How to write a marketing text
A marketing text has room for one idea. The person will read it in the same place they read notes from people they know, so the first line has to sound like you, and the ask has to be obvious.
Say who it is from
Use the business name in the first line. A number they do not recognize, plus “Hey, quick question,” gets deleted or reported. The name is also what they will look for when they want to reply.
Ask for one thing
Reply, confirm, come in, or use a code. Pick one. A second offer belongs in a later campaign, where you can see whether anyone wanted the first.
The Johnsons’ table is ready. Reply 1 if you are on the way, or STOP to opt out.
Hey {Name}, your {repair type} part is in. We can book it the week of {month}. Reply with a day. STOP to opt out.
The second one only works if {repair type} and {month} read as words in a sentence. Check the cells before you trust the column. {Name} has to match the header exactly.
Keep it in one segment when you can
A plain GSM-7 text holds 160 characters. An emoji switches the whole message to a 70-character limit and can turn one text into two segments. The counting rules are short. The bill follows the count, after the variables are filled in, so test with a long name as well as a short one.
Include STOP
On a marketing text, tell them they can reply STOP. Then honor it. Entrance keeps opt-outs on the account. Hiding the opt-out to protect the list does the opposite: people report the number, and filtering does not care that the campaign is registered.
Read it on a phone
On the campaign setup, “Test your message” sends a filled-in copy to your number. Read it there. If you have to read it twice, cut a clause.
The campaign around the text is the list, the timing, and the reply. The sentence is the part the customer sees.