When you communicate, it is important that you make yourself understood. Language is the main tool we use to communicate with others. In order to achieve effective communication, we have to use language that the recipient understands. Good content is of no use if the language is not understood. The same applies when you using SMS to communicate with your customers. You have to adapt the language to the recipients, so be careful what you say!
The language is the most important tool you have in an SMS. The message have to be short and concise, and you have to make yourself understood. You should use language that resonates with your customers and shows that you know who you are talking to. The language and wording of the messages will vary depending on your target group. There are many different factors to take into account, but you make your job significantly easier if you know which generation your target group belongs to.
Here are three things you should do to formulate understandable and effective messages:
1. Start with a bang
The first sentence of the message determines whether the customer spends time reading the rest of the SMS or not. Start by capturing the customer's attention. If there is a campaign or information that you know the customer wants, then it must be made clear straight away.
2. Have a strong Call-To-Action
Don't be afraid to be creative with the way you encourage your customers to take action. As long as you have a clear goal behind the CTA, you can use everything from humor to FOMO to give your customers a final nudge over the finish line.
3. Personalize your message
Personalization is one of the most effective ways to get your messages read. Include the customer's first name, include relevant information about products or services they need and provide them with personalized offers based on their interests and shopping patterns.
Some things may be a good fit for one target group, but not at all for another. With that said, the following are 2 things you should do, but with care:
1. Use slang and abbreviations
Slang and abbreviations can be very effective if you know your target audience well enough to know that they understand them. If not, you risk using words and expressions that make your message incomprehensible or that could be misunderstood.
2. Include references
If you are targeting Gen Z, a reference to pop culture or a popular TikTok trend can make your message stand out and be perceived as relevant to the target group. If, on the other hand, you use a reference that your customers do not recognize, it can do more harm than good.
Last but not least, here is one thing you should avoid at all costs is:
1. Using the wrong language
It doesn't matter if you have a fantastic offer if your target group doesn't know the language. It will be like shouting "fire" to a group of tourists and expecting a reaction. If your company directs its marketing towards an international target group, the safest bet is to use an international language such as English.
