Marketing channels like social media and search engines seem to get noisier and more competitive every year. That’s why so many brands turn to texts to promote their products and services (80% of businesses use SMS marketing software to text customers).
Why are text promotions so effective? Because they’re more personal than other forms of communication. Plus, they demand attention, unlike emails or social media posts that can be passed by with a swipe of the thumb.
Those attributes also mean it’s important to get promotional texting right, or you’ll annoy your best customer base.
We’ve dialed up 10 ways to send highly effective text promotions in 2025.
Contents
- Offer personalized promotions
- Send time-sensitive offers
- Provide relevant updates
- Upsell strategically
- Simply communicate
- Offer ways to interact
- Provide recommendations
- Celebrate events and wins
- Send helpful information
- Invite customers to exclusive events and groups
10 ideas for tantalizing text message promotions
Use these text promotion ideas to engage your customers and convert more business.
1. Offer personalized promotions
One way to tactfully utilize text messages to connect with clients and prospects is via personalized promotions.
“In 2025, we’re really entering an era where personalization and immediacy are key,” Gyan Chawdhary, CEO of application security training platform Kontra, said. “Text messages are a direct line to your customers, so you want to make sure you’re offering something that’s not just a blanket promotion, but something that speaks to their needs or interests.”
A good example is a discount for an item left in an online shopping cart. Chawdhary noted this is helpful without being pushy.
“It’s clear, actionable, and relevant to what they were already interested in,” he added.
Other examples include notifications for flash sales or restocked items, as well as appointment reminders and VIP offers.
“Consumers appreciate texts that provide clear value, save them time, or offer something they can’t get elsewhere,” said Al Aminour Rashid, a developer at Gulf State Software.
Printing company Posterprintshop used this tactic to send promotions for services based on past orders and increased conversion rates by 27%. That’s according to Brett Henrichsen, president of PosterPrintShop.com, who added, “Offering exclusive time-sensitive deals, like a 15% discount on rush orders, engages customers without overwhelming them.”
According to Ronan Walsh, managing director of SEM agency Digital Trawler, the key is consent, personalization, and utility.
“A well-crafted text that feels relevant and valuable will always be welcomed,” he said. “On the flip side, treating text like a spammy billboard is a surefire way to lose trust and alienate potential customers.”
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2. Send time-sensitive offers
A slight spin on personalized promotions is sending time-sensitive offers. That includes an offer for free shipping for a limited time.
This is effective in part because text messages have exceptionally high open rates and are typically read in a matter of seconds. That means they are perfect for time-sensitive promotions and engaging customers who might overlook an email or social media post, said Eric Sornoso, co-founder of meal delivery service Mealfan.
“A mistake many retailers make is treating SMS like email,” Yates added. “Text messages should feel urgent and exclusive. Save the long product descriptions and multiple offers for email campaigns. Text is for immediate action items.”
Alex Ugarte, operations manager of brokerage service LondonOfficeSpace.com, agreed text messages are an ideal format for short-term, exclusive discounts that create urgency and drive action.
“These messages are effective because they tap into FOMO and are perfectly suited to the immediacy of text messaging,” he added.
In addition, Helle Brandrup, veterinary medicine professional for supplement brand Neurogan Health, recommended focusing on a single offer if you’re using this tactic.
“Don’t mention multiple products, deals, or discounts you’re running,” she said. “Personalizing the text and creating an interesting offer is the strong foundation of text message marketing.”
3. Provide relevant updates
Brands can also tap into text messages to relay important information like order updates or event reminders.
“SMS is great for event reminders because it drives real-time engagement,” said Patrick McDermott, CMO of Max Cash Title Loans. “Consumers appreciate the quick, personalized nudges because they feel helpful rather than intrusive. To maximize success, keep your reminders brief and include a clear call to action.”
Pankaj Kumar, founder of marketing consultancy Naxisweb, agreed that messaging with useful information helps distinguish your brand from others who merely send annoying advertisements.
“Updates like back-in-stock alerts or delivery confirmations also work because they’re useful and relevant to what the customer actually cares about,” added Garin Hobbs, vice president of customer success and strategy at email marketing agency InboxArmy.
