How to Build an Effective SMS Marketing Strategy

SMS is one of the most effective promotional tools available to businesses today. Messages are delivered instantly, opened quickly, and often acted upon within minutes. But to get results, you need a clear and structured SMS marketing strategy - especially when using SMS for promotional purposes.

This guide focuses on how to build and scale a promotional SMS strategy using LINK Mobility’s SMS Connectors, SMS API, messaging platforms.

What Is an SMS Marketing Strategy?

A promotional SMS marketing strategy is a structured plan for how your business sends marketing SMS messages to subscribers. It includes building your contact list, deciding what promotional content to send, how often, and how to track performance.

Promotional SMS is used to drive revenue and customer action through:

• Flash sales

• Product launches

• Time-limited offers

• Campaigns for seasonal events (e.g. Black Friday, Christmas, summer sales)

• Early access and VIP exclusives

The goal is to deliver short, relevant, and timely marketing messages directly to the mobile devices of opted-in customers.

Why Promotional SMS Works

When used strategically, promotional SMS is one of the most effective tools for driving immediate action. It gives you direct access to your audience - without relying on third-party platforms, changing algorithms, or saturated inboxes.

Here is why a strong SMS marketing strategy built around promotions delivers results:

When planned correctly, a promotional SMS marketing strategy becomes a reliable revenue channel that complements your broader marketing efforts.

How to Build Your Promotional SMS Marketing Strategy

A strong SMS marketing strategy for promotions starts with the basics - compliance and consent - and builds from there. Once your list is in place, you can begin sending relevant offers, segment your audience, and use automation to scale your efforts efficiently.

1. Collect Consent and Build Your List

Start by using clear opt-in forms on your website, at checkout, or via QR codes in-store or on packaging. Always follow GDPR requirements and provide a simple way to unsubscribe (e.g. via STOP keyword). LINK Mobility supports compliant consent flows.

2. Send a Strong Welcome Offer

Your first promotional SMS should thank subscribers for joining and offer something of immediate value - such as a discount or free shipping. This sets the tone and encourages the first conversion.

3. Run Regular Campaigns

Send 4-8 promotional campaigns per month. Focus on:

• Product launches

• Limited-time discounts

• Seasonal promotions

• VIP or early-access offers

Use branded short links, keep your copy short and clear, and always include your brand name and opt-out instructions.

4. Segment Your Audience

Not all subscribers behave the same.

Use LINK Mobility’s segmentation features to target based on:

• Purchase history

• Time since last engagement

• Average order value

• Campaign interactions

This makes your promotional SMS more relevant - and helps reduce unsubscribes.

5. Automate Where It Makes Sense

Set up automatic messages for:

• Time-limited offers

• Reactivation of inactive subscribers

• Campaign follow-ups based on clicks

Use MyLINK MarketingPlatform to automate flows while keeping control of messaging frequency and content.

Turn SMS into a Revenue Channel

A well-structured SMS marketing strategy focused on promotions can drive consistent sales and brand engagement. The key is to start simple, scale smartly, and keep improving.

LINK Mobility gives you the tools to do it all - connect your systems, automate campaigns, track results, and stay compliant.