31 Promotional Text Message Examples, Templates & Samples

31 Promotional Text Message Examples and Templates

Promotional texts should feel like VIP passes, not interruptions. Below you’ll find copy/paste SMS templates for launches, flash sales, events, and more—plus quick tips on timing, consent, and CTAs so every send earns attention (and trust).

Build once, reuse often, iterate fast.

Ultimately, promotional message texts can be a massive traffic and sales driver for your business—when used correctly. The SMS marketing channel has a whopping 98% open rate and a 36% click-through rate, while marketing messages, in general, have an average 82% open rate.

That's why SMS promotional text messages are one of the best investments of your marketing dollar. And SMS text messages are one of customers' most preferred communication channels because of the convenience and quickness of texting, increasing customer satisfaction.

Need some promotional text message examples and templates to inspire your SMS marketing campaigns? We've got what you need.

But first, what is promotional SMS?

So what is a promotional message? Businesses use promotional SMS, or promotional text messages, to send marketing and advertising messages to smartphones. You could send marketing SMS messages to let customers know about upcoming events, can't-miss discounts, or new products, for example.

SMS is a great channel to use for urgent messages. Your customers will likely check their email at least once during the day, but 90% of text opens happen within three minutes of receiving the message. That's fast.

With that immediacy and responsiveness comes responsibility. Abuse your sending, and customers will unsubscribe just as fast as they opened your messages.

Here are a few ways you can use promotional SMS to engage your customers:

• Welcome messages

• Timely deals and discounts

• New product releases

• Upcoming event registrations

• Surveys and feedback requests

SMS promotional message text format

SMS promotional messages are short by design so they can be read on a smartphone screen. SMS standards limit alphanumeric messages to 160 characters long. Adding emoji or other characters outside the standard GSM-7 character set cuts the maximum message length to 70 characters.

SMS messages must be crafted carefully to fit within these length limits. SMS marketers write concise messages or use special techniques to work around character length limits. For example, words can be substituted with abbreviations and symbols, links can be shortened (URL shorteners), and messages can be spread over several messages (SMS concatenation) or split into multiple messages (multipart SMS).

SMS promotional text message marketing features

Because promotional text messages reach customers on their smartphones, SMS is a very personal marketing medium. Customers receive your messages wherever they happen to be, whether they're at home, at work, traveling, or shopping. Your messages appear on their phones alongside messages from friends, family, and other businesses. This gives promotional SMS texts an intimacy unmatched by most marketing media.

This personal quality makes SMS text messages ideally suited for time-sensitive promotions. Customers treat smartphone messages as urgent communications, lending a sense of priority to your message.

On the flip side, because SMS promotional texts are so personal, it's critical not to waste your customers' time. An ideal SMS text promotion should be short, direct, and purpose-driven. Make it quick and easy for customers to read and respond to your message.

Tips for using promotional SMS

Ensure the success of your promotional SMS campaigns by following a few SMS tips and best practices:

1. Get permission: Remember, SMS is an opt-in channel—you can't message recipients without explicit consent. Get permission through online forms, sign-ups, or text-to-join keywords.

2. Keep it short: Keep your messages short, sweet, and to the point. Just because you have 160 characters doesn't mean you need to use all of them.

3. Segment your recipients: Send relevant text messages to your recipients. By segmenting your audience, you ensure they only receive promotional SMS campaigns related to their needs and interests.

4. Include a call to action (CTA): Use CTAs to tell your recipients what to do with the message. Don't just tell them about your free shipping deal—give them a link to click and motivate them to take action now.

5. Send on time: Respect your users' time zones. You don't want to wake your customers up with a text message or send them a campaign with an outdated coupon code.

6. Respect opt-outs: Remove opt-outs from your marketing campaigns immediately. Remember, opt-outs aren't a bad thing—sometimes, a customer just needs a little space. However, if the opt-out doesn't work for them, they might just block your number entirely—and that is a bad thing.

Promotional SMS vs. transactional SMS: What's the difference?

Promotional SMS usually supports a marketing initiative or goal. Those goals might be any of the following:

• Generating leads

• Making sales

• Building brand awareness

• Driving traffic

• Boosting sign-ups

Transactional SMS, on the other hand, doesn't have a marketing goal. Instead, these messages aim to deliver critical information as fast as possible. This could be any of the following:

• Appointment reminders

• Password resets

• Multifactor authentication codes

• Account security alerts

• Order confirmations

• Shipping updates

When a customer gives you their phone number while signing up for an account, that’s not permission to send them promotional SMS messages. Instead, you should respect that number and save it for transactional messages. If you want to send customers SMS marketing messages, you need explicit consent and opt-ins.

Promotional text message examples and templates

Sure, your brand might sound a little different from ours, and that's just fine. These are just sample text messages to customers. Use them as templates to get started, and then edit them to better fit your voice and audience.

1. Discount

Don't miss out! Get 20% off our latest hat collection. Shop now and use code [insert code].

2. Free shipping

Need supplies fast? We've got just what you need with free expedited shipping when you spend $65. Shop now and get it fast.