Timing and frequency are also important to think about here.
“We prioritize sending messages that coincide with previous purchase cycles or relevant seasonal trends,” Henrichsen said. “For instance, a timely reminder for our custom canvas prints before holiday seasons sees an appreciable boost in engagement and conversion rates, without overwhelming the customer with frequent messages.”
4. Upsell strategically
You can piggyback on event reminders to include targeted upsell messaging—but only if it helps build stronger relationships.
“It gives us the opportunity to provide a complete sales, product, and customer service experience for our clients,” said Mario Didier, founder of healthcare consultancy Sustainable Growth Experts. “Understanding the products and services that each client needs and providing them with updates on discounts, new launches, and relevant trends helps us build brand loyalty and trust over time.”
For example, a conference company might add an offer for a parking pass to an event reminder.
“This works because it adds value to an already planned and paid-for interaction while keeping the messaging relevant,” Ugarte said. “Upselling in this way is subtle and feels helpful rather than pushy.”
5. Simply communicate
Savvy brands can approach text messaging as a communication channel for customer service.
“Using SMS as a communication channel allows us to have faster response rates and signals to our customers that we value the relationship,” Didier said. “Rather than sending mass promotional messages through SMS, we focus on tailoring our sales and customer service to each client’s needs. This reduces the chances of annoying a customer or appearing to be sending spam messages that aren’t meaningful or personalized.”
Yates agreed that the key to SMS marketing is understanding that text messages feel incredibly personal.“We’ve found that treating SMS like a conversation rather than a broadcast is something to strive for,” she added.
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6. Offer ways to interact
If you want to take SMS marketing up a notch, consider interactive messages, including links to book appointments or participate in surveys, contests, or giveaways.
“Through invitation-only sales, flash discounts, or engagement-building polls, consumers are not just reading a text, they [are] actively [engaging],” said Eva Miller, vice president of marketing at dress retailer Pretty Moment.
Josh Hook, owner of digital marketing agency Hook’d It Up, noted that a local client found that sending text reminders with appointment booking links resulted in a 25% decrease in no-shows.
“This tactic ensured customers saw tangible value, reinforcing their connection with the brand in a non-intrusive way,” he said.
Much like video snippets help boost engagement in email marketing, a text message with a link to a product demo or customer success story can also help capture attention.
That’s according to Magee Clegg, CEO of digital marketing agency Cleartail Marketing, who added, “This not only provides value but creates a memorable interaction, reducing the chances of annoyance.”
7. Provide recommendations
Data on past purchases and/or browsing behavior can be used to sparingly send personalized product recommendations via text.
“One of the most effective approaches is sending data-driven recommendations,” said Ilya Telegin, head of content at analytics firm Improvado. “For example, if a customer browsed a specific category but didn’t make a purchase, a well-timed text with related product suggestions or a gentle reminder about their abandoned cart can work wonders.”
8. Celebrate events and wins
Given the more personal nature of text messages, they are an ideal format for celebrating customer milestones like birthdays or holidays.
“Giving discounts to customers on their birthday is a great way to make them follow and keep them coming back,” said Paul Raphael Gomes, founder of digital marketing firm BenWil Marketing Agency. “Customers feel valued and welcomed.”
9. Send helpful information
Another way to interact with customers via text is to send helpful information, such as instructions for a recently purchased product.
“The most powerful texts we send aren’t promotional at all—they’re care instructions after purchase or checking in on how a wig is working out,” Yates said. “These service-focused messages get 4X more responses than sales alerts.”
10. Invite customers to exclusive events and groups
Finally, consider using SMS marketing to invite customers to join your loyalty program or to highlight their progress or rewards.
“These messages leverage personalization to foster exclusivity and loyalty, which encourages long-term engagement,” Ugarte said. “They perform well because they reward customers for their loyalty, making them feel even more appreciated.”
Get growing with these text message promotions
Text promotions are an extremely flexible and engaging form of marketing. They allow you to connect with your ideal customers at the right time with the perfect message.
Try a variety of text message promotions to see which resonate most. Make some personal, like a welcome or birthday text. And mix in others that are more focused on a specific product or service.
