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2021 Holiday
SMS Guide

Inspiration to help you crush your holiday goals and drive mobile revenue

2021 Holiday SMS marketing guide hero image
HOLIDAY PLANNING

Make your list, check it twice

Whether you're an SMS pro or just getting started, this guide will help you craft exceptional text messages to give your holiday marketing strategy a major boost.

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Plan ahead

The sooner you begin brainstorming ways to woo shoppers, the better prepared you'll be to tackle the holidays and exceed your performance goals. So channel your inner Mariah Carey and let's start warming up.

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Find your voice

Black Friday / Cyber Monday (BFCM) is a prime opportunity to build relationships with shoppers and give your sales a big lift. But keep in mind you'll be competing with all the other retailers out there fighting for attention.

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Get ready to text

Text messaging will help you stand out from the crowd and turn up the heat on your holiday communications. Meet mobile-first customers where they're at to drive increased revenue and loyalty that extends well beyond the holidays.

Step 1

Drive sales with one-time SMS campaigns

Keep your messages concise and include one clear call-to-action (CTA), so your subscribers know exactly what to do next—like snagging your latest drop or shopping your BFCM sale.

Get 'em ready

Whether you're running a flash sale or multi-day promotion, build excitement by letting your customers know something sweet is on the way.

Best Practice: Send this message well in advance of the holidays, offer a teaser of what shoppers can expect, and let them know exactly when the promotion starts.

Purlisse holiday text message

Treat your VIPs

Give an extra reward or incentive to your most loyal customers. Early access to the sale, extra juicy discounts, a gift with purchase or free shipping can help seal the deal.

Best Practice: Use customer data and SmartTarget segments to auto-target your highest value shoppers who are most likely to make a purchase.

Skyroam Black Friday text message

It's go time, baby

Chances are, your customers have a lot going on. Grab their attention with a message that lets them know the sale has started and remind them of your special deals.

Best Practice: Workshop your copy and CTA. It should drive excitement and action. Include relevant details and an end date to create urgency.

Bonus: Schedule this message ahead of time. You'll thank yourself later!

Finn Black Friday text message

Last call

One final push before closing out the sale to rein in those last-minute deals. A little FOMO never hurt.

Best Practice: Use customer data to target shoppers who clicked your previous text messages but haven't purchased yet by creating a custom segment or defining your follow-up criteria.

Build a Campaign
Apt2B Black Friday text message
Step 2

Recover abandoned carts

Not everyone is going to pull the trigger right away, especially during the holidays when shoppers are looking for the best deals. In fact, 70%+ of online shoppers leave before purchasing. Thankfully, you can set up auto-triggered messages to scoop up those lost sales. Well-timed cart abandonment text messages can drive a 37% lift in revenue.

Cart Recovery

Dynamically insert product info from your shopper's online cart into a text message and schedule it to send shortly after they bounce without checking out.

Best Practice: Making it personal by including the product image and details will go a long way in helping your message stand out.

Set up Cart Recovery
Act+Acre Cart Recovery text message
Step 3

Nurture customers after they purchase

The purchase is not the end of the customer journey. Keep your shoppers engaged with a suite of behavior-based triggered messages.

Thanks a million

Set up a Thank You automation to show customers that you see them and value their business. Who doesn't love a good thank you note?

Best Practice: This is a great opportunity to solicit feedback, promote a rewards program or encourage shoppers to refer their friends.

Kana Thank You text message automation

Long time, no see

Run a Win-Back automation to re-engage customers who you haven't seen in a while. It’s never too late to try again.

Best Practice: Keep it concise and give them a compelling reason to come back to your store.

Sakara win-back text message automation

Shopping spree

Turn on a Big Spender automation to offer a little something special to shoppers who go the distance and spend above a certain amount at your store.

Best Practice: Make it personal by including custom merge tags, like your customer's name.

Explore Automations
RHODE BIg Spender text message automation
Smartphone frames
30%+
click-through rates
8x+

more revenue

20x+

return on investment

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