Most SMS marketing fails for one reason: the copy sounds like marketing. Not a conversation, not a friend, not a trusted business — just another brand shouting at a phone number. The messages that convert do the opposite. They sound like a person wrote them to another person, about something specific.
Below are 33 SMS templates organized by industry and goal. Each follows the same four rules of high-converting SMS copy: personal, specific, urgent, short. Copy the ones that fit, adapt the variables to your brand, and test.
The Four Rules of SMS Copy
- Personal. Use the recipient’s name and reference their specific behavior.
- Specific. Name the exact offer, product, or action — never “check out our deals.”
- Urgent. Include a real deadline, limit, or scarcity signal. Fake urgency trains recipients to ignore you.
- Short. Stay under 160 characters including opt-out text. Single segment = single cost.
E-commerce Templates
Abandoned Cart
Flash Sale Launch
Back in Stock
Shipping Update
Post-Purchase Review Request
Real Estate & Home Services Templates
New Listing Alert
Wholesaler / Investor Outreach
Appointment Reminder
Post-Showing Follow-Up
SaaS & App Templates
Activation Nudge
Trial Ending
Feature Announcement
Reactivation
Restaurant & Hospitality Templates
Reservation Reminder
Last-Minute Availability
Loyalty / Rewards
Event Invitation
Service Business Templates
Appointment Booked
Day-Of Reminder
Rebook After Visit
Seasonal Service
Political & Non-Profit Templates
GOTV (Get Out The Vote)
Donation Ask
Event Invite
Financial Services & Debt Templates
Payment Reminder
Account Alert
Debt Settlement Outreach
For debt settlement, real estate, and other regulated verticals, also check out our debt settlement SMS and real estate SMS guides.
Meta-Rules That Apply Everywhere
Always Include an Identifier
If the recipient doesn’t immediately know who’s texting them, the message goes straight to the trash. Include your brand name, the sending person’s first name, or both — in the first 15 characters.
One CTA, One Job
Every message should have exactly one desired action: click, reply, confirm. Multi-CTA messages (“check our sale OR book a call OR reply with questions”) dilute and convert worse than any single CTA variant.
Ask Questions
Questions dramatically outperform statements. “Want me to hold it?” gets more replies than “We’re holding your cart.” Replies are the strongest engagement signal SMS offers.
Never Use URL Shorteners
Bitly, TinyURL, and similar shorteners are aggressively filtered by carrier spam systems. Your delivery rate drops 20–40% the moment you include a shortened URL. Use your own domain (or a branded short link) instead.
Include Opt-Out in the First Message
“Reply STOP to opt out” at the end of your first drip or broadcast message. Required by TCPA, and actually helps engagement because it signals you respect the recipient’s preferences. Our full TCPA compliance guide covers the legal details.
The Copy Checklist
Before hitting send on any marketing SMS, run through this list:
- ✓ Does it use the recipient’s first name or a specific data point?
- ✓ Is the CTA a single, specific action?
- ✓ Is there a real deadline or limit?
- ✓ Is it under 160 characters including opt-out text?
- ✓ Does it identify the sender in the first 15 characters?
- ✓ Is it a question (if possible)?
- ✓ Does it use your own domain (no Bitly)?
- ✓ Does it include STOP opt-out (first message in a sequence)?
Campaigns that hit every item on this checklist consistently outperform campaigns that miss even one. The rules are simple — the discipline of applying them every time is the actual competitive edge.