6 Best Practices for SMS Campaigns for Influencers in 2025

If you’ve ever tuned into Nick Loper’s Side Hustle Show podcast, you’ve probably heard him repeat a hard truth: the most challenging part of building a coaching business isn’t the coaching itself, it’s finding high-quality clients. A similar principle would be true for an influencer business too, of course!

And that quote about coaching isn’t just Nick Loper’s perspective. You’ll hear the same from coaching heavyweights like Grant Cardone and Tony Robbins.

The challenge of attracting quality clients is a universal one. But here’s the good news: SMS marketing is beginning to change that game.

With the average person checking their phones 47-58 times a day by some accounts, influencers can have a direct and personal channel to reach and engage clients where they’re already paying attention.

Of course, saying “just use SMS” is easier said than done. That’s why I’ve done the legwork for you. In this article, you’ll find proven strategies and practical tips to help you harness SMS marketing to grow your influencer business.

6 Best Practices for SMS Campaigns for Influencers: TL;DR

Here’s a quick summary of 6 best SMS practices for influencers:

Rethinking SMS Campaigns Through the Influencer Lens

A mistake influencers may make is treating SMS campaigns as a form of generic advertising, where they send out mass blasts with little thought or strategy. This “spray and pray” approach rarely delivers results because clients can instantly tell when a message lacks thought and authenticity.

Since 2011, Mobile-Text Alerts’ experience and data as an SMS marketing platform have demonstrated a clear truth: successful SMS marketing campaigns occur when you treat it as a relationship reinforcement tool.

For influencers, this statement is more than just marketing advice. It’s a reminder that your clients aren’t leads on a list, they’re people on a transformation journey who thrive on consistent support and encouragement.

Your SMS campaign should create micro-touchpoints that reinforce the influencer journey. For example, a well-timed text can act as a nudge to stay accountable, a moment of encouragement when self-doubt creeps in, or a quick reminder that someone is walking alongside the client through their challenges.

Such a nuanced SMS campaign has proven to be effective for these reasons:

• High open rate: SMS marketing boasts an open rate of 55% (as well as a 100% “view rate”), one of the highest among marketing channels, including email.
• Instant engagement: Personalized text messages are read within the first three minutes, making SMS campaigns the quickest way to engage your audience and clients and keep your influencer business at the forefront of their minds.
• Affordable marketing: Compared to traditional advertising methods, SMS marketing offers a budget-friendly option that levels the playing field. Its affordability makes it practical not only for large brands but also for smaller businesses and influencers looking to maximize their reach without overspending.

6 Best Strategies for SMS Campaigns for Influencers

In the next section, we’ll explore some proven best practices for SMS campaigns that you can apply right away.

1. SMS Automation

SMS automation involves using SMS software to automate tedious tasks for your campaigns, such as scheduling reminders, sending follow-ups, segmenting client lists, and tracking responses.

To bring this into context, let’s use an analogy.

Imagine you’re an influencer and business coach working with 15 one-on-one clients and running a group program for early-stage influencers or entrepreneurs. Your calendar is packed with coaching calls, workshop prep, and lead generation. The real challenge comes in keeping clients engaged between sessions.

Without automation, you will likely spend hours each week manually sending check-in texts, reminders, and encouragement. And despite the effort, some clients can still miss sessions, forget pre-work, or worse, disengage halfway through the program.

Automating your SMS campaigns can change your business in the following ways:

• Smooth onboarding: You can set automated welcome messages that are sent to new clients instantly. The clients will feel supported while saving you the task of sending individual messages.
• Reducing no-shows with smart reminders: Instead of sending reminders manually, you can set the automated system to send automated nudges. Here’s an example message you can send 24 hours before the session:

“

Hi Maria, looking forward to tomorrow’s call at 10 AM. Don’t forget your workbook.

• Re-engaging dormant clients: If a client hasn’t scheduled their next session within two weeks, the system sends a gentle prompt:

“

Hi James, I noticed we haven’t met recently. Let’s get you back on track—here’s the link to book your next session.

SMS automation frees up more time, allowing you to focus on high-value coaching sessions and content creation for your group program.

2. Measuring Success Metrics

SMS marketing, in general, has some pretty impressive statistics. For example, SMS marketing conversion rates across industries typically range from 21% to 30% according to one study, with some sectors seeing rates as high as 40%. SMS records an average open rate of about 55% (with a “view rate” of 100%) and click-through rates (CTR) of around 10.66% according to Sender.

Now, these are general industry data. Your influencer business is unique and should have its own data that you can leverage and tune to increase your performance. You can’t improve what you don’t measure.

Here are some of the key SMS metrics to track:

• Open Rate – Are people even reading your texts? A healthy benchmark is 40% or higher, which indicates that timing and sender reputation are strong.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR) – Do your messages inspire action? If your audience isn’t clicking links or replying, then the copy, offer, or timing needs sharpening.
• Conversion Rate – Are those clicks turning into sign-ups, calls booked, or sales? This is the ultimate measure of ROI.
• Unsubscribe Rate – High drop-offs signal you’re either texting too often or not delivering enough value.
• Revenue per Message – For every dollar you invest, calculate the return per text sent. This keeps you focused on profit, not vanity metrics.

