Newsletter
SMS Etiquette: Write Texts Customers Love
Customers want you to text them, but they don't want it to feel like another email or letter. We’ll show you how to write texts they love.
1. Keep it Short
People expect texts to be brief.
Staying under 160 characters is a great rule of thumb to keep your messages concise. It’s okay to go over, but be conscious of length.
We have a character counter to help you watch that number whenever you’re composing messages.
2. Talk Like a Human
No one wants another stuffy corporate communication.
Customers enjoy texts that feel like they're coming from a real person. Mimic the way you would text a friend, and take those guidelines into your business texting:
Sentences don’t have to be complete
Throw in the occasional emoji when talking to customers one-on-one
Leave out unnecessary words
Don’t go overboard with abbreviations and lingo. If you have a wide audience that spans multiple age groups, you risk alienating people with generation specific terms.
3. Send Wisely
The time of day and week matter.
Consider the timing of your text messages the same way you would any other marketing or communication effort. If the customers in your industry are usually most active from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.—which, spoiler alert, most are—then that’s when you should also send your texts.
Only send texts outside of work hours if it’s an emergency or special event—or if your target customers are more likely to chat after hours, like in real estate or recruiting.
Want to dive deeper? Check out our guide on how to write professional text messages customers love.
