Cinco, Star Wars, and Sunscreen: 8 Texts to Send in May

Well folks, this just might be the mother of all months—and not just because Mom’s Day is on the docket.

From Star Wars to Cinco and sunscreen to scavenger hunts, May has got something for everyone. And that means you’ve got plenty of reasons to send your subscribers some truly spectacular texts.

Need a little fuel to get that creative engine revving? You know by now that we always gotchu. Check out our top tips, ideas, and examples right here👇

Times are tough. If there’s anything these past two (going on three) years have taught us, it’s that taking care of one’s mental health is crucial—as is supporting the mental health of those around us. To that end, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an event aimed at:

• raising awareness of those living with mental or behavioral health issues, and

• reducing the stigma they often experience.

It’s also a wonderful opportunity to check in with subscribers on their mental health. Offer tips and resources, brighten their day with a sale, or pledge your support to a mental health-focused organization or charity.

In the example below, plant-based bath and body brand Motherland Essentials promotes a recent blog post on self-care and encourages subscribers to show themselves some love with a limited-time 25% off discount.

Natural beauty brand Oxalis Apothecary opted for a stress-relief angle, reminding subscribers to relax and breathe.

Family-owned sticker brand The Cooke Co sent a message of affirmation while introducing subscribers to a special collection dedicated to Mental Health Awareness Month.

Here are a couple of other ways to consider engaging in Mental Health Awareness month:

• Share a personal story. Whether you’ve struggled with mental health personally or have tips on how to overcome bouts of anxiety or stress, this is an opportune time to connect with your audience on a personal level.

• Simply check in. Ask followers how they’re doing, what steps they’re taking to protect their mental health, or just let them know you’re sending them well wishes throughout the month.

May the 4th be with you! This annual favorite is a fun opportunity to craft a clever campaign. Ideas include:

• Running a 4-hour 40% off sale.

• Asking subscribers to text you their best Princess Leia bun selfies to be featured on your brand’s Instagram story.

• Firing off a simple keyword campaign inviting subscribers to respond with their preferred lightsaber color—BLUE for the Jedi or RED for the Sith—and rewarding each cohort with a special discount.

Let’s run through a few examples of Star Wars Day texts that real-life brands sent out last year.

Performance menswear brand Twillory got clever with a text promoting their polos that could have been written by Yoda himself.

Apparel brand Warrior Culture Gear created an MMS campaign with a Star Wars-inspired graphic and launched a special 25% off sale in addition to dropping new products to mark the occasion.

Supplements brand Metabolic Nutrition celebrated with three deals in one: a free Star Wars-themed gift, a 20% off discount, and free shipping.

There are many ways to celebrate this Mexican holiday, but before you run a promotion or campaign, you might want to do a little research into the origins of this holiday. Though many of us here in America look forward to a day filled with tacos and margs, there’s a lot more depth to this occasion—so keep that in mind as you plan your strategy.

With that in mind, here are a few great texts we saw last year.

For this delicious Cinco de Mayo campaign, High Brew Coffee put a spicy (and caffeinated!) spin on tequila cocktails.

Supplements brand Trulean kept things a little more traditional with their take on a healthy happy hour.

Finally, custom home decor brand Metal Unlimited sent a simple, cleverly worded message offering $5 off ornaments in celebration of May 5.

Whether they’re celebrating the moms in their lives or they are moms themselves, your subscribers will appreciate a heartfelt message wishing them a happy Mother’s Day on May 8—with or without a special sale offer.

Hair extensions brand Yummy Extensions hit us right in the feels with this heartfelt message.

Women’s fashion brand By Egreis took a similar approach with this Mother’s Day message from the founder.

Weighted blanket brand Hush Blankets offered a discount for moms dreaming about better sleep.

Bones Coffee swooped in to save subscribers who forgot to order their gifts on time by serving up a digital gift card.

Pop-up greeting card brand Lovepop promoted their expedited shipping option with this timely reminder to place gift orders before the Mother’s Day shipping deadline.

