The holidays are coming, and if you’re not texting your customers yet, you’re basically leaving money on the table.
Think about it: when was the last time you ignored a text message? Exactly. Meanwhile, your carefully crafted holiday email is probably drowning in someone’s inbox alongside 47 Black Friday promotions and that newsletter they signed up for three years ago.
SMS marketing has a 98% open rate. Ninety-eight percent. Your customers are already glued to their phones scrolling through holiday gift guides and TikTok. Why not meet them where they already are?
If you’re new to text marketing and the holidays are making you panic about getting started, take a breath. We’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know to text your way to holiday success.
Why the Holidays Are Perfect for Your First SMS Campaign
The holiday season is actually the best time to dip your toes into SMS marketing. Your customers are already in buying mode, they’re actively looking for deals, and they want to hear from businesses they love. Plus, the urgency of holiday shopping means your time-sensitive offers land with even more impact.
Text messages cut through the noise and deliver your message straight to their pocket. No algorithm deciding whether your content is “engaging” enough. Just you, your customer, and a really good deal.
Step 1: Build Your List (The Right Way)
Before you start blasting “HOLIDAY SALE” to everyone and their cousin, you need subscribers. And no, you absolutely cannot just text people without permission.
Here’s how to grow your SMS list the legit and legal way:
Use Keywords: Set up a simple keyword that customers can text to opt in. Something like “Text HOLIDAY to 12345 for exclusive deals” works great. Post it everywhere! Your website, social media, in-store signage, even on receipts.
Add a Sign-Up Form to Your Website: Make it visible, make it clear what they’re signing up for, and maybe sweeten the deal with a “Join our text list for 15% off” offer.
Promote at Checkout: Already have customers ready to buy? That’s the perfect time to ask if they want to join your SMS list for future deals.
Create a Contest: Everyone loves free stuff. Run a holiday giveaway where entry requires texting a keyword to your number. You’ll grow your list and create engagement.
Pro tip: Make your value proposition crystal clear. “Get early access to Black Friday deals” is way more compelling than “Join our text list.”
Step 2: Craft Messages That Actually Get Opened
Here’s the thing about texts: they need to be short, punchy, and worth your customer’s time. You’ve got 160 characters (or a bit more with MMS), so make them count.
Good holiday text: “🎄 EARLY ACCESS: 30% off everything ends tonight! Shop now: [link]”
Bad holiday text: “Hello valued customer! We hope you’re having a wonderful holiday season. We wanted to reach out to inform you about our upcoming promotional event…”
See the difference? Get to the point. Create urgency. Make it clear what action you want them to take.
A few more texting tips:
- Use emojis sparingly: one or two holiday-themed ones are fun, but don’t go overboard
- Include a clear call-to-action: what do you want them to do?
- Add a sense of urgency: limited time offers perform way better
- Make it scannable: people are reading this while doing twelve other things
Step 3: Time It Right
Timing is everything with text marketing. Send a message at 3 AM and you’re going straight to the unsubscribe list (and honestly, you deserve it).
Best practices for holiday texts:
- Weekdays between 10 AM – 8 PM in your customer’s time zone
- Tuesday through Thursday typically see the best engagement
- Avoid early mornings and late nights. Respect people’s personal time
- Black Friday/Cyber Monday: These are exceptions. Customers expect early morning doorbuster alerts
Also, don’t overdo it. One to two texts per week during the holidays is plenty. Any more and you risk annoying people instead of engaging them. You’ll just start to sound like white noise to them.
Step 4: Make Your Offers Actually Good
Real talk: your customers’ phones are already blowing up with holiday promotions. If you’re going to interrupt their day, make it worth their while.
Ideas for holiday SMS campaigns:
- Flash sales: “Next 2 hours only: Free shipping on all orders!”
- Exclusive early access: Make your text subscribers feel VIP
- Last-minute deals: Perfect for procrastinators (aka everyone)
- Shipping deadline reminders: “Order by Dec 20 for Christmas delivery”
- Holiday gift guides: “Stuck on gifts? We’ve got ideas: [link]”
- Personalized recommendations: Use purchase history to suggest relevant products
The best SMS campaigns solve a problem or provide real value. “Here’s a generic 10% off” is fine, but “We know you bought a coffee maker last month! Here’s 25% off our new premium beans” hits different.
Step 5: Use Automation (Work Smarter, Not Harder)
Let’s be honest, you’re going to be slammed during the holidays. The last thing you need is manually sending texts while juggling inventory, customer service, and trying to remember to be a human and eat lunch..
This is where automation becomes your new best friend. Set up:
- Welcome messages: Auto-reply when someone opts inÂ
- Drip campaigns: Schedule your holiday promotions in advanceÂ
- Abandoned cart reminders: “You left something in your cart! Here’s 15% off to complete your order”Â
- Post-purchase follow-ups: Thank them and ask for a review
With platforms like Mobiniti, you can schedule your entire holiday campaign in advance and then actually enjoy some eggnog instead of being glued to your phone.
Step 6: Track What Works (And Do More of It)
The cool thing about SMS marketing is that it’s super easy to see what’s working. Check your metrics:
- Click-through rates: Are people clicking your links?
- Conversion rates: Are those clicks turning into sales?
- Opt-out rates: If people are unsubscribing, something’s wrong
- Response rates: Are customers texting back with questions?
Use this data to refine your approach. If emoji-heavy messages get more clicks, use more emojis. If Tuesday morning texts outperform Friday afternoons, adjust your schedule.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Let’s quickly cover what not to do:
- Texting people who didn’t opt in: Just don’t. It’s illegal and terrible for your brand.
- Being too salesy: Every text doesn’t need to be a hard sell.Â
- Ignoring compliance: Include opt-out instructions (usually just “Reply STOP to unsubscribe”).
- Sending too many messages: Quality over quantity, always.
- Forgetting to personalize: Use their name when possible and segment your list. People don’t want to feel like just another number.
- Making it hard to unsubscribe: If someone wants out, let them go gracefully. It’s way better than having angry customers.Â
Ready to Get Started?
Here’s the thing: you don’t need to be an SMS marketing expert to succeed this holiday season. You just need to be willing to try something new, pay attention to what works, and actually provide value to your customers.
Start small. Send a test message to yourself and a few team members. See how it feels. Adjust. Try again. Before you know it, you’ll be running SMS campaigns like a pro!
The holidays are literally the perfect time to start. Your customers are already looking for deals, they’re checking their phones constantly, and they want to hear from businesses they care about. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with them in the most direct way possible.
And if you need help getting set up? That’s literally what we’re here for! Mobiniti makes SMS marketing simple, with all the tools you need to grow your list, engage your customers, and actually measure your results.
Now go forth and text responsibly. Your customers (and your holiday sales numbers) will thank you.
Ready to start your holiday SMS campaign? Try Mobiniti today!
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