The most engaging type of SMS content is actually not a 'type' at all. The common wisdom to just blast your list with promotions and discount codes is the fastest way to alienate your audience and rack up unsubscribes. While it might give you a short-term sales bump, it trains your customers to only buy on sale and to see your texts as intrusive ads, not as valuable communication from a brand they like.
The popular view is understandable. Promotions are easy to write and the results seem easy to measure. A customer gets a text with a 20% off code, they click, they buy. Simple. Brands see this direct response and double down, turning their SMS channel into a firehose of deals. This is especially true during BFCM, when the pressure to hit numbers is at its peak. As an expert panel on the 2X eCommerce Podcast discussed, the focus often goes straight to crafting offers that drive immediate conversions.
But this approach completely misses the bigger opportunity. As Alex Beller from Postscript explained on The My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast, the real goal is to use SMS to improve customer loyalty and retention. It's an incredibly personal channel. Abusing that trust with constant sales pitches is a losing strategy. The most successful brands use SMS to build a relationship, not just broadcast deals. This means moving beyond just promotional campaigns. What guests on multiple podcasts consistently point out is the need to avoid alienating their customers by providing value outside of discounts.
So, what should you do instead? Start by using SMS for high-value, non-promotional messages. Transactional texts, like order confirmations and shipping updates, are a perfect example. Arri Bagah made the point that this trains customers to see your texts as genuinely useful. Next, make it conversational. Use SMS for customer service follow-ups or to ask for feedback. On eCommerce Australia, Rachael Hooper highlighted using SMS at key touchpoints in the customer journey to provide support. Chuckie Gregory of Club EarlyBird even uses the channel to build a community around its product, creating a level of engagement that a simple discount code could never achieve. When you do send offers, use smart segmentation to make them feel personal and exclusive, increasing their impact. The goal is to increase CLV by making customers feel like insiders, not just another number on a marketing list.
