The SMS Marketing Gold Rush

  • 98% open rates (vs 20% for email)
  • 45% response rates (vs 6% for email)
  • Messages read within 90 seconds (vs 90 minutes for email)

Yet 73% of brands still aren’t using SMS (Postscript). Here’s how to tap this $12B opportunity.

The 2024 SMS Rulebook

1. Compliance First

  • TCPA rules require:
    • Express written consent (“Text JOIN to 55555”)
    • Clear opt-out instructions (“Reply STOP to unsubscribe”)
    • No messaging before 8 AM or after 9 PM local time

Penalty: Up to $1,500 per violation

2. The 3 Message Types That Convert

  1. Flash Sales (Limited-time offers)
    “URGENT: 50% off ends at midnight – Shop now [link]”
  2. Cart Recovery
    “Your $147 cart expires in 1hr! Complete checkout: [link]”
  3. VIP Exclusives
    “Early access: New drop just for you [link]”

Conversion Rates:

  • Cart abandonment SMS: 18-25%
  • Promotional SMS: 8-12%
  • Service alerts: 35-45%

SMS vs MMS: When to Use Each

SMS MMS
Cost $0.01/message 0.03−0.05/message
Content 160 characters Images/GIFs
Best For Urgent alerts Product showcases
CTR 19% 32%

Pro Tip: Use MMS for new product launches with lifestyle images

5 Psychological Triggers That Boost Replies

  1. Number Specificity
    “3 items left at this price” vs “Low stock”
  2. Emoji Strategy
    ❌ Overuse: “🔥💯👀”
    ✅ Strategic: “Your order 🚚 arrives tomorrow”
  3. Localized Language
    “Hey [first name], your [city] store just got…”
  4. Response Incentives
    “Reply YES for free shipping”
  5. Scarcity Loops
    “Only 2 spots left for [event]”

The Perfect SMS Campaign Calendar

Day Message Type Example
Monday Educational “3 ways to style your new jeans [link]”
Wednesday Promotional “24hr sale: 30% off sweaters [link]”
Friday UGC Showcase “How Jen styled her dress 📸 [link]”
Sunday VIP Exclusive “Early access: New arrivals [link]”

Optimal Frequency: 4-6 messages/month (Postscript data)

SMS Tools Compared

Tool Best For Pricing
Postscript Shopify stores $25+/mo
Attentive Enterprise brands Custom
Klaviyo Email+SMS combos $20+/mo
SimpleTexting Small businesses $29+/mo

Free Option: Google Voice (for manual small lists)

Case Study: How Fashion Nova Makes $1M+/Month via SMS

Strategy:

  • Segmented list by purchase category
  • Sent hyper-targeted drops (“Shoes lovers: New heels!”)
  • Used GIFs in 80% of MMS

Results:

  • 22% subscriber purchase rate
  • $4.78 ROI per message
  • 53% lower CAC than email

Future Trends

  1. RCS Messaging (Rich interactive SMS)
  2. AI-Powered Personalization
    “Based on your last purchase, you’ll love…”
  3. Chat Commerce
    Buy directly via text reply

30-Day SMS Launch Plan

  1. Week 1: Set up compliance (opt-ins, disclosures)
  2. Week 2: Import/segment subscriber list
  3. Week 3: Send first campaign (non-promotional)
  4. Week 4: Analyze & scale

Key Insight: SMS is the closest channel to your customer’s brain – use it wisely.