10 SMS Marketing templates to send this holiday season.

SMS marketing is a powerful tool you can use to reach your business goals, regardless of your industry or business size. Whether you are looking to advertise your latest promotion, build trust with your customers, or notify them of a timely trend, text is a great way to spread the word quickly and reach your customers where they want to be reached.

sms marketing statistics chart

And the holiday season is the best time to get started. Check out some of our favorite marketing message examples below of ten great ways to use text message marketing this year!

Our favorite examples of holiday campaign marketing messages

1. Holiday-specific offers.

These promotional texts include exclusive seasonal offers, such as those promoting Black Friday hours or Small Business Saturday deals. Pro tip: segment your customers so that you can send each a promo that is most relevant to them!

Hi Alex! Don’t miss our Furniture Warehouse Small Business Saturday Sale! 15% off furniture and mattresses 🛏 😴! Sale ends 11/28 at 8pm! Visit our website to see all offers: www.pdm.shop

2. In-store offers to encourage foot traffic.

A lot of your sales will probably be taking place online this season—but that doesn’t mean your in-store traffic has to slow. Run some promotional campaigns and create special offers to encourage potential customers to come in-store for the services they can only get in person!

Hi Logan! It’s John at Meadow Diamonds. This weekend only – come in to see our new arrival of diamond earrings and get a free ring cleaning while you shop! See our new arrivals here: www.pdm.shop

3. Inventory clearout promotions.

You need to clear out your inventory. And luckily, your customers want to help! Send well-timed year-end clearance sale promos to help empty your shelves fast.

Hi Sam! Just a reminder—40% OFF Year-End Clearance Sale PLUS up to 12 months no-interest financing. 💸 Stop by our store and see the HOT deals or shop online anytime at: www.pdm.shop

3. Low inventory texts.

No one wants to miss out, especially on an item that has become rare due to low supply! Address that pain point by hitting consumers with a promo marketing message like the one below to convince even your most reluctant customers to act quickly and click on your link!

Hi Stacy—we are running low on our Black Friday inventory! Make sure to get your order in now to take advantage of these once a year prices! Shop selection: www.pdm.shop

4. Re-stocking notifications.

Given the supply chain challenges this year, customers will be excited to hear when you’ve restocked popular items. Re-stocking notifications can be particularly effective if you take into account customers’ purchase history with you. Carefully segment your customers to be able to send personalized, relevant re-stocking marketing messages that convert!

Hi Taylor, it’s Jake at Modern Decor. We restocked our dining sets just in time for Thanksgiving! 🪑Wow your guests with a new dining room this year. Come in today or check out our inventory online: www.pdm.shop

5. Inventory clearout promotions.

You need to clear out your inventory. And luckily, your customers want to help! Send well-timed year-end clearance sale promos to help empty your shelves fast.

Hi Sam! Just a reminder—40% OFF Year-End Clearance Sale PLUS up to 12 months no-interest financing. 💸 Stop by our store and see the HOT deals or shop online anytime at: www.pdm.shop

checking out a sms text

6. Special services.

Nothing catches the eye of today’s consumer like free stuff! Design a campaign in which you offer special services such as gift wrapping and local delivery on the house and let customers know about it through your text marketing messages.

Hey Isaiah! Thank you for being a faithful VIP member! This Xmas season we’re offering our members free gift-wrapping for in-store purchases. Delight your loved ones with a gift they’ll remember 🎁!

7. In-store pickup / same day pickup.

In-store pickup and same day pickup are great for all of your last minute shoppers. Try sending these effective marketing messages to customers who haven’t purchased in a while or customers who have a pattern of waiting to buy! This promo can also be effective in helping your vulnerable customers collect items safely and quickly.

