SMS is the most intimate channel in your stack. Nearly every message gets read, most within minutes, and that immediacy cuts both ways: a well-timed text drives action like nothing else, and an unwanted one gets you blocked, reported, and remembered. The channel rewards restraint more than any other.
Consent is not a checkbox
SMS in the United States operates under the TCPA, where violations carry per-message statutory damages. Express written consent, clear program disclosure at signup, and instant honoring of STOP are legal requirements, not best practices. Keep proof of opt-in, and never port an email list into a texting program.
Earn the interruption
Every text should pass a simple test: would a reasonable person be glad their phone buzzed for this?
- Transactional wins: order shipped, appointment tomorrow, back-in-stock on an item they asked about.
- Time-sensitive value: a genuine sale ending tonight, not a manufactured countdown.
- VIP access: early availability for your best customers.
Two to four promotional texts a month is a defensible ceiling for most brands. Unsubscribe spikes are your audience voting on cadence; believe them the first time.
Write like a person, measure like an operator
Keep messages short, front-load the point, identify your brand, and make the link obvious. Reserve SMS for your most engaged segments rather than blasting the full list, and watch revenue per message alongside opt-out rate per send. The pairing keeps you honest: revenue tells you the channel works, opt-outs tell you when you are spending trust faster than you earn it.