📣 Marketing
SMS Marketing for Local Businesses: What’s Working in 2026
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SMS marketing has evolved from a blunt broadcast tool to a precision engagement channel. Here’s what’s working in 2026.
The Numbers That Matter
SMS open rates: 98%. Average read time: 90 seconds. Click-through rates for personalized SMS: 19% vs 3% for generic blasts.
What to Send
The best-performing campaigns focus on three types: appointment/reservation reminders (transactional), exclusive loyalty offers (reward-based), and re-engagement messages for lapsed customers (win-back).
Timing Is Everything
For reminders: 48 hours and 2 hours before. For promotional offers: Tuesday and Wednesday 10am–12pm consistently outperform weekend sends. Never send after 8pm.
The best SMS message feels like it came from a person, not a platform.
Template that converts: "Hey [Name], it’s [Business]. We miss you! Here’s 15% off your next visit — valid this week only. Reply STOP to opt out."
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