What is SMS Marketing?

SMS marketing is the practice of sending promotional or informational text messages (SMS) to customers' mobile phones, with their prior consent, to share offers, reminders, alerts and updates. Because a standard SMS is short (160 characters) and lands directly on the phone, SMS marketing is used for messages that need to be seen quickly.

SMS marketing works on any mobile phone, with no app or internet connection needed, and Mailpro's SMS page cites a 98% open rate for text messages. Many businesses use it alongside email marketing: SMS for short, time-sensitive messages, email for detailed content. See texting vs email.

Types of SMS marketing messages

• Promotional campaigns: a one-off send to a list, such as a flash sale, a new collection or an event invitation.
• Transactional and informational messages: order and shipping updates, confirmations, account alerts.
• Automated SMS campaigns: messages sent automatically by a trigger or on a schedule (see below).

What are automated SMS campaigns?

Automated SMS campaigns are text messages that a platform sends on its own when a condition is met, such as a date, a recurring schedule or a customer action, instead of being sent by hand each time. You write the message and set the rule once, and every contact who meets the rule receives the SMS at the right moment. This is also called SMS automation.

Common triggers and examples:

• Date-based: a birthday offer, a subscription renewal notice, a seasonal greeting. "Happy birthday Anna! Enjoy 15% off this week with code BDAY15. Reply STOP to opt out."
• Appointment reminders: a reminder the day before (and optionally a few hours before) to reduce no-shows.
• Signup or opt-in: a welcome SMS that confirms the subscription and explains how to opt out.
• Purchase and order events: confirmation, shipping and delivery updates, a review request a few days later.
• Abandoned cart: a reminder, typically within a few hours of the visit.
• Inactivity: a win-back offer for customers who have not bought in a set period.

Consent, opt-out and compliance

• Opt-in first: collect explicit consent before the first marketing SMS and keep a record of when and how it was given. See how to collect SMS opt-ins.
• Identify yourself and offer STOP: name your business in the message and include a free way to opt out, commonly "Reply STOP". Process opt-outs immediately.
• United States: under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), marketing texts sent with automated systems generally require the recipient's prior express written consent, and some states add stricter rules. Since April 2025, FCC rules require honoring an opt-out made by any reasonable means within 10 business days. US carriers also require businesses texting from standard 10-digit numbers (10DLC) to register their brand and campaign, or messages may be filtered.
• Other countries: rules differ, including quiet hours and banned sending days. See SMS laws and restrictions by country.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check the rules of every country you send to.

Timing automated SMS

• Send in the recipient's local time zone and during daytime hours. In the US, the TCPA limits telemarketing to 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time, and some states set narrower windows.
• Send event-based messages soon after the event, while the action is still relevant.
• Cap frequency so automated and promotional texts do not stack up on the same day.

Keep each message to one 160-character SMS where possible (see the SMS character limit), with one clear call to action. For a full strategy, read how to do SMS marketing.

SMS marketing in Mailpro

With Mailpro's SMS platform you upload your list and send bulk SMS from your account, with no phone needed. You can schedule SMS campaigns days, weeks or months ahead and cancel before sending, set up automatic SMS that repeat monthly, weekly or yearly for birthdays, appointment reminders and seasonal messages, personalize each text with dynamic fields, and measure delivery with SMS statistics. See SMS pricing.