AI SMS marketing copy not cutting it? Maybe it’s your prompt

Just because SMS messages are short doesn’t mean they’re always easy to write.

With a (very) limited character count, every letter matters.

Don’t let writer’s block stop you from reaping all the benefits from this valuable marketing channel. After all, our 2024 SMS consumer trends research found that more consumers are buying more often from SMS messages: 86% of consumers we surveyed made two or more purchases in the last year from a branded text.

So next time you’re grasping for that perfect word or impactful phrase for your SMS marketing campaign, try using AI to speed up the process. It’s easy to do, and the best AI SMS tools can even help you generate on-brand text campaigns for your products or upcoming promotions—in seconds.

Keep reading to learn how to use these AI SMS tools, write more effective prompts to get the best outputs, and generate multiple variants for A/B testing.

4 tips for more effective AI prompt writing

The beauty of generative AI tools is that their algorithms are constantly learning and improving. The more you use them, the more they’re able to adapt to your brand’s voice and style.

But there are a few best practices to incorporate into your AI SMS marketing strategy—these will help you get the best results or outputs quickly, without having to go through as much trial and error.

1. Use full sentences with natural language

Typically, you should write AI prompts the same way you would describe the product or promotion to a friend or colleague in an email or text message. Most AI tools understand natural language, and this is the best way to help them understand what outputs you want.

For example: “Use a fun tone of voice to announce [brand name]’s new zinc-free sunscreen that launches May 20 at midnight. The first 50 customers who purchase one will get a bonus mystery sampler.”

Keep your tone conversational, and for clarity, avoid using abbreviations or short-hand “texting” language. The more details you give to the AI tool, the more information it has to work with and the better the copy will be.

2. Be specific and provide context

You’re essentially teaching the AI tool about what you want to say before it generates the text message copy for you, so be specific and include all the key details.

These might include specific discount percentages, dates, timelines, and context for the purpose or goal of your AI SMS marketing campaign. When in doubt, pretend you’re briefing someone on your team who has no idea what this campaign is about, and be sure to overcommunicate the details.

3. Iterate until you get what you want

One thing to remember about generative AI tools is it may take a few tries for them to generate copy that really fits what you want. If you find that the first few outputs aren’t quite what you’re looking for, try adding more details or adjusting the instructions.

With Klaviyo SMS AI, you’ll typically get 3 options—two shorter variants and one longer option that takes two SMS credits to send.

If the suggestion isn’t a perfect match, just hit the “Get more ideas” buttonto generate more options.

Team members at apparel and accessory brand Proozy are pros at using Klaviyo SMS AI to quickly iterate on ideas. “The SMS AI is probably my favorite tool,” says Alex Case, Proozy’s director of ecommerce. “There’s no bias toward the word it used yesterday,” even when the offer is the same—unlike with human copywriters.

Case estimates that Klaviyo SMS AI saves his team about 10 minutes per text—and that Klaviyo’s generative AI tools as a whole are saving his team about 45 minutes a day.

It’s paying off. In 2023, Klaviyo helped drive a 120.4% YoY increase in Proozy’s SMS click rate and a 22.6% decrease in their SMS unsubscribe rate.

4. Test and refine your copy

With SMS marketing, make sure you’re always testing and refining what messaging works best for your audience.

Let’s say you’re about to release a limited run of a new product. That’s a great opportunity to reinforce the value of being an SMS subscriber to your brand, so you decide to offer an exclusive pre-order opportunity so your subscribers can get their hands on it first.

You’re curious which variation of copy will drive the most conversions, so you enter this prompt into Klaviyo SMS AI: “We’re launching our new state-of-the-art French Press soon. Our SMS subscribers are getting exclusive first access to this new product before anyone else. They can pre-order this amazing new product starting today.”

The tool will give you 3 message variations, which you can A/B test. Here are some examples of the type of SMS copy it’ll generate:

Variation A: “[First Name], be the first to savor perfection! Pre-order our new French Press today, exclusive to our SMS subscribers.”

Variation B: “Secure your spot! Get early access to our state-of-the-art French Press. Pre-order yours now!”

Variation C: “Attention coffee lovers! Be the first to experience our state-of-the-art French Press! As a valued SMS subscriber, you now have exclusive access to pre-order this amazing product before anyone else. Get yours today!”

You can also try tweaking your prompt to include more details: “We’re launching our new state-of-the-art French Press in a month. For the first run, we’re only selling 500. Once we sell out, customers will have to wait until we restock. Our SMS subscribers are getting exclusive first access to this new product before anyone else. They can pre-order this amazing new product starting July 20, for the next 2 weeks. Use a mysterious and intriguing tone of voice.”

By adjusting the details and even stylistic direction, you can find the message that will most likely resonate with your audience and match your brand’s voice.

5 SMS prompt examples

Notice the details these prompts include, such as how the text should sound (“engaging” or “persuasive”) and specific instructions for what the SMS should promote.

Start using Klaviyo SMS AI

With tools like Klaviyo SMS AI, it’s easier than ever to bust through writer’s block and generate a ton of on-brand SMS campaigns in just a fraction of the time it used to take.

Using these prompt writing tips, generating multiple options for A/B testing, and exploring additional uses of SMS AI can further enhance your writing process. Embrace the power of AI, and you’ll find that breaking through writer’s block is not only possible—it’s enjoyable.

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