Hi Austin, this Cyber Monday is all about electronics. We’re talking about TVs, gaming consoles, computers, and more. Don’t wait in line—buy online and pick up in-store today. – Doug, Pineview Electronics 🎧🎤

8. Gift Guide.

Your customers love the interactive nature of quizzes, guides, and videos. Build some gift guide promos into your marketing message strategy to engage customers ahead of the holiday season and help them generate ideas!

Hey Charlie, give the gift of cooking this Christmas! Check out our last minute shoppers guide (www.pdm.shop) and explore gift ideas for everyone on your list. – Aspen Kitchenwares 🥣

9. On-Trend Product Highlight.

Ride the trend wave and get the most legwork out of your inventory by letting customer preferences guide your marketing strategy! Send marketing message promos to market your best-selling and most popular items.

Hi Anna! This is Melissa from Lux Shine Jewelers. Our End of Year Sale is finally here! 💍 Treat yourself or someone special with 15% off our best-selling choker necklaces! Shop our collection now: www.pdm.shop

10. New Product Arrival.

Make the arrival of your new product a hit by sending promos to generate buzz! As always, segment your customers effectively and send to a specific audience to ensure that each text you send has the best chance of converting its recipient.

Hi Taylor! Samsung’s newest refrigerator models have just arrived in time for the new year! Our inventory won’t last long! Come in to see them, or view our online catalog at: www.pdm.shop

Segmenting your customers for holiday promo success

Segmenting your customer base can sound difficult, but it simply centers around grouping your customer records into lists that share an attribute or characteristic(s) that aligns well to specific targeted messages. And you’re probably already doing it.

Even a little segmentation can increase customer loyalty, decrease your opt-out rate, and significantly increase revenue. According to recent research, segmented campaigns boast open rates 14% higher than non-segmented campaigns and 101% more clicks. They significantly lower bounce rates, unsubscribes, and reporting incidences.

The best marketing messages are written with the customer’s viewpoint in mind. Segmentation is also a crucial aspect of personalization. And there’s nothing consumers are craving more than personalization. 80% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand who tailors their experiences for them. And 91% of consumers are more likely to patronize brands that provide offers and recommendations relevant to them.

It’s really quite simple. If you want to keep your opt-ins happy and send successful campaigns this season, you have to segment. And that starts with tracking key characteristics. Here’s a few tips to help you get started.

Behavioral vs. demographic target audience

Regardless of your industry, the characteristics of your target market that you want to track usually fall into one of two buckets: behavioral or demographic.

Behavioral segmentation involves categorizing your customers according to their behavior. The most popular way to segment is according to purchase history. Perhaps you’ve noticed that customers who have spent in the past year are more likely to come into your jewelry store for a holiday gift. Or that customers who come in on Black Friday are likely to make repeat purchases on Christmas.

All of these can be used to your advantage in planning your marketing strategy around campaigns. Other key target audience behaviors to track include website history, customer journey, frequent actions, and product use.

Demographic segmentation is less subject to change and involves elements such as age, gender, and income. For example, it might be important to note that your younger buyers are more likely to purchase from your Malibu boat collection than your Mastercraft.

Some common examples of useful demographic/geographic segmentation in campaigns might include using:

Home location (e.g. zip code) to inform subscribers about localized offers
Weather events in a specific location to customize messages or offers
Knowledge of whether the household has children to offer a family product

Whatever you’re noticing, don’t overcomplicate it as you’re getting started. Start with 1-2 things that you can easily identify about your target audience and build more robust segmentation as your list grows and you begin to understand which messages get the most attention from your customers.

Dividing your customers into buckets for promotions and messaging takes time and research, but it’s well worth the effort. As you adjust and analyze accordingly, you’ll be able to make this holiday season a memorable one for you and for them.

Want more help planning your holiday text message marketing? See our holiday texting guides for details about how to make the most of texting this holiday season.

Podium helps you connect every touchpoint in your customer journey through text—allowing for the most seamless, convenient, and optimized customer experience and SMS marketing possible all from one platform. Get started free here.

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10 SMS Marketing Templates for local businesses.

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