How to Get Started with SMS Marketing

November 20, 2025 Marketing

In 2025, SMS marketing isn’t just a “nice-to-have” side channel—it’s becoming a core way for small businesses to reach customers where they are: on their phones, in their notes and notifications, ready to make decisions. If you’re a small business owner or marketer at heart, here’s why you should care — and how to get started.

Why SMS Marketing Matters in 2025

Instant, ubiquitous reach

  • Studies show that SMS messages have open-rates up to ~98%, with many consumers reading within 3 minutes of delivery. (Textellent 2024)
  • Consumers report checking their texts multiple times per day and viewing the inbox as a trusted space for immediacy. (SimpleTexting 2025)
    This means your message is extremely likely to be seen—and quickly—making SMS a highly effective channel for time-sensitive offers, alerts and reminders.

High engagement, comparatively

  • Benchmarks suggest SMS click-through rates (CTR) typically fall in the ~19% to 36% range, with conversion-rates often in the 21% to 40% band. (Sakari 2025; Infobip 2025)
  • To compare, email marketing often has CTRs in the low single-digits and opens in the ~20-30% range. (Constant Contact 2024)
    In short: SMS gives you attention + action far more efficiently than many other channels.

Growing adoption & budget

  • The SMS-marketing market is projected to hit $12.6 billion in the U.S. by 2025. (Drips 2024)
  • According to learning platforms, roughly 58% of consumers are open to brand texts several times per week, and ~72% at least weekly. (G2 Learning 2025)
    That tells us: customers are saying “yes” to texts. The budgets follow.

Small-business friendly

For small businesses, SMS ticks many boxes: low cost, immediate effect, easy to integrate with other channels (email, push, in-store). It’s also one of the few channels where you still get “real-estate” in someone’s personal phone without being buried.

Getting Started: A Step-By-Step Roadmap

Here’s how you can launch a strong SMS program—with realistic expectations and ROI.

1. Collect Opt-Ins

Before you do anything else, you’ll need consent. Because SMS is personal, the rules matter—and so does trust.

Tips:

  • Ask for mobile numbers at checkout, online signup, or in store.
  • Clearly explain what the subscriber will get: “We’ll text you 1-2 offers a week & appointment reminders.”
  • Offer something of value: a discount, early access, exclusive content.
  • Keep your opt-in form simple and mobile-friendly.

2. Build Your List (and Keep It Clean)

A large list helps, but relevance matters more. To maximize ROI: segment, personalize, and give people reasons to stay.

Checklist:

  • Separate subscribers by interest, purchase history, location, or behavior.
  • Establish cadence rules: for example “max one promo text per week” or “one reminder only.” Some sources suggest most consumers are comfortable receiving texts up to several times per week. (G2 Learning 2025)
  • Automate list hygiene: remove invalid numbers, honor opt-outs, monitor complaint rates (industry opt-out average appears to be ~1-2%). (SimpleTexting 2024)

3. Define Use Cases

Not all SMS have to be hardcore promos. Use the channel where it shines:

  • Appointment reminders / booking confirmations
  • Flash offers / limited-time deals
  • Cart-abandonment prompts
  • Loyalty/ VIP updates
  • Event or location-based alerts

You’ll want to avoid “spray and pray” tactics. According to benchmarks, the highest-performing SMS programs use segmentation and relevance rather than broad blasts. (Klaviyo 2025)

4. Craft the Message

Short, clear, value-driven. Text length matters. Tone matters. Relevance matters.

Good structure:

  • Sender name: make sure it’s recognizable
  • Lead with offer: What’s in it for the recipient?
  • Call to action: Clear next step (“Tap the link”, “Reply YES”, “Show code in-store”)
  • Opt-out option: Required by regulation, builds trust

Example:

“Hi [First Name], thanks for shopping with us! Use code SAVE10 for 10% off your next purchase this week. Click here: [link] Reply STOP to opt-out.”

5. Send At The Right Time

Timing makes a huge difference in SMS results. Because text is intimate, you don’t want to bother people.

  • Avoid very early mornings or late nights.
  • Consider local time zones.
  • Test different send times based on your business & audience.
  • Track response peaks and refine timing accordingly.

6. Track, Measure & Optimize

As with any channel, you’ll need metrics. For SMS pay attention to:

  • Open rate: rarely known precisely in SMS (but anecdotal 90%+ figures exist)
  • Click-through rate (CTR): current industry averages ~19-36% depending on use case. (Sakari 2025)
  • Conversion rate: many reports show a range of ~21-40% in strong programs. (Infobip 2025)
  • Revenue per recipient (RPR): how much you make per person you text
  • Opt-out and complaint rate: keep opt-outs under industry average (~1-3%)

You can put these in a simple tracking table like:

MetricTarget-Range
CTR~19 %–36 %
Conversion Rate~21 %–40 %
Opt-out Rate< 1-3 %
RPR(Varies – track for your business)

7. Stay Compliant & Respectful

Even though SMS is powerful, misuse can burn goodwill and trigger regulatory issues.

Watch for:

  • Consent/opt-in documentation
  • Clear opt-out instructions (“Reply STOP”)
  • Frequency: avoid being annoying
  • Relevance: if you send irrelevant messages you’ll raise opt-outs
  • Message sender identification: clearly brand your texts

Staying ethical builds trust—and trust powers your long-term list health.

Why Small Businesses Should Prioritise SMS Now

For many small and medium sized businesses, budget is tight and attention is even tighter. Here’s why SMS stands out:

  • Low cost + high impact: Compared to many digital channels, SMS has one of the best cost-to-engagement ratios.
  • Direct to mobile device: No algorithm, no feed competition. If you have opt-in, you have access.
  • Immediate real-world effect: Whether it’s a flash sale, appointment reminder, or store closing alert – SMS drives action fast.
  • Customer experience win: When used for helpful service messages (e.g., confirmation, reminders) it builds loyalty and brand favor.

As budgets tighten and consumer attention fragments across platforms, having a high-performing, trusted channel like SMS can give your business an edge.

If you’re not already using SMS marketing, 2025 is a great time to get started. With strong benchmarks, high open and engagement rates, and a customer base that actually wants real-time messages, the opportunity is there. What matters is doing it right—building your list, using relevance, measuring results, and treating SMS as a strategic channel, not just “another blast”.

Sources

Textellent Blog: SMS Marketing Statistics (2024) – Textellent

OptiMonk: SMS Marketing Statistics for 2025 – OptiMonk

SimpleTexting: 2025 Texting and SMS Marketing Statistics – SimpleTexting

Tabular/Sakari: SMS Marketing Benchmarks 2025 – Sakari

Infobip: SMS Marketing Benchmarks – Infobip

Constant Contact: SMS Marketing Statistics (2024) – Constant Contact

Drips: SMS Marketing and Usage Statistics (2024) – Drips

G2 Learning Hub: Mobile Marketing Statistics (2025) – G2

Klaviyo: SMS Marketing Benchmarks (2025) – Klaviyo

Some content is produced with AI assistance for editing, captions, or research. Hosts and core voices are real.

Betwext provides technology tools and operational guidance designed to support customers with compliance efforts. We are not attorneys, do not provide legal advice, and do not operate SMS programs on customers’ behalf. Compliance outcomes depend on each customer’s business practices, content, and use case. Customers remain responsible for ensuring their SMS programs comply with all applicable laws, including TCPA, CTIA guidelines, and carrier requirements.

Content is for educational purposes only.