How Brands Can Make the Most of Their Holiday Texting Campaigns

The holiday season is the most wonderful—and competitive—time of the year for businesses. With consumers eager to shop and brands racing to capture their attention, SMS marketing has emerged as a highly effective tool. SMS campaigns boast open rates of nearly 98%, far surpassing other channels. But to maximize your holiday texting campaigns, you need more than just a catchy message. You need a strategy for holiday testing campaigns that captivates, engages, and converts.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into every aspect of building a winning holiday SMS strategy, from planning to post-campaign optimization. Let’s make this holiday season your most successful yet.

1. Start Planning Early

The early bird catches the worm, and in holiday marketing, early preparation sets the stage for a seamless campaign. By planning ahead, you’ll avoid last-minute rushes and ensure your campaigns align with your overall marketing strategy.

How to Plan Effectively

1. Define Clear Goals: Are you focusing on sales, engagement, customer retention, or new customer acquisition?
2. Build a Timeline: Identify key holiday dates like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas shipping deadlines.
3. Segment Promotions: Plan different campaigns for early shoppers, last-minute buyers, and post-holiday sales.

Pro Tip: Build a messaging calendar that includes themes, key dates, and campaign objectives to maintain consistency across all your marketing channels.

2. Build a Robust Subscriber List

Your SMS campaign is only as strong as your subscriber list. Focus on growing a list of engaged, opt-in users who are genuinely interested in hearing from your brand.

How to Grow Your SMS List

• Add SMS sign-ups to your website and social media platforms.
• Offer exclusive incentives, such as discounts or early access, for joining.
  • Example: “Join our text club for 10% off your first order and early access to holiday deals!”
• Promote SMS sign-ups in-store with QR codes or signage.

Important: Ensure you collect explicit consent and adhere to SMS regulations to avoid penalties.

3. Craft Holiday-Themed Messages

Your audience is bombarded with holiday marketing during this season. Stand out with festive, creative, and on-brand messaging that evokes the holiday spirit.

Elements of a Winning Message

• Festive Copy: Use playful holiday language, puns, and seasonal references.
  • Example: “Deck the halls with exclusive deals! Save 25% today only. [Link].”
• Visual Appeal: Incorporate MMS to send images, GIFs, or videos that showcase your products or promotions in a festive way.
  • Example: Share an animated GIF of wrapped gifts or a virtual snow globe with your holiday discount inside.
• Brand Voice: Stay true to your brand’s tone, whether it’s playful, luxurious, or down-to-earth.

Pro Tip: Use emojis strategically. They grab attention but don’t overdo it—too many can make your message appear cluttered.

4. Personalize at Scale

Personalized messages resonate far more than generic ones. Leverage customer data to create highly targeted campaigns that speak directly to their preferences.

Personalization Strategies

1. Use Names: “Hi [Name], our holiday sale starts today! Don’t miss out. [Link].”
2. Recommend Products: Highlight items based on browsing history or past purchases.
   • Example: “Last year, you loved our knit scarves. This year, they’re 30% off! Shop now: [Link].”
3. Segment by Behavior: Target active customers with VIP offers and dormant customers with re-engagement discounts.

Bonus: Dynamic content allows you to automatically populate fields like name, location, or past purchases in your SMS templates.

5. Create a Sense of Urgency

The holidays are inherently time-sensitive, and tapping into that urgency can significantly boost conversions. SMS, with its immediacy, is the perfect channel to highlight limited-time offers.

Tactics for Driving Urgency

• Countdowns: Send reminders leading up to deadlines for sales or shipping.
  • Example: “ Last chance! Order by midnight to get your gifts by Christmas. [Link].”
• Flash Sales: Promote short-term discounts that customers must act on quickly.
  • Example: “One Day Only! Save 40% on all holiday decor: [Link].”
• Low Stock Alerts: Let customers know when popular items are running out.
  • Example: “Going fast! Only a few [product] left. Shop now: [Link].”

Pro Tip: Add countdown timers to your linked landing pages to visually reinforce the urgency.

6. Leverage Customer Segmentation

Not all customers are the same. Segmenting your audience ensures that your messages are relevant and resonate with each group.

Effective Segmentation Strategies

• VIP Shoppers: Reward loyalty with early access to sales or exclusive discounts.
  • Example: “VIP Alert! Shop our holiday sale 24 hours early. [Link].”
• Last-Minute Shoppers: Promote expedited shipping options or e-gift cards.
  • Example: “ Still shopping? Order by tomorrow for delivery by Christmas!”
• Geographic Segmentation: Send localized promotions or store-specific events.

Action Tip: Track customer preferences and engagement history to fine-tune your segments further.

7. Align SMS with Other Channels

Consistency across marketing channels creates a seamless customer experience. SMS should complement, not compete with, your other holiday campaigns.

How to Integrate SMS with Other Channels

• Promote SMS offers in your email campaigns.
• Use social media to drive SMS sign-ups.
• Send follow-up texts to amplify promotions announced on other platforms.
  • Example: “Did you catch our email? Save 30% on all outerwear today only: [Link].”

8. Automate SMS Campaigns

Automation saves time and ensures timely delivery of messages during the hectic holiday season.

Key Automated Campaigns

1. Welcome Messages: Greet new subscribers with a discount or holiday message.
   • Example: “Welcome to [Brand]! Here’s 10% off your first holiday order: [Link].”
2. Abandoned Cart Reminders: Nudge customers to complete their purchases.
   • Example: “Forgot something? Your [product] is waiting in your cart: [Link].”
3. Shipping Updates: Provide peace of mind with real-time tracking information.

9. Analyze and Refine Your Campaigns

Tracking performance is crucial to understanding what works and improving future campaigns.

Key Metrics to Monitor

• Open Rates: Gauge how many recipients opened your message.
• Click-Through Rates (CTR): Measure engagement and interest in your offer.
• Conversion Rates: Determine how many recipients took the desired action.
• Unsubscribe Rates: Identify potential issues with frequency or content.

Action Tip: Use A/B testing to experiment with different headlines, CTAs, and send times.

10. Extend the Season with Post-Holiday Campaigns

The holiday season doesn’t end after Christmas. Use post-holiday campaigns to clear inventory, gather feedback, and engage customers into the new year.

Post-Holiday SMS Ideas:

• Thank-You Messages: Express gratitude for their support.
  • Example: “Thanks for shopping with us this holiday season! Stay tuned for exciting offers in 2024.”
• New Year Deals: Promote special discounts to kick off the new year.
  • Example: “New Year, New Savings! Save 25% on your next order: [Link].”
• Customer Feedback: Ask for reviews or survey responses.
  • Example: “We’d love your feedback! Share your thoughts here: [Link].”

Conclusion

Holiday SMS campaigns are a powerful way to engage customers, drive sales, and build brand loyalty. By starting early, personalizing messages, and using smart segmentation, brands can create compelling campaigns that stand out during the busy season. With a clear strategy and attention to detail, you can turn every text into a meaningful connection—and a sale.

This year, don’t just send messages. Deliver moments of joy, excitement, and value that your customers will remember long after the holidays are over. Ready to take your holiday texting to the next level? Start planning today and watch your efforts sleigh the competition.