The question for most businesses isn’t really whether they can use SMS, it’s whether it’s worth the effort, and what to actually do with it.
Why SMS marketing tends to get more attention than email
Open rates for SMS are significantly higher than email, and most messages are read within minutes of being sent, often within seconds. Part of that is down to how people relate to their phones differently from their inboxes; a text feels more immediate, and most people respond to it quickly. It’s also a considerably less crowded space than email or social, which means there’s a reasonable chance your message will actually be noticed.
Where it tends to work best
SMS isn’t well suited to long content or regular newsletters. It works best when the message is short, focused on a single point, and asks the reader to do one specific thing. The most effective uses tend to be:
- Abandoned checkouts, where a short reminder with a direct link back to their basket can bring a customer back to complete their order
- Time-sensitive offers or flash sales, where an immediate response is part of the point
- Restock or price drop alerts for products people have already shown an interest in
What makes these work is that they’re relevant, well-timed and brief. They’re not interrupting someone with something generic; they’re delivering information that’s actually useful to that person at that moment.
It doesn’t replace what you’re already doing
SMS works best as an addition to your existing marketing rather than a standalone thing. A useful approach is to launch a promotion through email, then follow it up with a short SMS reminder closer to the deadline. Each channel does a different job; email gives people the detail, SMS gives them the nudge. Used together, they reinforce each other rather than competing.
Keep it brief
One thing that makes SMS different from email is that brevity isn’t just acceptable, it’s the point. A good SMS is usually one message, one clear point, one action. Anything longer starts to feel like the wrong format for the channel. Frequency matters too; since it’s a more direct and personal channel than email, it responds well to being treated that way.
How we help with SMS marketing at Redback
For the businesses we work with from our base in Coleraine, SMS marketing often comes up as part of a broader look at their digital marketing setup. Many clients are already using Shopify or Mailchimp without realising both platforms include SMS features that are straightforward to get started with. We help businesses work out what they already have access to, review their existing customer data, and put together simple, well-timed campaigns that sit naturally alongside their email activity. The goal is always to make the most of what’s already there, rather than adding unnecessary complexity.
Worth a look if you haven’t already
If your business collects customer phone numbers and you’re already on Shopify or Mailchimp, SMS marketing is probably easier to get started with than you’d expect. It doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective, and for some businesses it turns out to be a surprisingly straightforward win.
If you’d like to talk through whether it’s a good fit and what it might look like in practice, we’re happy to help. Get in touch and we’ll take it from there.