Email open rates average around 20–25%. SMS open rates? Closer to 98% — and most are read within 3 minutes.
That’s not a typo. SMS is the highest-attention channel available to small business owners right now. Used well, it’s a direct line to your customers. Used poorly, it’s the fastest way to lose their trust.
Here’s how to do it right.
Compliance First
Before you send a single marketing SMS, you need to cover the basics. The rules are consistent across most markets:
- ✅ Consent – you must have explicit permission from the recipient before sending marketing SMS. Consent can be express (they opted in) or inferred (existing customer relationship with a reasonable expectation of receiving messages).
- ✅ Identify yourself – every message must clearly show who it’s from. Don’t send from a random number with no business name.
- ✅ Opt-out – every marketing SMS must include an easy way to unsubscribe. “Reply STOP to unsubscribe” is the standard.
- ✅ Timing – don’t send marketing messages outside reasonable hours. ACMA guidelines suggest 9am – 8pm on weekdays, 9am – 5pm on weekends.
Check the specific regulations in your country — whether that’s the CAN-SPAM Act (US), GDPR (EU/UK), or equivalent local legislation. Modern platforms like GoHighLevel and Keap handle opt-out and compliance tracking automatically.
5 SMS Automation Use Cases That Actually Work
🔔 Appointment reminders. Send 24 hours before and again the morning of. Cut no-show rates by 30-50%. One of the highest-ROI automations in any service business.
💬 Lead follow-up. A quick SMS within minutes of a new enquiry – “Hi [name], thanks for reaching out – I’ll call you shortly.” Dramatically increases pick-up rates when you do call.
💰 Payment reminders. A polite SMS the day an invoice is due and a follow-up three days later if unpaid. Less awkward than a phone call, harder to ignore than an email.
⭐ Review requests. Sent within an hour of a completed job or appointment. SMS review requests outperform email requests significantly, people read them while the experience is still fresh.🔁 Re-engagement. A personal-feeling SMS to lapsed customers – “Hi [name], it’s been a while – we’d love to see you back.” Often outperforms email for re-engagement because it feels direct.
Integrating SMS With Email Sequences
SMS works best as part of a multi-channel sequence – not as a standalone channel. The most effective pattern:
- Email delivers the detail – longer copy, links, images, full context
- SMS delivers the nudge – short, direct, time-sensitive
A typical lead nurture sequence might look like: welcome email on day one, value email on day three, SMS nudge on day five (“Hi [name], did you get a chance to look at what we sent?”), soft CTA email on day seven.
The SMS sits in the sequence as the pattern interrupt – the moment that cuts through when email alone isn’t enough. Used sparingly, it’s highly effective. Used too often, it becomes noise.
Want SMS and Email Working Together in Your Business?
Book a free consult with the Launchy team. We’ll build a multi-channel sequence – email and SMS tailored to your customer journey and compliant from day one.