Let’s face it, gang, not all months are created equal. I mean, get outta here, March. But October? October is the bee’s knees of months. Fall is in full swing, hoards of gourds are perched on our porches, and the distant BFCM hum that you thought might be tinnitus is beginning to crescendo in your ears. 

While cooler weather won’t stop ecommerce from heating up, we’re here to equip you with 8 of our strongest October SMS ideas before the curtain opens on 2023’s final act.  

October has no shortage of opportunities to delight and connect with your subscribers. From an all-star roster of national food days to heartfelt celebrations of teachers and more, there is campaign inspiration aplenty! So grab your PSL and buckle up. 

Whether you’re a coffee dealer yourself or just enjoy a cup of joe every morning, International Coffee Day is an easy SMS content win for any brand. Here’s how one of our favorite bean-black-belts, Nguyen Coffee Supply, celebrated the occasion (note the down-to-earth brand story they paired with the sale)  

Most of us aren’t slinging coffee for a living, but that shouldn’t stop you from participating! Take Collective Labs, for example - they offered up a free morning read about the effects of caffeine on hair health:

Then, of course, there’s the dark side of coffee: teeth stains and caffeine jitters. Snow Teeth Whitening did some java jiu-jitsu to pitch their solution: 

The global veggie food market is estimated to grow from approximately $16 billion to $36 billion by 2031. Nutritional and environmental concerns drive more and more consumers toward plant-based diets, meaning it’s high time to water your veggie subscriber beds. Highlight a product or simply share a meatless recipe via SMS (Sans-Meat Sends). Nutrex Hawaii took the opportunity to throw a vegan product flash sale: 

But Vegetarian Day content doesn’t have to be on the nose. For example, here is Gozney stirring up some engagement with a controversial prompt: 

For the twelve of us left who still have CD cases sitting in our glove compartment, it’s time to party. Music is an easy way to connect with any consumer; your brand is no exception. Share your carefully curated playlist, or engage with subscribers by asking them to contribute to one. There’s perhaps no one better in the playlist game than Graza, who regularly shares some wild collections of hyper-specific songs:

Sure, the global festival starts at the end of September, but it extends into its namesake month. Don’t miss the chance to revel in celebrating the world’s oldest beverage (well, that’d be mead—but close enough). 

Sharing a beer is a tried and true way of turning acquaintances into friends, which is a great reason to text those on-the-fence subscribers. Try engaging them with pub trivia or run a promotion encouraging subscribers to use the savings on a pint with their best chums. 

And if you’re not a fan of hops, raise a glass of something less sudsy and write an earnest toast to your subscribers in gratitude for their support. There’s more than one way to connect with your list as beer lovers worldwide fill their steins.

Standing in stark contrast to World Vegetarian Day is our favorite meat delivery system: the taco (yes, yes – there are some excellent veggie taco options, too). 

We’re big fans of this spicy taco-themed product drop that Doe A Deer promoted in honor of the occasion: 

Outer Aisle leaned on content over discounts and shared some keto-friendly recipes that drove traffic to their site: 

A continually underappreciated group of superheroes, teachers deserve a big shoutout on October 5th (and every day). As school ramps up, show love to educators with a personal anecdote about a favorite teacher or discount a back-to-school product in your lineup.

Tamela Mann struck home with a simple thank-you note to teachers worldwide, asking users to contribute stories of how educators made a difference in their lives:

While Passion Planner paid homage with a massive 50% sale on school supplies:

Here’s a chance to do something a little unorthodox: SMS gamification. Celebrate the world’s most renowned detective with a campaign that invites subscribers to solve a mystery. 

For example, if you’re a cookie brand, your campaign could range from a simple trivia question about baking to a keyword campaign that guides respondents through a short, choose-your-own-adventure mystery, perhaps investigating who raided the cookie jar.

Give those daily Wordle addicts something new to chew on, and spend a little time crafting an on-brand puzzle for your list to enjoy. 

Reward those who solve the mystery with an exclusive deal at the end, or give participants exclusive access to a limited product. Regardless, who doesn’t love a challenge? Use subscriber’s responses to engage with them and create a memorable SMS experience (Could make great content for later, too). The game is afoot! 

Of course. The grand finale of our October textathon. Halloween is a quiet revenue behemoth in ecommerce, so it’s essential to get your SMS game plan in order. 

We’re still giving a standing ovation to Kizik for the fun “horror’ short they shared. What better way to stand out on a busy marketing holiday than to entertain with a full-blown parody film? 

S’moo opted for fewer jump scares, sharing a fun picture of their Halloween costume and asking subscribers to do the same. No ask, no sale, just connection, and fun: 

And, of course, you can always participate in the wordplay Olympics and try your hand at some Halloween punnage like Cable Bullet: 

As BFCM approaches, October is an excellent window for connecting with your list and making plans for the coming holidays. Use campaigns to tinker with your segments and assess engagement levels, test some discounting or cashback strategies, and experiment with offers to drive list growth before the coming chaos! We’re ready for it - and we want you to be too. Book a call with us – we’d love to help you gameplan!