Mixed Deck — All Text Message Marketing Topics Flashcards

Why is SMS marketing often praised compared to email marketing?

Answer: It has much higher open rates

SMS messages have notably higher open rates than email, often above 90%.

Which practice helps keep an SMS list healthy over time?

Answer: Regularly remove inactive or unengaged subscribers

Pruning unengaged contacts improves deliverability and engagement rates.

How does 'event-triggered segmentation' differ from standard scheduled campaigns?

Answer: Event-triggered segments are assembled and messaged in real time when a specific subscriber action occurs, rather than at a fixed scheduled time

Event-triggered segmentation automatically identifies and messages relevant subscribers the moment a qualifying action occurs (e.g., cart abandonment, loyalty tier upgrade), enabling immediate, contextually perfect outreach.

Which type of call-to-action (CTA) is most effective in an SMS marketing message?

Answer: A short, specific, action-oriented phrase like 'Shop Now' or 'Claim Deal'

Short, specific, action-oriented CTAs direct recipients clearly and immediately toward the desired next step, maximizing conversion rates.

What is the main advantage of SMS Marketing?

Answer: You can quickly mass-send event updates to customers.

The primary advantage of SMS marketing is its immediacy and directness, allowing businesses to quickly disseminate time-sensitive information to a large audience. This is particularly effective for mass-sending urgent updates like event changes or flash sales, ensuring customers receive critical information promptly and can act on it.

Why is SMS marketing an effective way to communicate with customers about a new product?

Answer: It has a high open rate.

SMS marketing is highly effective for new product announcements due to its exceptionally high open rate, often reaching 98%. This ensures that messages about new products are almost guaranteed to be seen by customers shortly after being sent, maximizing visibility and immediate impact, making it a powerful tool for generating excitement.

What cost-related benefit does SMS marketing typically offer small businesses?

Answer: Low cost per message with strong ROI

SMS campaigns are inexpensive per message and often deliver high return on investment.

What is 'geographic segmentation' used for in SMS campaigns?

Answer: Sending location-relevant messages to subscribers in specific cities, states, or regions

Geographic segmentation allows brands to send locally relevant messages—like regional promotions, store-specific events, or weather-triggered offers—that resonate more than generic national campaigns.

Which of the following is true about SMS compared to other channels?

Answer: SMS is much more affordable than direct mail.

Compared to direct mail, SMS marketing is significantly more affordable. Direct mail involves considerable costs for printing, postage, and design, whereas SMS campaigns primarily incur per-message fees, which are typically very low. This cost-effectiveness, combined with its high open rates, makes SMS a highly efficient marketing channel.

What is the recommended structure for a high-converting SMS marketing message?

Answer: Brand name + value proposition + CTA + opt-out option

Starting with the brand name builds trust, the value proposition explains the benefit, the CTA directs action, and the opt-out option ensures legal compliance.

What does 'delivery rate' measure in SMS marketing analytics?

Answer: The percentage of sent messages that were successfully delivered to recipients' devices

Delivery rate is calculated as the number of successfully delivered messages divided by total messages sent, indicating the health of your phone number list and sending infrastructure.

What is 'express written consent' in the context of SMS marketing compliance?

Answer: A clearly disclosed agreement where the consumer affirmatively opts in to receive texts

Express written consent requires a clear, affirmative opt-in action by the consumer with full disclosure that they will receive automated marketing texts.

How does the brevity of SMS benefit message clarity?

Answer: It forces concise, clear calls to action

The character limit encourages focused, clear messaging with a single call to action.

How can SMS marketers attribute offline purchases (in-store) to their text message campaigns?

Answer: By including unique promo codes in messages that customers redeem at point of sale

Unique, campaign-specific promo codes texted to subscribers and redeemed at the register provide a direct link between an SMS message and an in-store purchase for attribution purposes.

What is the purpose of including a trackable URL shortener in an SMS marketing message?

Answer: To save characters, direct subscribers to content, and track click-through rates

Shortened, trackable URLs conserve precious character space, drive recipients to landing pages, and enable marketers to measure click-through rates and campaign ROI.

Which US federal law primarily governs commercial SMS marketing and requires prior express written consent?

Answer: TCPA

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is the primary US federal law governing commercial SMS marketing and mandates prior express written consent before sending promotional texts.

When including a discount offer in SMS copy, which format is most effective?

Answer: Specific numeric value: 'Save 30%' or 'Get $10 off'

Specific numeric values are concrete and compelling, giving recipients a clear understanding of the benefit, which drives higher conversion rates than vague or incomplete offers.

Which metric best measures how many recipients clicked a link in a text campaign?

Answer: Click-through rate

Click-through rate measures the share of recipients who clicked the link.

Which element should typically appear at the beginning of an SMS marketing message to provide context and build trust?

Answer: Brand or business name

Identifying your brand at the start of the message immediately tells recipients who is contacting them, reducing confusion and building trust.

Why should a business avoid buying purchased phone number lists for SMS?

Answer: Recipients have not consented, violating regulations

Purchased lists lack consent, exposing the business to TCPA violations.