10 SMS Holiday Marketing Ideas to Use in 2024

The holiday season presents a golden opportunity for businesses to engage with their audience through SMS marketing. With its high open rates and instant delivery, SMS is an incredibly effective channel to connect personally with customers during this bustling time. 

Whether spreading festive cheer or offering irresistible deals, integrating SMS marketing into your holiday strategy can significantly boost engagement and drive sales.

Let’s explore 10 creative SMS marketing holiday ideas that will maximize your campaign's impact and foster customer loyalty.

1. Exclusive Seasonal Discounts

One of the best uses for SMS marketing around the holidays is promoting seasonal discounts. A customized text can notify customers about flash sales with huge discounts available for a short time only. Or they can push out notifications about subscriber-only benefits to loyal buyers.

Here are some examples you can customize for your clientele:

• Flash Sale: "🎄 Christmas Countdown! 24-hour flash sale just for you! Enjoy [XX]% off all festive favorites. Use code [CODE] at checkout: [LINK] Ends tonight."
• Subscriber-Only Offer: "🎁 Merry Christmas, [FIRST NAME]! Enjoy [XX]% off your next purchase with code [CODE] at checkout. Valid until [DATE]."
• Secret Santa Mystery Deals: "Feeling festive? 🎅 Your Secret Santa gift is waiting! Use code [CODE] at checkout to unlock a special Christmas surprise. Shop now: [LINK]"
• Gift Card Promotion: “This holiday season, give your loved ones the gift of choice—and gift yourself [$XX] cash back for every {$XX} spent. Share the joy: [LINK]"

Whatever seasonal deals you have going on, SMS is the best way to tell customers about them.

2. Personalized Holiday Wishes

Beyond product notices, there’s value in extending heartfelt greetings to customers, particularly around the holidays. Based on their purchase history or background information they’ve provided, you can send salutations based on cultural or other holidays they observe —

• Christmas: "The [COMPANY] family wishes you and yours a Merry Christmas!🎄"
• Hanukkah: "Chag sameach, [FIRST NAME]! 🕎 Happy Hanukkah from everyone here at [COMPANY]."
• Kwanzaa:  "Heri za Kwanzaa, [FIRST NAME]! [COMPANY] wishes you and your loved ones a joyous Kwanzaa.”

These thoughtful messages go beyond baseline SMS marketing and selling products. By nurturing your customers and being genuinely kind, you’re selling them on your brand.

3. Last-Minute Deals

Back to the sales-forward messaging, SMS is an ideal way to communicate any last-minute or event-based promotions you have going on, urging them to act fast and exclusively via text.

Here are some use cases for this kind of message:

• Countdown Offers: "[HOLIDAY X] is [Y] days away. Do you have your gifts yet? 🎁 Our holiday sale features discounts of up to [Z%]. Shop here: [LINK]"
• Final Shipping Alerts: "Today’s the last day to place orders for guaranteed delivery before [DATE]. Click this link to ensure your loved ones get their gifts on time: [LINK]"

A big difference between SMS and email is how urgent the former can be. Use that to your advantage by encouraging customers to act right away to maximize their (and your) benefits.

4. Rewards and Loyalty Incentives

Loyal customers are the lifeblood of any company, and you want to be extra sure you make them feel appreciated when the holiday season comes around. To that effect, consider adding or building on an existing loyalty program with holiday-themed bonuses communicated via SMS:

• Double Points Days: "Hey, [NAME]! This holiday season, we’re giving back—from [DATE] to [DATE], loyal customers like you earn double points on select purchases. Shop now: [LINK]"
• Special Holiday Rewards: “We know holiday shopping can be a blessing and a curse. So we’re giving exclusive deals to our SMS subscribers to help you knock out your list with ease."

Make your most valued customers feel special with deals they’ll love—it’ll keep them buying at the rate they already are, encourage more and bigger purchases, and draw in more devotees.

5. Gift Guides and Suggestions

People stress out about gift-giving around the holidays. The psychological toll of giving good gifts that people will enjoy is real—even if it ultimately comes down to being an empathetic spy.

