10 Things You Should Never Say in Your SMS Campaign

When it comes to SMS marketing, building an effective campaign is the key to success. When you have a great offer and a well-targeted list, half the battle is already won. However, even with these two essential ingredients, there are still other factors that can cause a campaign to fail.

The most well-planned campaign can fall flat if you aren't careful. There are several factors that contribute to a well-planned, successful campaign including the content of your message, the offer you are making, the call to action, etc. But one of the most important things to keep in mind is what NOT to say in your SMS marketing campaign.

Importance of What to Say in Your Messages

Believe it or not, having diarrhea at the mouth and bombarding your list with too much information is a surefire way to get leads to opt out of your campaign. Most people are busy and do not have the time to read a novel on their phone or to try and figure out the point of your message, so it is important to get to the point and make your offer clear.

Your message should be clear, concise, and effective. Build your messages in a way that leads do not have to wonder if what you're offering is authentic or if it is a scam.

Having too much information or over-delivering your message can also have a negative effect. A good rule of thumb is to keep your message short, sweet, relevant, catchy, and to the point. Avoid long, drawn-out explanations, and be sure you don't sound as if you're trying to sell them something.

Remember, people are far more likely to respond positively to a message that is relevant and useful to them, and presented in a capturing way. Presentation is everything in this field so be sure to always proceed with caution.

Now that you have the basics down, it's time to go over some of the things that should never be included in an SMS marketing campaign.

The wording you use can either make or break your campaign. And in turn, this can make or break your business. Your customers are the biggest asset to your business. If you don't have customers then more than likely, you don't have a business.

In business, it is essential to keep your customers happy. One of the main ways to do this is by ensuring that the wording in your SMS marketing campaign is effective. This being said, we’ve conducted research and found 10 of the top things you should absolutely never include in your SMS marketing campaign, as they can turn your customers off and damage your relationship with them.

10 Things to Avoid Saying in Your SMS Campaign

Check out this list of 10 things you should never say in your SMS marketing campaign.

1. "Hey, what's up?"

This is the equivalent of saying "Hello" in an email marketing campaign. It is too generic and doesn't give the recipient any information about what they can expect from the rest of the conversation. This is a surefire way to come off as awkward and get ghosted. Avoid awkward small talk like this at all costs. 

2. "Download our app!"

This is the most common mistake businesses make when sending out SMS marketing messages. Asking people to download your app is like asking them to buy something from you sight unseen. It's a bit presumptuous and puts people on the defense. If you want people to download your app, give them a reason why they should do it.

What's in it for them? How will it make their lives easier or better? For example, you could say something like, "Hey, it's faster and easier to book appointments through our app. Download it now and get 10% off your next service!" See how that works? You're giving them an incentive to download the app, and you're telling them what's in it for them.

3. "We're having a sale!"

This is another common mistake businesses make. Telling people about a sale is fine, but if that's all you ever talk about, people will tune you out. No one wants to be bombarded with messages about sales all the time. It gets old fast.

Instead, focus on delivering value-packed content that will help solve your subscribers' problems or make their lives easier in some way. Then, every once in a while, you can throw in a message about a sale or special promotion you're running.

4. "You've been selected to receive a free gift!"

This statement is often used as a way to entice customers into reading an SMS marketing message. However, it often comes across as insincere and can make customers feel like they are being exploited.

5. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

When you send out an apology like this, it just comes off as insincere. Your customers can tell that you're not really sorry, and they'll be even less likely to forgive you for whatever it is you did to inconvenience them.

Instead, try saying something like “I realize this may have caused some inconvenience, and for that, I apologize. We're working hard to make sure this doesn't happen again in the future."

This will at least show your customers that you're taking their experience seriously and are trying to do something about it.

6. "You Will Love Our New Product!"

While it's great to be excited about a new product, this phrase comes across as too sales-y. SMS marketing is all about building relationships with your customers, not selling them things.

If you want to let them know about a new product, try something like, "We've just released a new product that we think you'll love. Check it out here."

7. "We have some great offers for you!"

When you send an SMS marketing campaign, make sure that your message is clear and concise. Don't try to trick customers into thinking they're getting a great deal when they're not.

This will only frustrate them and cause them to opt out of your campaign.

8. "Check out our website for more information!"

Your SMS marketing campaign should be self-contained and not require customers to go to another source for more information. If you must include a link, make sure it goes to a specific landing page that's been optimized for mobile devices.

9. " Can we help you with anything?"

This is a classic sales tactic, but it doesn't work well in SMS marketing. Customers can tell when you're trying to sell them something, and they'll likely be turned off by the hard sell.

10. "Thanks for being a loyal customer!"

Customers appreciate being appreciated, but they can also tell when you're just trying to butter them up. Be sincere in your thanks, and don't try to use it as a way to sell them something.

Instead, you can say something simple like, "We appreciate your business and we're always here to help."

Final Words

Avoiding these common mistakes will help ensure that your SMS marketing campaign is successful. By sending messages that are clear, concise, and value-packed, you'll be able to build strong relationships with your customers that will last for a long time.