Want to keep it totally conversational? Ask subscribers to submit their favorite photos of themselves with their moms for a chance to win a prize or be featured on your Instagram story.

Or, share your own personal story about becoming a Mom, a happy memory of your own Mother, any personal struggles you might have on this day.

On that note, be mindful that this holiday isn’t happy for everyone. For many, it comes with feelings of loss or pain, so keep that in mind when you plan your messaging. It’s why we always recommend giving subscribers an opportunity to opt out of these types of messages in advance.

Which reminds us…

If you plan on running some heavy marketing leading up to Father’s Day, give subscribers the opportunity to opt out for the same reasons we outlined above. Your subscribers will appreciate the thoughtful heads-up, and better segments for you will ultimately result in higher earnings per message.

Held annually on May 24, this day celebrates the fun of searching for random items or solving a series of clues—all in the name of good fun. This is a great opportunity to experiment with keywords or create a more interactive campaign.

For example, you could use keywords to “lead” folks to finding a deal. Another option is hiding a keyword somewhere on your website or in your Instagram story and asking subscribers to find it and text it to you for the chance to win a prize or receive a special discount.

Here’s a simple example from Detour Sunglasses.

And here’s one from haircare brand Curl Bible.

It could also be as simple as sending an MMS with a word or icon hidden in the image. First subscriber to find it and text back the right answer wins!

Memorial Day weekend is notorious for sunburns as we all emerge to the sunshine after a winter spent indoors, which makes May 27—a.k.a. National Sunscreen Day—the perfect time to nudge subscribers to break out the SPF.

Remind them to lather up and stay in the shade—or recommend some of your brand’s shirts or hats to help them cover up. Don’t sell clothing? Promote other health and wellness products that support good skin health—or encourage folks to take a break inside.

In the days leading up to May 30, fire off a quick campaign celebrating the unofficial kickoff to summer and giving your VIPs first dibs on any holiday deals you’re running. Consider emphasizing the urgency by letting them know exactly how long they have to take advantage of their early access!

One note: Although customers everywhere know this is a time to expect heavy sales, it’s also a holiday that celebrates those who died in active military service—and that can be a tough line to balance as a brand.

Our suggestion? If it makes sense for your brand, run the sale but still acknowledge the holiday and its importance.

Now, let’s run through some examples of effective Memorial Day campaigns we saw last year.

Here’s a simple example from seamless underwear brand EBY.

Here’s another one from golf brand Perfect Practice.

Women’s clothing shop Arrow Twenty Two used a clever MMS campaign to introduce subscribers to a tiered sale where the discount increased with each additional item purchased.

When it’s time to announce your Memorial Day Sale to your full subscriber list, put some extra time and effort into making your campaign stand out. Remember, your subscribers are probably getting a lot of texts and emails about sales this weekend. Things like personalized copy, well-placed emojis, and eye-catching photos or GIFs can go a long way toward grabbing their attention. (Just be mindful of potential MMS delays due to high send traffic.)

Handcrafted watch brand Original Grain put a personal touch on this Memorial Day campaign by honoring their veteran founder and pledging support to a patriotic cause—in addition to offering a site-wide discount.

Hydration brand Hydrant offered three different patriotic discount codes based on order quantity.

Snow Teeth Whitening gave subscribers something to smile about with a sale to help them look their best all summer long.

Perfect Keto fired off several versions of the following campaign to different subscriber cohorts based on their number of past purchases. This one went to subscribers who had purchased once.

And for comparison, this one went to subscribers who had not yet purchased.

Didn’t get as many orders as you wanted over the holiday weekend? Give subscribers who were busy having way too much fun in the sun one last chance to shop your Memorial Day sale. Here are a few examples of “sale extended” messages brands sent out post-holiday.

Forever Grace Boutique sent this campaign to those who didn’t buy over the weekend.

Pet odor eliminator brand Angry Orange kept their “sale extended” text short and sweet.

The sun isn’t the only thing shining in May. With so many fantastic opportunities to text your list, this month is definitely your brand’s time to shine, too. So, cue up those brilliant texts, ya’ll—and get ready to rev up your SMS revenue!