Texting Guide for Promotions

Promotional texting works when offers are clear, timely, and easy to redeem. Customers want a single action, a simple link, and optional details they can scan quickly. TextUs helps marketing and sales teams send concise promotions that can drive clicks, store visits, and orders.

How TextUs Fits Promotions Workflows

TextUs Campaigns can reach precise customer segments from your CRM or commerce platform with short prompts tied to one offer. You can attach PDFs or images like coupons, menus, product one-pagers, or event flyers so customers can see value at a glance.

Keywords such as OFFER, CLAIM, SAVE, or INFO can route replies into Sequences that confirm interest and can send links automatically.

Replies appear in the Shared Inbox, where marketing, sales, and support can assign owners and respond with templates for consistent service. Integrations can sync contacts and message history to your system of record, so redemptions and conversations stay traceable.

You can review deliveries, replies, and clicks, then export CSVs to connect SMS to orders, bookings, and revenue.

What to Set Up First

Connect your CRM or ecommerce system so product, segment, and order data can sync in both directions. Register 10DLC numbers and keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically. Align with legal on promotional language, disclaimers, quiet hours, and file types you can attach.

Create templates for recurring offers such as limited-time discounts, loyalty perks, back-in-stock alerts, and event promos. Define Shared Inbox coverage by team and hours so replies can get quick attention. Build segments like VIPs, High-Intent Browsers, Lapsed Buyers 90 Days, New Subscribers, and Local Store Radius.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment from your CRM, such as “Lapsed Buyers 90 Days.” This can make sure your message reaches people most likely to respond.
2. Write your message: Keep it short and specific. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, a quick thank-you gift from [Brand]. Want 15% off your next order? Reply OFFER and I can text the link.”
3. Attach media: Add a coupon image, menu, or product one-pager when helpful. Attachments can help customers decide without leaving the thread.
4. Set up an A/B test: Create a second version that changes one element, like the opener or incentive framing. Compare reply and click rates and keep the winner.
5. Schedule your campaign: Send during local business hours and near likely purchase moments, such as lunchtime for food or evening for retail. You can set recurrence for weekly drops.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword such as OFFER, SAVE, or CLAIM and reference it in your message. When someone replies with that word, TextUs can recognize it automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Send the offer link and short terms. Step 2: Follow up after 24 hours if there is no click.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch your campaign, track replies and clicks, and handle exceptions quickly through the Shared Inbox.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto-reply): “Thanks for claiming your offer. Here is your link: [short URL]. It expires on [Date].”
• Step 2 (reminder): “Quick reminder about your [Brand] offer. Use [short URL] before [Date]. Need product ideas? Reply INFO.”

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment by lifecycle, value, and intent so every text can drive a single action. Useful dimensions include recency, frequency, average order value, category interest, and nearest location. Exclude opt-outs and recent purchasers if the offer is not stackable.

Personalize lightly with first name and one context field such as category, store, or membership tier. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, VIP perk on [Category] ends tonight. Reply SAVE for your link.” Set fallbacks so no message looks broken.

Refresh high-velocity segments daily, and event-driven segments hourly. Clean data can protect deliverability and reduce wasted sends.

Template Library for Promotions Scenarios

Maintain a compact, approved library your team can send without rewriting. Each message should focus on one goal.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, here is a thank-you perk for this week only. Reply OFFER for your link.”
• “Back in stock: [Product]. Reply CLAIM for a quick checkout link.”
• “Local special at [Store] today. Reply MAP for directions or SAVE for the coupon.”
• “New drop just went live. Reply INFO for a one-page preview.”
• “We miss you, {{first_name}}. Want 15% off your next order? Reply SAVE.”

Review the template performance monthly with compliance. Retire low performers, note which tones lift replies, and keep attachments small so they can open quickly on mobile.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, and clicks from TextUs weekly. Join that data with commerce metrics such as orders, AOV, redemptions, and revenue by segment. Preserve campaign name, segment, keyword, variant, and send time so you can run cohort analysis.

Track reply-to-click, click-to-order, and revenue per 100 sends. Include attachment and link usage to see whether coupon images or one-pagers can lift conversion. Publish a one-page summary that shows delivery rate, reply rate, click rate, and net revenue impact.

Offer Design, Timing, and Frequency

Lead with value, not terms. State the benefit in the first sentence, then provide the link and a short note on timing. Put longer terms behind the link so the SMS can stay clear.

Match send time to buying patterns. Lunch and early evening can perform well for food, late afternoon for retail, and morning for services. Cap frequency per segment to avoid fatigue, and rotate categories so messages can stay fresh.

Use urgency sparingly so it can remain credible. If you use a deadline, include the date and a reminder in the follow-up. Reserve steep discounts for lapsed or high-value cohorts where lift justifies the cost.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All replies can appear in the Shared Inbox so marketing, sales, and support can coordinate. The first responder assigns the thread to themselves so the customer has one owner. Templates can keep answers consistent, and a short personal line can make the experience feel human.

Use tags like Offer, Product, Store, Support, and Feedback to organize threads. Add a brief note before forwarding to a store or specialist so context can stay intact. If someone goes quiet, you can move them into a gentle re-engagement Sequence with one clear option.

Tracking Results and Improving Performance

Check delivery and replies a few hours after each send. Delivery below 95% can signal list hygiene or registration settings that you should fix before the next batch. Compare A and B versions weekly and standardize on the stronger performer.

If your text included a link or attachment, review click rate as a readiness signal. Export CSVs and reconcile with orders and redemptions to prove impact. Small changes to opener length, incentive framing, and send time can lift reply rate by 15%.

Tune cadence by segment. VIPs can prefer early access notices, while lapsed buyers can respond to concise incentives with a single follow-up. Keep tests small and iterative so learning can compound.

Compliance and Deliverability for Promotions

Use registered 10DLC numbers for all promotional traffic. Keep opt-out handling on so standard keywords can process automatically. Include a short line in the first message such as “Reply STOP to opt out.”

Avoid spam triggers by limiting links, punctuation, and all caps. Do not include payment or account details in SMS. Use secure links for checkout and account changes.

Keep attachments relevant and lightweight. Coupon images, menus, and one-pagers should open quickly on mobile. Send during local hours and respect frequency caps so promotions can feel welcome.

FAQs About Texting Guide for Promotions

Can I attach coupons or product previews to my texts?

Yes. TextUs allows PDFs, images, or GIFs in both campaigns and one-to-one conversations. Promotions teams often attach coupon images, menus, or one-page previews so customers can act immediately.

Can I automate follow-ups for unredeemed offers?

Yes. You can schedule and repeat campaigns or connect Keywords and Sequences. A reply with OFFER or SAVE can trigger the link now and a reminder later if there is no click.

How do Keywords and Sequences improve redemption rates?

When someone replies with a keyword like CLAIM or SAVE, TextUs can enroll them in a Sequence. The first step can send the offer link, and the second can nudge them before expiration.

How does the Shared Inbox help stores and marketing coordinate?

All replies appear in one shared view so teams can assign owners, tag threads, and forward conversations with notes. This can prevent duplicate outreach and keep customer context intact.

What metrics should I track to measure promotional impact?

Start with delivery, reply, click, and order rates. Export TextUs data and join it with commerce revenue to see which segments and messages can perform best. Weekly summaries can guide offer design and timing.