What concise wording should be used in an SMS invitation to make sure it’s informative yet brief?

[Elizabeth_K]

We have SMS marketing in our toolbelt, and we also recently launched our redesigned and modernized event tool, so I’m curious if anyone is using SMS marketing to invite your contacts to your event? (If you didn’t know this was possible, our SMS editor allows for a single URL per message so that you can link to your event’s landing page!) Since it’s best to keep your SMS message concise, what kinds of wording are you using to peak interest, be informative, and keep your character count down? It’s a heavy lift for a single message, but everyone here is resourceful and can pull it off! 

New to SMS or event marketing? Take a look at this article for more information about creating an SMS communication plan, or this article for promoting your event through multiple channels.

[Nick_S · Accepted solution]

Anyone that has had the fortune (misfortune?) to get stuck in a conversation with me knows that I'm a bit... verbose. Concise has never been one of my strong suits. So, I gave this some thought...

When writing, it might be good to create a template you can use as a guide instead of just trying to write stream of consciousness. For example, before I start writing out messages I'd put down something like: [Callout][Invitation details][Sign off and/or include a link].

Then I would start writing out possible copy, such as:

"Don't forget! Join us this Thursday, April 1st, for our wine tasting event. RSVP by March 15th. See you there! Reply STOP to unsubscribe."

"Join us for the wine tasting event this Thursday, April 1st. Local vendors and a raffle included! RSVP by March 15th. Reply STOP to unsubscribe."

Those are about 135-145 characters, give or take. Which leaves a little room for a short URL to be included if I wanted to direct them to the actual event landing page.

[Elizabeth_K]

That's a great and concise formula, @Nick_S! There's also lots of room for variety in it.

You're reminding me of that old saying, "If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter." 😆

[Nick_S]

Hah! I don't think I've heard that saying before, but it's certainly true for me. I can write a lot in a short amount of time, but was it all necessary? 😄

[Chris-S]

I would recommend keeping it short and consise if it were for an event. My eyes glaze over when I receive three-paragraph-long text messages.

"Experience our revamped event! Here are the important details:

Event Name: [Event Name]

Date: [Date]

Time: [Time]

Don't miss out! RSVP at [Event Landing Page URL] as spots are limited.

We look forward to seeing you!"