Marketing SMS Messages: Sample SMS Messages for Marketing and Text Message Marketing Campaigns

What makes a good marketing SMS message? A good marketing SMS message names your business, makes one clear point, gives a reason to act now, and ends with a way to opt out, all within about 160 characters. Below you will find the anatomy of a text that works, sample SMS messages for marketing sorted by goal, four complete text message marketing campaigns, and the rules that keep your texts delivered.

SMS message marketing: the anatomy of a text that works

SMS message marketing lives or dies in about 160 characters. Every strong marketing text is built from the same six parts:

1. Your business name, first. People decide whether to read on before they reach the second line.
2. A personal touch, where it fits: the person's first name, filled in by a merge tag.
3. One point. One offer, one event, one reminder. Never three.
4. A reason to act now: a date, a time, a quantity.
5. One action: a link on your own domain, or "Reply YES".
6. The way out: "Reply STOP to opt out."

SMS messages marketing: what to leave out

The things that make SMS messages feel like spam are the same things carrier filters look for:

• ALL CAPS and strings of exclamation marks.
• Words like "FREE!!!" or "WINNER" in a sales pitch.
• Public link shorteners such as bit.ly, which carriers filter because they hide the destination.
• Emoji in a long text. One emoji switches the whole message to a format that holds only 70 characters per segment.
• Vague openers such as "Check this out" with no business name.

Sample SMS messages for marketing

These sample SMS messages for marketing are written for fictional businesses. Adapt the wording to your own voice. [First name] is a merge tag and [link] stands for a link on your own website. With a link of about 25 characters, every sample here fits in one 160-character segment.

Welcome text, after someone joins

"Maple Street Bakery: You're in! Up to 4 texts a month with fresh-bake alerts and offers. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to opt out."

The welcome text confirms what people signed up for. It is the one text that carries the full disclosure: frequency, rates, HELP and STOP.

Sale or promotion

"Maple Street Bakery: 20% off all loaves this Saturday only, 8am-2pm. Show this text at the counter. Reply STOP to opt out."

New product or launch

"Maple Street Bakery: Our new sourdough rye is out today. First 30 loaves come with a free jar of honey butter. Reply STOP to opt out."

Back in stock or limited quantity

"Bloom & Thread: The linen jacket is back in stock in all sizes. Only 25 made. Shop it: [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

VIP early access

"Bloom & Thread VIPs: You get first pick. Our winter sale opens to you tomorrow at 9am, a day before everyone else. Reply STOP to opt out."

Event announcement and last call

"Harbor Lights Music Hall: Tickets for the Nov 14 jazz night go on sale Friday at 10am. Get yours: [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

"Harbor Lights: Early-bird pricing for the jazz night ends tonight at midnight. [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

"Harbor Lights: Doors open at 7 tonight. Bring your ticket on your phone; parking is free after 6 on Bay St. Reply STOP to opt out."

Finish your booking

"Hi [First name], it's Luna Yoga. Your spot in Thursday's 6pm class is still waiting. Finish booking: [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

Win-back

"Hi [First name], it's Luna Yoga. We miss you! Your next class is on us if you book by Sunday: [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

Last-minute openings

"Brightside Salon: 2 openings today, 1:30 and 3:00. Reply 1 or 3 to grab one. Reply STOP to opt out."

Review request

"Brightside Salon: Thanks for visiting today, [First name]! Got 30 seconds for a quick review? [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

Holiday or seasonal

"Maple Street Bakery: Pie orders for Thanksgiving close Monday. Reserve yours at [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

Referral

"Luna Yoga: Bring a friend this week and you both get a free class. Just reply with their first name and we'll save a mat. Reply STOP to opt out."

Text message marketing campaigns: four complete examples

Single texts work, but text message marketing campaigns work better: two or three texts, spaced out, each with its own job. Here are four campaigns you can copy.

A weekend flash sale

1. Thursday evening, VIPs only: early access before everyone else.
2. Saturday 9 a.m., everyone: the sale is on, with the time it ends.
3. Sunday 3 p.m., everyone who has not bought: last hours.

An event launch

1. On-sale day: tickets are live, with the link.
2. Three days before early-bird pricing ends: the last call.
3. The day of the event: doors, parking and entry. This one is a service text people thank you for.

A slow-day filler for appointment businesses

1. Morning of a quiet day: "2 openings today, reply 1 or 3."
2. First replies win the slots; answer the rest with a kind "Those are gone, we'll text you next time."

A win-back campaign

1. Customers with no visit in 60 days: a personal note and an offer with a deadline.
2. A week later, only to people who did not reply or book: one gentle reminder. Then stop.

What makes a text message marketing campaign work

A text message marketing campaign works when every text in it earns its place. Space the texts out, send the follow-up only to people who have not acted yet, and stop after the last call. A campaign that keeps texting after people have bought, or after they ignored two texts, collects opt-outs instead of sales. On Linxi, Flow can send that follow-up automatically when a contact does not reply to a campaign.

SMS marketing for business: ideas by industry

SMS marketing for businesses looks different in every trade. A starting idea for each:

• Cafés and bakeries: fresh-batch alerts, holiday pre-orders, a weekday slow-hour offer.
• Salons, spas and clinics: last-minute openings, rebooking reminders, review requests.
• Gyms and studios: class waitlist openings, new schedules, bring-a-friend weeks.
• Shops: back in stock, VIP early access, end-of-season sales.
• Events and venues: on-sale dates, early-bird last calls, day-of logistics.
• Musicians and artists: new releases, tour dates in the fan's city, presale codes.
• Nonprofits: event days, volunteer calls, urgent appeals to supporters who opted in.

