If you’re looking to increase conversion rates for sales outreach, texting is a great place to start. While the average open rate for emails hovers from 26-42%, almost all—98%—of text messages are read.
Though most text messages are read, not all are responded to. Do you know what will keep you from getting left on read?
There are plenty of best practices out there for sales texting that can help you get started with SMS. But what should your message content actually look like?
We know that salespeople are busy, and may not have the time to test messaging to optimize SMS content.
But don’t worry—here at Verse, we text millions of customers weekly—and we know which messaging performs best.
In this blog, we’ll go over seven surefire ways to boost your reply rate for sales text messaging, using real sales text message examples that include dos and don’ts.
Opting in to SMS for sales
Before getting started, it’s vital that prospects are opted in to receive sales text messages.
People can opt in by checking a box and entering their phone number on your form. This form should include things like your business name, a disclaimer that message and data rates may apply, a link to your privacy policies, and opt-out instructions.
This list isn’t necessarily all-inclusive; ensure that you (and your team) are educated on opt-in practices before texting customers. You can read more about opt-ins here.
To be clear, you should never text a prospect that has not opted in to receive texts from your brand.
Sales text message examples (based on real data)
The double text
Don’t be afraid of double texting!
Double texting refers to when you open a conversation with two messages: the first for compliance purposes and the second to sound human.
Here are two sales text message examples of double texting versus single texting.
Double text:
- Message 1: Thank you for contacting Dream Homes. We’ll be reaching out shortly to help you with your request. Reply stop to cancel at any time.
- Message 2: Hi Ray, this is Alex from Dream Homes. We just received your inquiry from our website, and we’re excited to help you find your dream home in Minnesota. To start things off, would you be interested in scheduling a tour at one of our communities?
Single text:
- Message 1: “Hello Maria! This is Cameron on behalf of The Potempa Team with OneTrust Home Loans. Thank you for reaching out regarding your mortgage needs. I wanted to ask a couple of questions to get you over to one of our loan officers. Is now a good time to text? You can reply ‘Stop’ to end the conversation at any time”
Our data shows that opening with a double text yields 192% more responses.
This is likely because the first text gets all the important compliance information out of the way: identifying yourself and providing an opt-out. The second text seems like it came from a human.
With the single text, people may think it’s entirely automated.
The “check in”
Follow up is extremely important. When re-engaging leads with SMS for sales, be direct, to the point, and brief.
Whatever you do, don’t “check in”.
We’ve consistently seen that open-ended messages, especially those referencing “checking in”, perform more poorly than messages that get to the point.
People likely see the text message and don’t immediately know what to reply. Once they read it, they’ll probably forget you even said anything.
Checking in is not a direct question, and it’s not referencing any earlier conversation. Make sure it’s relatively obvious what you want the prospect to do.
Something like “Is now a good time to chat?” works substantially better in SMS for sales because it warrants a quick reply—whether that’s a yes or no.
Even if the prospect answers with a “not right now”, it shows that they still care enough to get back to you. You can then easily try to schedule a time to talk in the future.
Something like “Let me know” references an earlier conversation, poking them to answer any questions that may have been forgotten earlier.
The tone: Friendly and understanding
Texting differs from phone calls in the way that your tone is not always clear. For that reason, it’s best to be extra-friendly so that your positive tone is crystal clear.
To build rapport, you always want the recipient to know that you are understanding, patient, and happy to help.
Here’s a pair of sales text message examples of what to say versus what not to say:
In this example, “Still interested?” could come off as cold or dry. Though adding “by chance?” is a small thing, it changes the tone of the SMS entirely, reducing any implied pressure and adding humility.
SMS for sales is also less serious than email. Though it’s best practice to avoid overusing emojis, “:)” can work well for sales texting when used appropriately.
Straight-to-the-point SMS for sales
Decision-makers are often busy people—heck, many of us are.
SMS is fast, easy, and to the point—that’s the beauty of it. When you’re not direct in SMS sales outreach, people are much less likely to reply.
Here’s a couple of sales text message examples of what to say versus what not to say:
Instead of sending a lengthy text, send a short question. Like with “checking in”, when using SMS for sales, it’s way better to make sure the recipient knows what you want them to do.
Length of text messages
Again, texts are great because they’re short, sweet, and to the point. Though long messages can be necessary and helpful, save those for email.
Here’s one sales text message example to avoid: an SMS that’s written like an email.
- “Hello! I hope you’re doing well. Just a friendly reminder that we’re able to address any queries or provide further information you may need.”
Texting is not as formal and polite as email. No one wants to read a long text, so skip the intro and get right to the point. Keep sales texts short and to the point.
At Verse, we most often keep our text messages in the 30-39 character range—especially when talking to new leads. It’s always best practice to keep text messages under 320 characters.
This isn’t to say that longer messages are never okay.
If you are already texting with a prospect and need more characters to get your point across, go for it. As long as you’re saying something important with those characters, it likely won’t reduce your likelihood of getting a reply.
Just don’t make texts longer than they need to be, or use formalities that should be reserved for emails.
Qualifying questions via SMS
Make sales texting your new qualification engine. Our data consistently shows that leads are more likely to reply to qualifying questions via text.
It is important to note that we will only ask qualifying questions once a lead has engaged in the conversation, so they are therefore more likely to respond.
However, this trend still points to customers’ willingness to respond to simple and relevant questions.
Here’s a few sales text message examples of qualifying questions:
- What is the price point you’re looking to stay around for this purchase? (74% reply rate)
- I would be happy to help. Is this your first time getting pre-approved? (88% reply rate)
- What is the price range you’re looking to stay around? (82% reply rate)
- Great, I just have a few questions so I can get you connected with a lender. Has your employer changed within the last 2 years? (92% reply rate)
Lead nurture via SMS
So your prospect isn’t ready to talk now, or anytime soon, and you’re not sure what to do.
Do you just keep texting them “Let me know”’s? Definitely not.
Instead, prospects are usually much more responsive to receiving marketing communications that may interest them.
This is a great example of a sales SMS from a mortgage company:
- “Ok no problem. In the meantime, can I send you some information on our communities just so you can keep a pulse on what’s available in the future?”
If you’re not a mortgage company, the text can be reworded to fit your industry.
This way, you can continue to nurture the lead via SMS, providing them with any helpful information. Extremely important in lead generation, nurturing helps ensure that every lead gets to its full potential.
Not only does nurturing keep you top-of-mind for the prospect, it also establishes you as a helpful resource.
As 73% of leads are not ready to buy, it’s very important to nurture leads rather than rushing them into a purchase. In the end, nurture drives revenue, as nurtured leads make purchases that are 47% larger than non-nurtured leads.
Fully-managed SMS for sales: Verse.ai
Two-way texting is tough. While texting itself is time-consuming, compliance can also be tricky and intimidating to navigate.
Plus, texting is extra difficult when prospects don’t reply, or reply at odd times—but still expect a prompt response from you.
That’s why Verse takes care of every aspect of customer texting for sales and marketing teams.
We fully-manage your customer conversations, meaning that we engage with, follow up with, and qualify every single lead for you.
We send you warm, qualified leads that are ready to talk on the phone or book an appointment with your team—helping your team drive revenue and save time.
Experts in SMS script design, we’ll work with you to create scripts that convert with proven best practices and data-based trends.
With our dedicated Carrier Relations team, we also mitigate compliance risks by reviewing your campaigns and opt-ins. Reap the benefits of SMS without any of the hassle with fully-managed, 24/7 SMS coverage.
Verse is your partner for powerful SMS for sales. See how much money you could save with Verse—try our ROI calculator!
