Sales promotion is a necessary part of running any successful business. These days, with so many ways to get in touch with customers – email, phone, text, Internet, in-store – planning a sale can be complicated and tricky without proper planning. Even though text message marketing is still relatively new, this is one of the fastest ways to get in touch with customers to let them know you’re having a sale tomorrow, next week, or right now.

Limited Time, Buy Today!

Limiting sales to 24-hours or less is a great way to increase sales and get rid of excess inventory. Most people love getting a bargain, so when you need to move inventory quickly, host a deep discount sale that’s really short so people don’t have much time to think about it, just react by making a purchase.

Send a mass text message announcing your sale to those on your subscriber list. Include the exact time frame along with links to your website or contact information such as your business phone number. Stress the importance of buying quickly as inventory will move fast. This should prompt more people to visit your website or business location to find a bargain.

Look What I Have!

If the 24-hour sale isn’t your business style or just isn’t possible, consider sending a brief message that describes a single product or service – you can tailor descriptions based on previous purchases or send information about your most popular item. This should entice people to drop by your store or visit your website to see what else is on sale.

For example, if holding a shoe sale, promote your best selling shoe to get people excited about the sale.

The Discount Offer

Throw a few percentages at people and they will come running to see what your sale is all about. Don’t be afraid to tell people how much they can save – be specific and mention any additional savings such as free shipping or free gift with purchase. Use mobile campaigns to showcase what you have in stock and how much your willing to discount it to move some inventory.

Text Message Marketing

If new to text message marketing, promoting a sale is a great way to get used to sending SMS notifications. Remember to include the name of your business, links to websites and other online marketing channels, date and times of the sale so people know how long the sale will last.