Ring in the Revenue: 8 Texts to Send in January
Put up that spankin’-new wall calendar and dig out those barely-used gym clothes, because the season of fresh starts is upon us.
After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, January is a time to turn inward and focus on one’s own health and goals. And if getting more serious about SMS falls into that bucket for your brand, then there’s never been a better month to kick your strategy into high gear.
The first month of the year brings tons of shiny new opportunities to text your subscribers, including these 8 dates.
In this article (click to jump to a particular section):
January 1: New Year’s Day
Break out the noisemakers and pop the champagne, because 2023 is officially here!
Ring in the new year with subscribers by helping them kickstart their resolutions or simply giving them a cool 23% discount.
Here’s a great interactive example from beauty brand Glow Recipe.
The best part about a campaign like this is that you can use the zero-party data gleaned from subscriber responses to send targeted messages all year long.
Here’s a more promo-focused New Year’s text from supplements brand Insane Labz.
January 2: National Returns Day
When it comes to gift-giving, it’s the thought that counts—even if that thought missed the mark. Encourage subscribers who ended up with unwanted items to return them and spend the cash on something they actually like. (Shhhh—we won’t tell Aunt Edna!)
You could even launch your first conversational campaign of the year with this one! Ask subscribers to reply with the worst gift they received during the holidays, and reward the best (a.k.a. worst) response with a gift card they can use to buy something they really want.
January 4: National Trivia Day
Who doesn’t love a good brain teaser? Get your subscribers’ wheels spinning with an interactive campaign to test their knowledge. Choose a topic that aligns with your brand, and reward correct responses with a discount code.
Here’s an example Wandering Bear Coffee created using Response Branching in Postscript’s Campaign Flow Builder.
And here’s the reply they loaded up for subscribers who answered correctly with option 2.
Don’t worry, though—even those who missed this question received a nice consolation prize.
January 11: International Thank You Day
A heartfelt thank you goes a long way, and trust us when we say that your most loyal customers will never tire of your expressions of gratitude.
So, tell them how much you appreciate their support—and encourage them to pay it forward by thanking someone who has positively impacted their lives as well.
Here’s a simple example from wall art brand Tailored Canvases.
Or, take a really basic approach and send a simple text in honor of this occasion: Thanks for supporting our brand and business. We appreciate you!
January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
This is a popular day for sales, but more importantly, it honors the life, legacy, and dream of one of America’s most important civil rights leaders. If it aligns with your brand, take this opportunity to celebrate Dr. King’s lasting impact.
Here’s an example from fashion brand Your Beautiful Boutique.
January 21: National Use Your Gift Card Day
How many subscribers still have holiday gift cards laying around (or buried in their email inbox) just waiting to be used? Probably quite a few considering that half of Americans have at least one unused gift card to their name—totaling somewhere around $21 billion nationwide. It’s your responsibility to help them spend those monies!
Give ’em a nudge to redeem their gift card balances—and maybe a discount to make their unspent dollars go further. Here’s an example from skincare brand Keeva Organics.
January 24: National Compliment Day
Whether you’re on the giving or receiving end, compliments just feel good! Get the positive vibes flowing with a text sharing some words of affirmation for subscribers. You could even personalize your pick-me-up by asking them to respond with the type of compliment they’re craving—WORK, FAMILY, FRIENDS, or LOOKS.
January 27: National Fun at Work Day
Hopefully you have fun at work every day, but this is the day to up the ante. Make it interactive by asking subscribers to text back a photo of themselves having a great time at the “office”—wherever that may be. Reward them with a discount or a cup of coffee to make their day even better.
Like any New Year’s resolution, staying committed to your SMS marketing strategy takes discipline. Luckily, our team has done some of the heavy lifting for you with our 2023 SMS Marketing Calendar, which you can access here.
It contains dozens of timely SMS campaign ideas and examples for each month, so your fountain of creative inspiration never runs dry. Get it, bookmark it, and prepare to turn SMS into your brand’s number-one revenue channel for 2023!
