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See Features10 promotional SMS examples [+ case studies]
Although we use many different apps nowadays to communicate via our phones, SMS texts remain a popular and effective way to get messages across. This makes SMS a powerful marketing tool if you use it correctly.
A well-targeted SMS that offers potential and existing customers valuable info that aligns with their preferences and interests can improve their trust in your brand and help generate new business. While the line between welcomed and intrusive can be thin, having some promotional SMS examples to inspire you can help you connect with your customer base.
This article will show you how to use SMS as a marketing tool and provide you with multiple promotional text message examples that you can use to drive conversions.
What is a promotional message?
A promotional SMS is a concise text message designed for marketing purposes. It delivers time-sensitive offers and product updates with the aim of generating engagement. It can be used to send exclusive deals directly to recipients’ mobile phones.
Businesses can instill urgency by including compelling calls to action. Personalized content can be used to create a sense of exclusivity. These messages can drive recipients to make purchases and redeem offers or participate in limited-time events. When coupled with precise audience targeting, promotional SMS becomes a potent tool, enhancing customer engagement and conversion rates.
Here’s an example of an image with a promotional SMS from an online store:

Promotional SMS vs transactional SMS
Promotional SMS is a marketing method for sending offers and deals to recipients. Transactional SMS focuses on providing essential information related to user actions. These actions include order confirmations, appointment reminders, or account alerts. Promotional SMS seeks to drive sales and brand awareness, whereas transactional SMS prioritizes delivering pertinent, time-sensitive details to enhance the user experience.
How to use promotional SMS
Incorporating promotional SMS into your marketing arsenal requires a strategic approach. This is to captivate your audience and drive meaningful interactions.
Here are various ways you can use promotional messages to connect with customers:
- Welcome new subscribers
- Introduce new products
- Share sales events
- Send personalized discounts
- Update customers on their loyalty program status
- Send reminders about a refer-a-friend program
- Re-engage passive customers
- Congratulate customers on their birthday
- Send abandoned cart reminders
Setting up and sending promotional text message campaigns using Omnisend is quick and easy. All you have to do is go to the Campaigns section on your Omnisend dashboard, choose the SMS campaign option, and enter essential details like the campaign’s name and the text you want to send. You can then select which customer categories will receive your SMS messages, and your SMS promotion campaign is ready to go live. It only takes a minute, as you can see in this video below:
Divatress’ subscriber list grew to nearly 70,000 after adopting Omnisend. It has also experienced 20% year-over-year business growth.
? Here’s more about its success story.
Promotional SMS examples
Here, we’ve compiled 10 promotional SMS examples. The examples are a guide for crafting compelling texts that yield results.
These promotional text message examples provide insights into effective communication strategies. The best part is that they can elevate your marketing efforts.
- Welcome message
- Product announcement
- Collection launch announcement
- Flash sale announcement
- Free shipping promo [B-WEAR!]
- BOGO promotions
- Referral program reminder
- Loyalty program status update
- Abandoned cart reminder
- Thank-you promo
Welcome message
The welcome message sets the tone for your customer relationships. It’s a warm and engaging initial SMS that introduces your brand and may express gratitude to recipients for joining.
This type of message also offers a glimpse of the value your potential customers can expect. A well-crafted welcome message establishes a positive first impression and paves the way for meaningful interactions ahead.
Here’s an example of a friendly and engaging welcome message, delivering a warm and sincere welcome and explaining what sort of messages they’ll receive in future:

Product announcement
A product announcement promotional SMS introduces a new product to your audience.
As part of the announcement it can provide a sneak peek into the features as well as highlight the benefits.
The goal is to spark recipients’ curiosity, build anticipation, and showcase product value to generate interest. These messages can also prompt recipients to explore further or make a purchase, making them effective at driving engagement and conversion.
Here’s an example of a product announcement SMS:

Collection launch announcement
The text message is a strategic way to introduce a curated set of products or services to your audience.
This collective launch announcement effectively communicates the collection’s theme, style, and uniqueness, which captures recipients’ interest and invites them to explore the offerings.
The message emphasizes the cohesive nature of the collection and can grant customers exclusive early access or limited-time discounts.
The SMS promotes engagement, and your recipients will be the first to discover your latest creations.
Here’s an example of a collection launch announcement SMS:

