In a world where attention spans are getting shorter, crafting engaging SMS reminders is a crucial skill. No matter what kind of SMS reminders you’re sending, the goals are the same. You want the recipient to perceive the SMS as valuable, you want them to engage with the reminder message, and you don’t want them to unsubscribe due to dissatisfaction with the reminders. Here are the best practices for crafting engaging SMS reminders in every application.
Brevity Is Key
Brevity is essential when it comes to SMS reminders. SMS messages are typically limited to a certain number of characters, so your reminder should get straight to the point. The message should be written concisely, getting the pertinent information across in as few words as possible. Your goal is to impart the information as a quick “nudge,” not take up the recipient’s valuable time while you try to be witty or clever.
Use a Friendly Tone
Equally important as brevity is the need to use a polite and friendly tone with SMS messages. Approach the message as if you were speaking face-to-face with the recipient. It should be casual, not too formal or technical. Use conversational language that won’t induce anxiety or apprehension in the reader. For example, “hi” is better than “hello,” and it also helps to say things like “just a friendly reminder,” even when the actual message might be less appealing, such as a reminder to make a credit card payment.
Use Sparingly
Studies show that most people appreciate receiving SMS reminders. It helps keep them on schedule and helps take the burden off of them to remember important times and dates. But no one likes to be bombarded with messages. Use SMS reminders sparingly. Only message recipients when you have something valuable or important to communicate. Otherwise, your messages will either start to be ignored or — worse — your recipients will unsubscribe. A good rule of thumb is no more than once a week, as long as the information is essential.
Get Personal
The other aspect of SMS reminders that recipients appreciate is the personal touch. It can feel good to have a company reach out with pertinent information that feels like it was personally curated for the recipient. For instance, a customer who recently made a large purchase may want to be reminded before the deadline to register their product online to facilitate the warranty. When possible, use the recipient’s name when addressing them. In most cases, the first name is acceptable, except in the case of formal circumstances.
Include a Call to Action
Your recipient needs to know what you want them to do with the information. Your call to action (CTA) should be clear, explicit, and unambiguous. For instance, a clear CTA such as, “click here to register,” is better than saying, “registering online is easy.”
Embed Links
SMS messages are an opportunity for engagement. If you don’t provide links in your reminder messages, you’re missing a valuable chance to drive traffic and engage your recipients. When you run SMS campaigns with a company like Mitto, you can easily embed links your recipients can click to perform the recommended action. Engagement link examples are registration links, links to book appointments, links to confirm participation, and more.
Mitto offers SMS reminder tools for businesses and entities of all sizes. Whether you want to incorporate an SMS API into your platform or send SMS reminders to employees or customers, Mitto has what you need