3. Limited-time offer

Hurry, this sale won't last long. Visit our site-wide spring sale to get discounts up to 75% off. Sale ends at midnight (and while supplies last).

4. Event registration

Register now to secure your spot at our upcoming virtual webinar series. Hear from experts in the industry on the latest trends and best practices.

5. Free trial

Ready to try our product for yourself? Start your 7-day free trial to get access to everything our platform has to offer—no credit card required.

6. New product

It's finally here: the Gnarliest Trail Shoe. Place your order soon to get a pair of our first batch.

7. New feature

You asked. We delivered. You can now use Dark Mode across our website and mobile applications. Try it out now.

8. Subscribe

Want to get even more deals and updates in your messages? Subscribe to our weekly roundup by texting SignMeUp to 54321.

9. Holiday promotion

'Tis the season! Get ready to take advantage of festive deals and discounts with our exclusive holiday promotion. Start shopping now!

10. Giveaway

We're giving away 3 of our newest hoverboards! Register for the giveaway (and earn points for referring friends) starting today.

11. Loyalty program

Not a member yet? Join our loyalty program to earn rewards and discounts with every purchase.

12. Flash sale

Our flash sale is now live. Get your hands on the products you've been wanting at incredible prices—but hurry, it won't last forever!

13. Upsell

Are the caps on your bottles starting to get old? Don’t replace them, upgrade to our newest model (and get a free filter).

14. Cross-sell

Want to know what would go perfectly with that new bike? A state-of-the-art helmet. Protect your noggin and keep the miles logging.

15. Feedback request

Thanks for purchasing a monthly box subscription. What do you think of it? Let us know your honest thoughts.

16. Welcome message

Thanks for subscribing to our promotional text messages. We send out weekly deals and updates every Friday (with occasional urgent messages throughout the week).

17. New menu item

Our summer menu is back and better than ever. This season, we're introducing a brand-new hamburger that'll tantalize those taste buds. Stop by to try it out.

18. Abandoned cart reminder

Something catch your eye? We saved it for you. Complete your checkout today: [insert link]

19. Back-in-stock alert

Good news—your favorite [product] is back! Order now before it sells out again.

20. Seasonal promotion

Summer’s heating up. Cool off with 15% off our seasonal favorites. Ends Sunday.

21. VIP customer offer

[First Name], thanks for being a VIP! Here’s 25% off your next order. Use code VIP25.

22. Referral bonus

Love us? Share us. Refer a friend and get $20 credit when they sign up.

23. Early access sale

Shh…you’re on the list. Get early access to our [holiday/seasonal] sale before it goes public.

24. Countdown reminder

Only 3 hours left to save 30%! Don’t miss out—shop now.

25. Local event invite

[Brand] is coming to [City]! Join us for an exclusive pop-up event this weekend. RSVP today.

26. Customer appreciation

We appreciate you! Enjoy 15% off everything this week as a thank-you for being part of our community.

27. Subscription renewal reminder

It’s almost renewal time! Keep your [subscription/service] going without interruption.

28. Product review request

Thanks for your order! Tell us what you think and get 10% off your next purchase.

29. Contest entry

Win big! Enter our [product/brand] giveaway today. One entry per customer.

30. Loyalty milestone reward

Congrats—you’ve hit 1,000 points! Redeem now for exclusive rewards.

31. “We miss you” re-engagement

It’s been a while! Come back and enjoy 20% off your next order. We saved your favorites.

Start using promotional text messaging to drive business growth today with Twilio

You have your text message promotions prepared. Now, you just need an all-in-one platform to send them for you so you can start using promotional SMS texts to drive business growth.

Fortunately, we have the perfect platform for you. Sign up for a free Twilio account (no credit card required) to get started. Try our omnichannel messaging platform to engage customers across their preferred channels, and use Twilio Studio to build communications solutions with little-to-no code.

Frequently asked questions

Q: What is a promotional text message?
A promotional text message is an SMS sent for marketing purposes—think discounts, event invites, product launches, or loyalty perks. Unlike transactional texts (like password resets or shipping updates), promotional SMS drives engagement, sales, and brand awareness.

Q: Why use promotional SMS over email?
Because text is instant. While email might sit unread in an inbox, 90% of SMS messages are opened within three minutes. That speed and visibility make SMS one of the most effective ways to reach customers.

Q: How do I write a good promotional SMS?
Keep it short, clear, and action-driven. Use strong CTAs, segment your audience, and send at the right time. Bonus: add urgency with flash sales or exclusivity (“for members only”) to boost clicks and conversions.

Q: Do I need permission to send promotional SMS?
Yes. SMS is an opt-in channel—you must have explicit consent before sending. Failing to do so risks fines, unsubscribes, or customers blocking your number.

Q: What’s the difference between promotional and transactional SMS?

• Promotional SMS: Marketing-focused, designed to sell, promote, or engage.

• Transactional SMS: Service-focused, like order confirmations, account alerts, or appointment reminders. Both are essential, but they serve very different purposes.

Q: How can Twilio help with promotional SMS?
Twilio gives you the platform, compliance tools, and APIs to scale SMS campaigns with confidence. From segmentation and automation to branded messaging, Twilio makes sure your texts reach the right people—at the right time.