Omnisend’s automated messages drive 24% of FiGPiN’s email marketing revenue while accounting for only 9% of email sends.
? Here’s the success story.
Flash sale announcement
A flash sale is a surefire way to generate excitement and urgency among your audience.
This message delivers time-sensitive information about a short-lived sale or promotion. It encourages recipients to act swiftly to secure exclusive deals or discounts.
The urgency in this message drives immediate engagement, which can lead to increased conversions and heightened brand loyalty.
Here’s an image showcasing a flash sale announcement:

Free shipping promo
SMS is a powerful channel for meeting customers’ desire for added value.
The free shipping promo message communicates the opportunity for recipients to enjoy shipping at no extra cost. This motivates them to purchase, driving conversions and reinforcing a positive shopping experience.
Take note of this attractive strategy to improve sales and customer satisfaction simultaneously.
Here’s an example of free shipping promo SMS:

“We may have a ‘free shipping today only’ email that goes out. Some customers won’t get that email until the following day when the sale ends. We can use SMS as an alternative to reach those customers.”
Jason Slattery, Marketing Director, B-Wear
? Here’s the success story.
BOGO promotions
BOGO stands for Buy One, Get One. The SMS informs recipients about their chance to receive a free item.
The message generates immediate interest and encourages recipients to take advantage of the attractive offer.
BOGO promotions effectively boost sales. They also contribute to cultivating a sense of loyalty among your customer base.
Here’s an example of BOGO promotions SMS:

Referral program reminder
A referral program reminder is a strategic nudge to your customers that encourages them to share their positive experiences with friends and family.
This concise message gently reminds recipients about your referral program’s benefits. The benefits can include discounts, rewards, exclusive perks, or whatever else you want it to.
The message taps into the power of word-of-mouth marketing to increase customer engagement. This expands your brand’s reach through trusted recommendations.
Here’s an example of a referral reminder message:

Loyalty program status updates
A loyalty update keeps your valued customers informed about their progress and rewards.
The message helps recipients to know their current status within your loyalty program. Plus, it highlights the benefits they’ve earned and are close to unlocking, which incentivizes continued engagement. In turn, customers feel an appreciation and exclusivity.
Here’s an image that presents a status update SMS for the loyalty program:

Abandoned cart reminder
An abandoned cart reminder is an important message to send to recover potentially lost sales.
The message reminds recipients about the items they left behind in their online cart. Primarily, it emphasizes the value and benefits of the item. It can also act as an additional incentive to complete the purchase. Doing so gently guides the customer back to the checkout process.
Here’s an example of an abandoned cart reminder text message:

Thank-you promo
A thank-you promo is a thoughtful gesture that acknowledges and appreciates customers’ support.
The message expresses gratitude for their recent purchase, interaction, or loyalty. It may include an exclusive discount or offer as a token of thanks.
This simple act strengthens the customer-brand relationship and creates a positive experience that encourages future engagement.
Here’s an example of a thank you promo message:

Best practices for sending promotional text messages
Besides reviewing these common promotional SMS examples, it also helps to learn about useful practices that can help you maximize their impact. Consider these when creating your campaigns:
1. Make sure you only send them to those who want them
Using SMS promotional messages can be an effective marketing tool, but only if the people who receive them give you permission. Otherwise, it may backfire and annoy your audience. This means that you must find various ways to get your customers to opt in.
Make it easy for them by creating easy-to-fill online forms and find other ways in which they can join your SMS list, like a box they can tick during checkout and an opt-in button on your website. You can also ask them directly during sales and customer support calls.
2. Create multiple lists to provide a personalized experience
Mass-texting a promotional SMS to everyone on your list may not be the best way to achieve your marketing goals. People expect personalized messages that meet their specific needs, so segmenting your audience is an essential step.
Put together separate lists based on factors like customer age, their shopping history, their location, and any criteria you find relevant for your specific business. Your audience will feel special and more connected to your brand.
3. Integrate your promotional SMS campaigns with other marketing efforts
You’re probably marketing and advertising your online store’s products across multiple channels, including email, social media, affiliate marketing, content marketing, and any other that fits your brand goals.
It’s important to make sure that your marketing efforts are homogenous, meaning that your SMS promotions must be aligned with everything else. So, if you’re going to promote a special discount via SMS, it should also be visible in your email newsletter and social media channels.
Wrap up
Promotional messages are vital for driving business growth. They help engage and entice potential customers. This makes them pivotal in growing brand loyalty and conversions.
The above promotional message examples hopefully provide you with inspiration for sending out impactful campaigns.
To ensure your messages reach the right audience at the right time, it’s important to use appropriate messaging tools, such as Omnisend.
Remember, promotional messages are more than just a communication channel. With the right approach and tools, your marketing efforts will be rewarded.
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