SMS Mistakes
5 Common SMS Marketing Mistakes
Avoid mixing marketing and transactional messages in one text. Keep promotions separate from reminders or confirmations for clarity and trust. Here are 5 common SMS marketing mistakes — and how to avoid them.
Sending Messages Without Permission — Texting people who haven’t opted in. This feels intrusive and can damage your brand’s reputation — or even lead to legal penalties.
Sending Too Many Messages — Over-messaging annoys customers and causes high unsubscribe rates.
Poor Timing — Sending texts at inconvenient times (early morning, late night, or during busy hours).
Vague or Long Messages — Sending unclear, overly long, or poorly written messages that confuse readers.
Ignoring Personalization and Follow-Up — Sending generic, one-size-fits-all texts with no follow-up.
Why the example on the screen is a terrible SMS message:
- Unprofessional tone – It sounds rude and threatening rather than helpful.
- No personalization – Doesn’t include the recipient’s name or account info.
- Unclear details – Doesn’t say what the bill is for, how much, or how to pay.
- No brand identity – The sender isn’t identified, so it could seem like spam or a scam.
- Poor spelling/grammar – “UR” and “U HAVE 2” make it look careless.
- No contact or opt-out info – Leaves the customer uncertain about what to do next.
