text. Thankfully, you’re almost forced to keep things short, sweet and simple with the little amount of characters available to use. Chatti’s general rule of thumb is to keep SMS copy to a maximum of 4 lines.
- Include exclusive offers & discounts
This one’s a no brainer. Adding value to each text you send will keep your readers interested & engaged with your SMS marketing campaign.
- Create a sense of urgency
Including a discount code? Or perhaps a link to an exclusive VIP sale on your website? Using key phrases such as ‘this weekend only’, ‘for a limited time’ and ‘almost sold out’ will catch your customers’ attention and encourage them to act fast.
- Include a subject line
Although text messages don’t have an official subject line, we recommend treating the first line or two as one. Think of it as a way to get your customer’s attention and create a good first impression. Including their first name is a great way to guarantee your message is opened.
- Speak in first person
Your SMS subscribers want to feel like they’re texting their best friend when they’re texting their favourite brand. Use first person to sound more casual & fit in with your customer’s text messaging habits.
SMS Marketing Don’ts
- Don’t use the same copy as your email
If your customers are subscribed to your SMS campaign, there’s a good chance they’ve signed up to receive your emails as well. Don’t take the lazy way around your marketing campaign by using the same copy in both. Keep your text messages short & sweet, and your emails longer and more detailed.
- Don’t over-do-it with emojis
Using an emoji here and there is a great way to make your messages more fun & appeal to a younger audience but including them constantly throughout your message when they don’t relate to what you’re saying is distracting and will cause your message to seem disingenuous.
- Don’t end without a CTA
Whether you want your customers to sign up to your latest loyalty program or you want them to take advantage of the sale you’re currently running, including a strong CTA is the only way to ensure your customers know what the next step to take is. Forgetting to include a CTA not only makes your message less effective but it also leaves you at risk of seeming like you’re pointlessly messaging your customers.
- Don’t use abbreviations
The only time it’s acceptable to use abbreviations is if you’re really running out of characters. Apart from that, leave abbreviations for messaging between you and your friends. Your messages need to be clear & easy to read, including abbreviations is one way to risk your customers misunderstanding your message!
- Don’t go off-brand
Your brand has a tone of voice so keep it consistent throughout all marketing messages. Your customers should be able to read your messages and know it’s from you before they even see the sender ID. Include words and phrases that resonate with your audience to build a genuine connection and relationship with them.
Ready to start your SMS campaign? Check out Chatti with your free trial here or speak to one of our Chatti experts today.
