The Marketing Meetup team
This session tackled a channel many marketers either ignore or feel quietly unsure about: SMS. It’s often lumped in with “tactical” or “last-minute” activity, yet when used well, it can be one of the most direct, trusted, and effective ways to reach customers.
The conversation focused on stripping away the hype, understanding where SMS actually earns its place, and how to use it without annoying people, burning trust, or defaulting to “SALE NOW” behaviour.
This write-up was created with the help of our AI friend, so please excuse any errors 🙂
Table of Contents
- 1. Why SMS is still misunderstood
- 2. What makes SMS fundamentally different from other channels
- 3. Permission, trust, and expectations
- 4. When SMS works best (and when it doesn’t)
- 5. Content that feels human, not spammy
- 6. Timing, frequency, and restraint
- 7. SMS as part of a wider system
- 8. Measuring success beyond clicks
- 9. Common mistakes marketers make with SMS
- 10. Where to start
- Key quotes
1. Why SMS is still misunderstood
SMS suffers from an image problem. Many marketers associate it with spam, aggressive promotions, or something only used by big retailers pushing discounts.
The session reframed SMS as a relationship channel, not a broadcast one. When people give you their phone number, they’re extending a high level of trust — far higher than an email sign-up — and that trust needs to be earned repeatedly.
Used poorly, SMS burns bridges fast. Used thoughtfully, it becomes one of the most reliable ways to reach people who actually want to hear from you.
2. What makes SMS fundamentally different from other channels
SMS is not email. It’s not social. And it shouldn’t be treated like either.
Text messages are:
- Immediate
- Personal
- Hard to ignore
That means expectations are different. People read texts quickly and often assume they’re important. This makes clarity, relevance, and intent non-negotiable.
If email is a place for explanation, SMS is a place for signal.
3. Permission, trust, and expectations
A recurring theme in the session was consent — not just legal consent, but emotional consent.
People want to know:
- Why you’re texting them
- What kind of messages they’ll receive
- How often they’ll hear from you
Setting expectations early makes SMS feel helpful rather than intrusive. Breaking those expectations is one of the fastest ways to lose trust and prompt opt-outs.
4. When SMS works best (and when it doesn’t)
SMS shines in moments where speed, clarity, or immediacy matter.
Good use cases include:
- Reminders and confirmations
- Time-sensitive updates
- Important nudges linked to existing intent
Where it struggles is long explanations, complex storytelling, or anything that requires cognitive load. SMS is best as a pointer, not a destination.
5. Content that feels human, not spammy
The strongest SMS examples shared were short, clear, and sounded like a person wrote them.
That means:
- Plain language over marketing speak
- One clear point per message
- No unnecessary urgency
If a message wouldn’t feel appropriate coming from a real human you know, it probably doesn’t belong in someone’s pocket.
6. Timing, frequency, and restraint
Restraint is a competitive advantage in SMS.
Because texts feel interruptive, frequency matters more here than in almost any other channel. The session stressed the importance of:
- Sending only when there’s genuine value
- Avoiding “just because we can” messaging
- Respecting time of day and context
Less, done better, consistently wins.
7. SMS as part of a wider system
SMS works best when it complements other channels, not when it replaces them.
The strongest examples positioned SMS as:
- A follow-up to email
- A reminder for live moments
- A bridge between intent and action
When SMS plugs into a broader system, it feels intentional. When it stands alone, it often feels noisy.
8. Measuring success beyond clicks
Click-through rates only tell part of the story.
The session encouraged marketers to look at:
- Reduced no-shows
- Faster responses
- Completion of key actions
- Fewer support queries
Sometimes the real value of SMS is what doesn’t happen — missed events, confusion, or friction.
9. Common mistakes marketers make with SMS
A few patterns came up repeatedly:
- Treating SMS like another email blast
- Overusing urgency and discounts
- Sending without a clear reason
- Forgetting how personal the channel feels
Most SMS mistakes come down to forgetting that there’s a human on the other end.
10. Where to start
If SMS feels intimidating or unfamiliar, the advice was simple:
- Start small
- Be clear about why you’re using it
- Respect trust as your most valuable asset
SMS isn’t about volume. It’s about relevance.
Key quotes
“When someone gives you their phone number, they’re giving you a lot of trust — more than most marketers realise.”
“SMS isn’t a broadcast channel. It’s a relationship channel.”
“If it wouldn’t feel okay coming from a real person you know, it probably doesn’t belong in a text.”
“Restraint is the thing most brands underestimate with SMS.”
“The best SMS messages are usually the shortest ones.”
The shift
Stop asking: “Can we send a text?”
Start asking: “Would this genuinely help someone right now?”
That mindset shift is what turns SMS from an underestimated channel into a quietly powerful one.