Your company can help alleviate these feelings with customized suggestions via SMS, like:

• Curated Gift Ideas: "🎁 Stumped on what to gift? Explore our curated Christmas gift guide! Perfect for [Interest e.g., Tech Lovers, Foodies, etc.]. Find their perfect gift today: [LINK]"
• Personal Shopper Suggestions: “Hey [NAME]! Treat yourself or your loved ones this Christmas with these gifts we’ve selected based on your previous purchases: [LINK]"

Make holiday shopping easier for customers, and you’ll be a go-to for all their gifting needs.

6. Interactive Content

Another innovative way to use SMS messages is to make them a true two-way street where you’re interacting with customers and engaging them. Rather than pushing out just one or two messages, lead into an extended conversation with open-ended questions. Or provide a link to a survey they can fill out with an incentive such as promo credit or free shipping on an order.

Here’s how these kinds of messages could look:

• Holiday Poll: "🎄We value your opinion! Help us choose our next holiday product. Which would you prefer: A) [OPTION 1] or B) [OPTION 2]? Reply with A or B. Happy Holidays!"
• SMS Contest: "Celebrate the season with our 12 Days of Giveaways. How are you incorporating [BRAND] into your holiday decorations? Send in a picture for a chance to win [$$$] in gift cards."

On another level, you might also consider using Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages instead of (or in tandem with) SMS for more interactivity with this kind of messaging strategy.

7. Seasonal Tips and Advice

Providing value is a best practice for SMS marketing in any kind of campaign. Around the holidays, you can leverage texts to give your customers tips on preparing for the holidays or making (and keeping) New Year's Resolutions—all with the help of your goods or services.

Here are some ideas for seasonal advice you can provide to your clientele:

• Holiday Recipes: "Looking to WOW your guests this holiday season? Get inspired by our staff’s favorite recipes: [LINK]"
• New Year Resolutions: "🎆 When last year’s resolutions become next year’s resolutions, [BRAND] is here to help—reply YES to hear about our New Year, New You checklist (and related deals)."

Give the gift of wisdom and support to your customers through easily accessible SMS.

8. Thank You and Year-End Messages

The holidays signal that the year is coming to a close, and people from all different traditions often take this time to express their gratitude to friends and family. Companies that join in on that spirit with heartfelt end-of-year send-offs can ingratiate themselves to their clientele.

Here are some examples of how that can look in practice:

• Gratitude Message: "Thank you [FIRST NAME]! As we wrap up the year, we’re grateful for your support and trust. You've been a vital part of our journey. Wishing you a joyous holiday season! – [BRAND]"
• Year in Review: "A Look Back: With your support, we [HIGHLIGHT ACHIEVEMENTS]. As we close the year, we’re excited for what’s next! Thank you for being part of our story. – [BRAND]"

Given customers’ increasing frustration with automated chatbots and other impersonal communication, especially around the holidays, this touch of warmth can set you apart.

9. Sneak Peeks and Early Bird Specials

The holidays are about the end of the year, but they’re also about the start of a new one. Give your customers a sneak peek at what you have in store or incentivize early shopping via SMS —

• New Year Preview: "Get excited, [FIRST NAME]! Here's a sneak peek at our upcoming [202X] launches: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION]. Be the first to discover what's new: [LINK]"
• Early Bird Special: "Early birds save big! Kick off your holiday shopping with [XX]% off on selected products. Use code [CODE] at checkout: [LINK]"

These messages pair well with images like early concept designs, if they can be shared.

10. Charitable Giving Options

Christmas and other holidays in the winter months all put generosity and charity front and center. Companies can tap into their customers’ gift-giving spirit with opportunities to donate through their purchases.

These kinds of messages can be as simple as:

• Charitable Giving Options: "Spread the joy this season! For each purchase made with code [CODE], we’ll donate [X%] to [CHARITY NAME]. Make a difference while you shop: [Link]"

As with #2 above, you should be mindful of your customers’ traditions and cater messages to them—or cast a wide net with neutral language like “giving season” or “happy holidays.”

Spread the Joy With Text-Em-All

As the holiday season approaches, SMS marketing can give your business a competitive edge. Personalized and engaging content can not only increase sales but also build stronger customer relationships.

Take the next step in optimizing your holiday campaigns with Text-Em-All's SMS marketing platform. Get started now and transform how you communicate, ensuring your message resonates and captures the holiday spirit.

Sign up today and make this season your most successful yet!