Before you send: the checklist for marketing texts

• Consent: everyone on the list opted in to marketing texts.
• Name: your business name is in the first few words.
• One point and one action.
• One segment: the composer's character count stays at 160 or below, with no emoji in long texts.
• Real link: your own domain, no public shorteners.
• Merge tags with a fallback, so nobody gets "Hi ," when a first name is missing.
• STOP wording in every marketing text.
• Timing: daytime where your contacts live. Federal rules limit marketing texts to 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the recipient's time zone, and some states are stricter.
• Frequency: no more often than you promised at signup.
• A test to yourself before the real send.

Free SMS marketing: what you can do without paying per text

Searches for free SMS marketing are common, so here is the plain answer: every business text carries a carrier cost, so sending is never truly free. A lot of the work around it is, though.

• Free to do: writing, templates, building your list with a signup form or keyword, and planning your campaigns.
• Free channels alongside SMS: on Linxi, email sent from your own mailbox and Linxi Network messages between Linxi accounts cost nothing per recipient.
• Free plans: Linxi's Free plan lets you send up to 500 texts a month; each text is paid from your balance at the carrier's rate, $0.0040 a segment on Telnyx.

What an SMS marketing campaign really costs

Do the math before you plan. A list of 1,000 subscribers receiving four single-segment texts a month is 4,000 segments, which uses $16.00 of balance at carrier cost on Linxi, plus the 2.9% fee when you add funds. The same texts at two segments each would cost twice as much, which is the best argument for short texts. Per-message rates are on the pricing page.

Measuring a text message marketing campaign

Look at five numbers after every send:

• Delivered: failures with error codes point to fixable problems, such as registration or landlines.
• Replies: for conversation campaigns, the replies are the result.
• Clicks: use a tracked link on your own domain, different for each campaign.
• Opt-outs: a spike means the message, the timing or the frequency missed.
• Sales or bookings: the number that matters. Track sign-ups and sales by source where your platform allows it.

Writing marketing texts in Linxi

Linxi's composer sends one campaign by SMS, email and Linxi Network message, with templates and merge tags for names and links, a test send to yourself, scheduling or drip sending, and a ten-second undo after you press send. The assistant can draft the copy and a whole marketing plan, and nothing it writes goes out until you send it. Texts send at carrier cost, and anyone who replies STOP is excluded from every campaign after that. See the campaigns features.

One honest note about Linxi today: you can attach an image to a campaign, but campaigns do not send it yet, so write your marketing texts as plain text, like every sample above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an SMS marketing plan?

An SMS marketing plan sets out who you text, what you send, how often and when. It covers how people join (a form, a keyword, checkout), the welcome text, a monthly frequency you promise and keep, a calendar of campaigns, and the numbers you will watch. A good plan also decides what goes by email instead, so texts stay short and timely.

What are the benefits of text message marketing?

Texts reach people on the device they check most, need no app or inbox, and are usually read within minutes, which suits offers and reminders with a deadline. They also invite replies, so a marketing text can turn into a booking or a sale in the same thread. The cost per text is low when the platform charges near carrier cost.

How often should I send marketing texts?

Most small businesses do well with two to four marketing texts a month, plus service texts such as reminders. More than that wears thin for many audiences unless people asked for frequent alerts. Whatever you choose, say it at signup ("up to 4 texts a month") and keep to it; your opt-out rate will tell you if you went too far.

What is the best time to send a marketing text?

Daytime in the recipient's time zone, inside the federal 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. window and any stricter state rule, and close to when people can act. A lunch offer works late morning; an evening event reminder works mid-afternoon. Test two send times with tracked links and keep the one that performs better for your list.

Can I use emojis in marketing texts?

You can, but they cost room. A single emoji switches the whole message to a format that holds 70 characters per segment instead of 160, so a text that fit in one segment can become three. In short texts that stay under 70 characters an emoji is harmless; in longer ones, leave it out.

How do I promote text message marketing on flyers?

Put a keyword and your number on the flyer ("Text JOIN to 555-0142"), say what people will get and how often, and add "Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out. Terms and privacy at [your website]." A QR code that opens your signup form works too. Test the keyword or code on real phones before you print.

What is the cost per message for SMS marketing?

It depends on the platform. On Linxi, SMS is billed at the carrier's own rate: $0.0040 per segment on Telnyx or $0.0079 on Twilio, with inbound texts free and a 2.9% fee when you add funds. Many platforms charge a marked-up rate per text or bundle texts as credits, so divide the credit price by the number of texts to compare.

Can I personalize mass marketing texts?

Yes. Merge tags fill in each person's first name or a personal link when the campaign sends, so a text to 2,000 people reads as 2,000 personal messages. Always set a fallback for missing names, and do not add so much personal detail that the text spills into a second segment.

Do I need "Reply STOP to opt out" in every marketing text?

Carriers expect opt-out wording on business texts, and including it every time is the safest habit. It costs about 22 characters and protects your number's reputation. Whatever the wording, a STOP reply must always work, and the law treats any reasonable request to stop as an opt-out.

What should I do when someone replies to a marketing text?

Answer it, and quickly. A reply is the warmest lead a campaign produces: a question about sizes, a request to book, a "Is this still on?". Reply from your business number in the same thread, and if the reply is STOP, let the system remove them without a sales pitch.