Take a Leap: 10 SMS Campaigns to Try in February
February is a little longer this year, which is an excellent excuse for an extra SMS send or two. It features sale-heavy holidays like Valentine's Day and President's Day for ecommerce brands looking for winter-time boosts, and fun traditions like Groundhog Day and Mardis Gras to round out the month with opportunities to flash some personality in your campaigns.
Plus, 2024 is a leap year. What will you do with an extra 24 hours in '24?
February 2 - Groundhog Day
Here we go again. Forecasting weather systems based on the silhouette of a rodent. Six more weeks of winter? Double down on your winter-themed products as customers bundle up for a bit longer than anticipated. Is spring around the corner? Throw a Groundhog Day sale to clear out some wintery inventory. Either way, this seasonal liminal space is ripe for transitional promotions and copy as we await the decree of shadow-fearing Phil. Watch how Lotus & Luna does it:
Hippie Cowgirl Couture threw a live "Groundhog Day Extravaganza" sales event on their FB page. Give me "event names that have never been used before" for 300, Alex:
February 6 - Valentine's Shopping Reminder
Not that we've ever procrastinated on a V-day gift ourselves 👀, but your customers might appreciate a reminder that they're cutting it close with shipping times for that perfect gift. Even if they don't purchase a gift from you, they'll certainly log a mental "IOU" for the friendly heads-up.
February 10 - Organize Your Inbox Day
We could all use some more dedicated organization days. Can I say we? Or is this blog just pure projection? Regardless, it's National Organize Your Inbox Day, and while most folks might focus on their 3,437 unread emails (again, projection), this is a perfect opportunity to help your list organize their SMS inbox. How? Send a text that suggests two things:
1.) Include your contact card and invite subscribers to save it! This way, future texts will come through with your brand's name and logo (if you include it)
2.) Encourage your list to opt out of messages if they are no longer interested in your products, content, or promotions! This always sounds counter-intuitive, but clear opt-out opportunities are essential for stronger segments, loyalty, and relationships with your subscribers. Or you can always encourage folks to get a head start on their spring cleaning as JOI did:
February 11 - Superbowl
Who ya got? Poll your list for their bets and then automate some lighthearted texts based on their responses. Or source some user-generated photos by asking subscribers what their snack table looks like. On that note, it never hurts to share a gameday recipe. We tried this wing recipe from Graza and will be going back to it with much enthusiasm. Here are some of our favorite game-day texts from last year:
February 13 - Mardis Gras
The final days before Lent, a chance to party, or both—Mardis Gras means indulgence, so give your list the opportunity to do just that! Here are some Fat Tuesday texts that stood out to us last year:
February 14 - Valentine’s Day
Love is literally in the air as millions of shoppers await their gift deliveries in on one of the busiest days in ecommerce. Consider that many star-crossed lovers may be encountering your brand or product in gift form for the first time. This is an opportunity to turn them into repeat customers by offering the gift purchaser helpful post-purchase resources, education, or content to pass along to their significant other. Create an automation for February buyers that asks how their gift was received! 🤞Whatever message you land on, make sure it's from the heart. We loved this campaign from Micro Kickboards:
Curl Bible
February 19 - Presidents' Day
Lincoln and Washington aren't around to receive their birthday gifts, so pass along the goods to your SMS list. Presidents Day is a staple sales day for ecom brands, so be sure to schedule some SMS messaging in the week leading up to your sale to help you stand out amidst the coming promotional noise.
February 21 - International Pancake Day
We won't waffle on about how a stack of flapjacks is the quickest way to everybody's heart, but a well-timed Pancake Day text could have you selling products like hotcakes this February. We're definitely making breakfast for dinner tonight after receiving this mouthwatering text from Peanut Butter & Co.:
February 27 - National Protein Day
How are those New Year's fitness resolutions holding up? Check-in with your gym-going subscribers with an encouraging word on National Protein Day. You could offer a deal for some mid-winter motivation, suggest a tried and true workout routine, or share some protein-packed knowledge like Bare Performance Nutrition did here:
February 29 - Leap Day
A day that comes around every four years is one you can't let go to waste. Leap Day is the perfect opportunity to try something like a flash sale, driving serious urgency and excitement for a very limited time. You could stick with a promotion as simple as a 29% CashBack or discount or throw giant sweepstakes for a 4-year supply of your product to one lucky leaper. Or you can always wish a happy birthday to the incredibly special subscribers born on February 29 (offer them a free gift?).
The last time it was Leap Day, Postscript was still in its early days - so here are a couple of examples from the archives:
Did you send a campaign that you're particularly proud of recently? We'd love to see it and feature it on Fantastic Texts— just drop us a note at marketing@postscript.io. Happy Leap Year, and happy texting!