Follow these action steps if you’re new to the influencer business. Start simple. Track these five numbers religiously after each campaign. Make sure to adjust one variable at a time, whether it's timing, copy, or offer, and you’ll quickly see what works.

3. Compliance with Regulations

For influencers, following compliance guidelines may be thought of primarily as about staying legally protected.

While that’s true, people with that perspective miss one thing. Complying with regulations also fosters a respectful and positive experience for your clients. When people know you value their privacy and communication preferences, they’re more likely to trust and engage with your messages.

A study by Salesforce found that 80% of customers believe a company's customer experience is as important as its products or services. This highlights why influencers must prioritize delivering exceptional client interactions.

SMS compliance centers on three key areas: obtaining proper consent, creating relevant content, and adhering to message sending rules.

Every area has concepts that every influencer should adhere to in order to avoid any compliance issues. The table below breaks it down.

4. Implement Personalization and Segmentation

Look at these two messages. Which one are you likely to respond to?

Message A

“

Join our coaching program today! Limited spots available. Sign up now: www.coachlink.com

Message B

“

Hi Sarah, congrats on completing Week 3! By now, most clients hit a dip in motivation, which is totally normal. This week, focus on refining your client pitch deck. Remember, consistency beats perfection. You’ve got this!

Of course, you’d go with B because the message is personalized with a unique touch to appeal to you.

That’s the real power of personalized SMS marketing. It places your client at the center, making them feel seen, valued, and respected.

But here’s the catch: true personalization goes beyond simply inserting a first name. You also need to tailor your message to where the client is in their journey, their goals, and the challenges they’re working to overcome.

For example:

If a client has just signed up for your influencer program, a personalized SMS might be:

“

Hi Sarah, welcome aboard! To kick things off, here's a quick worksheet to help you clarify your top 3 goals for the next 90 days.

But if the same client has been working with you for six months, a better message might be:

“

Great work hitting your last milestone, Sarah! This week, focus on refining your sales script. Remember, minor tweaks can make a big difference.

Segmentation makes the example above possible. It enables you to segment your audience based on purchase history or location, allowing you to build stronger relationships.

Start segmenting your audience from the very beginning as you build your subscriber list. With tools like Mobile Text Alerts, you can easily organize clients into groups and send laser-focused messages that truly resonate.

5. Keep Messages Short and Punchy

The power of SMS lies in its simplicity. Unlike email, this isn’t the place for long explanations or full articles. You’ve got 160 characters to grab attention and deliver value, so make every word count.

Stick to one clear message per text, whether it’s a reminder, a tip, or a call-to-action. Maintain a conversational and natural tone, as if you were speaking directly to your client.

Remember: clarity beats cleverness. If your audience has to re-read the message, you’ve lost them. Aim for short, sweet, and actionable.

Pro tip: Before sending, ask yourself, “Would I stop and read this if it popped up on my phone?” If the answer is yes, you’re on the right track.

6. Frequency Control

A Reddit user shared a story of how they almost ruined their Shopify store by sending an SMS blast without a strategy. The backlash was intense, with recipients feeling annoyed and overwhelmed.

Image source

Your influencer business isn’t any different. In fact, the risk is even higher because in some cases you’re offering a one-on-one service. If clients feel bombarded or irritated, they’ll disengage much faster, and that can hurt both your reputation and your sales.

Experts recommend keeping your SMS cadence light, about 1–2 texts per week or 3–4 per month. These can work great for appointment reminders, quick motivational nudges, or helpful tips.

The best way to figure out what works for your clients is through A/B testing. Try different frequencies with small segments of your audience and see what feels right. The goal is to strike a balance: staying present without overwhelming them.

What you want to avoid is making clients feel pressured or “pushed” into sessions. When the timing feels natural, communication stays positive and leaves both you and your clients satisfied.

SMS Marketing Done the Right Way

We’ve covered quite a bit of ground, so let’s quickly recap the main points to make sure we’re on the same page:

• SMS marketing is about strengthening relationships with your clients rather than blasting promotions.
• Automation helps you stay consistent without adding extra work.
• Tracking key metrics gives you the data you need to improve results.
• Staying compliant builds trust and keeps you legally safe.
• Personalization and segmentation make your clients feel valued and supported.
• Keeping messages short and managing frequency prevents overwhelm, allowing communication to remain natural.

If you’re ready to grow your influencer business with clarity and confidence, start by applying even one of these strategies today. Small, intentional steps will create lasting impact.

Finally, SMS marketing shouldn’t feel like guesswork. But without the right tools, that’s exactly what it becomes.

Mobile Text Alerts provides business influencers with a platform that eliminates the stress of sending SMS messages. It’s simple to use, packed with features for influencers, and designed to help you scale your campaigns with confidence. Get a free trial now to see for yourself.