Bulk SMS Campaign Checklist Every Marketer Needs

You wouldn’t run a Facebook ad without a plan, so why send SMS blindly? Bulk SMS campaigns are an incredibly effective way to reach your audience directly. However, without proper planning, your messages could fall flat, waste your resources, and annoy your customers. Just like other marketing channels, SMS requires structure, strategy, and execution to ensure it delivers results.

This article’ll walk you through a bulk SMS campaign checklist to help you craft a successful campaign every time. If you want to improve your SMS marketing efforts, bookmark this checklist or download it for future reference.

Step 1: Define the Goal of Your Campaign

Before you send a single SMS, you must define the goal of your campaign. Ask yourself: What do you want to achieve with this message? Are you trying to:

Generate leads
Increase sales
Recover abandoned carts
Notify customers about a special offer or event
Promote a new product or service

Your campaign goals should be specific, measurable, and actionable. Tying your campaign to clear KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) like click-through rates, conversion rates, or customer responses will help you gauge success and refine future campaigns.

For example:

Goal: Increase sales by 15% within the next month
KPI: Track sales conversions from SMS clicks

Step 2: Segment Your Audience

One-size-fits-all doesn’t work with SMS marketing. Segmentation is key to making your messages relevant and personalised. Sending a bulk SMS to everyone on your list might seem like a good idea, but it can be ineffective or, worse, annoying.

Instead, segment your audience based on behaviour, purchase history, location, or engagement. For example, if you’re sending a promotion, only target active customers who’ve purchased in the last 30 days. You could even segment further, offering exclusive deals for loyal customers or first-time buyers.

Example:

Active Customers: Send promotions or special discounts
Lapsed Customers: Send win-back offers to encourage re-engagement

Segmentation allows you to send highly relevant messages that drive action. And when people see your messages as valuable, your SMS campaign results will skyrocket.

Step 3: Craft a Compelling Message

Crafting an SMS that stands out is more than just writing a few words. Here’s how to create a compelling message that drives engagement:

Keep it short and clear: The ideal SMS length is 160 characters. Make sure your message is brief but impactful.
Personalize your message: Use the recipient’s name or past purchase history to make the message feel personal. For example: “Hi Sarah, your favourite shoes are back in stock!”
Create urgency or a strong CTA: Encourage the recipient to act fast. A compelling Call-to-Action (CTA) could be “Shop now, offer ends tonight!” or “Click here for 20% off your next purchase.”

Bonus Tip: If you’re unsure, A/B test two versions of your message. Try different CTAs or wording and see which one performs better.

Step 4: Check DND and Delivery Readiness

One of the most common reasons bulk SMS doesn’t deliver is due to the Do Not Disturb (DND) feature that many users opt into. In Nigeria, over 60% of mobile subscribers are on the DND list, meaning they can’t receive promotional messages.

Before you send your bulk SMS, it’s crucial to filter out DND numbers to avoid wasting your resources. Platforms like Yournotify help automate this process by identifying numbers on the DND list, ensuring that only deliverable messages are sent.

Also, choose the right SMS route based on the type of message you’re sending:

Transactional SMS: Used for non-promotional messages (e.g., order confirmations, alerts, etc.).
Promotional SMS: Used for marketing purposes, such as discounts or offers.

Step 5: Choose the Right Time to Send

Timing is everything in SMS marketing. You want to send messages at times when your audience is most likely to engage. Avoid early mornings or late nights as these can be perceived as intrusive.

Consider these best practices:

For e-commerce: Lunchtime (12 PM – 2 PM) works well for promotions or flash sales.
For service-based businesses: Late afternoons or early evenings may be ideal.
For urgent notifications: Send immediately or during peak hours when responses are likely to be quicker.

Scheduling your messages ahead of time using platforms like Yournotify ensures that your messages are sent at the right time without manual intervention.

Step 6: Add a Link or CTA (and Track It!)

Including a link or CTA in your SMS can guide customers to take the desired action. Whether it’s a landing page, promotion, or a WhatsApp chat, make sure your link is trackable so you can measure campaign performance.

Use link shorteners like Bitly for easier tracking and clean URLs.
Optionally, add UTM parameters to track the traffic from SMS in your Google Analytics.

Tracking the performance of your SMS campaigns will help you refine your messaging strategy for future success.

Step 7: Test Before Sending

Don’t send your SMS campaign without testing it first. Test it internally or with a small segment of your audience to make sure everything looks good and functions correctly.

Check formatting and ensure the message is clear and error-free.
Test links to make sure they lead to the right destination.
Confirm that any personalisation (e.g., the recipient’s name) works as intended.

Testing helps you avoid mistakes that could harm your campaign’s success.

Step 8: Monitor Performance After Sending

Once your SMS is sent, it’s time to monitor its performance. Key metrics to keep an eye on include:

Delivery rate: The percentage of messages successfully delivered.
Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of people who clicked on your link.
Response rate: The number of replies or interactions with your SMS.

Using platforms like Yournotify’s analytics dashboard, you can track these metrics in real time. This allows you to learn from each campaign and improve your future strategies.

Conclusion: Run Your Bulk SMS Campaign with Confidence

Successful SMS campaigns are not about blasting messages to everyone; you need a well-thought-out strategy to ensure your messages reach the right people at the right time. Following the bulk SMS campaign checklist ensures that your SMS campaigns are impactful, relevant, and deliver results.

Ready to take your SMS marketing to the next level? Try Yournotify for an easier, smarter way to run your campaigns.