How to Write Short Text Messages

This article was co-authored by Tami Claytor and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Tami Claytor is an Etiquette Coach, Image Consultant, and the Owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting in New York, New York. With over 20 years of experience, Tami specializes in teaching etiquette classes to individuals, students, companies, and community organizations. Tami has spent decades studying cultures through her extensive travels across five continents and has created cultural diversity workshops to promote social justice and cross-cultural awareness. She holds a BA in Economics with a concentration in International Relations from Clark University. Tami studied at the Ophelia DeVore School of Charm and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her Image Consultant Certification.

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Text message marketing is a great way for small business owners to engage customers and share information. When a text about sales or PSAs is too long, it can feel diluted, put off your reader, or get broken into multiple texts that get sent out of order. Thankfully, you can craft the perfect short text by including a few key pieces of information and carefully organizing your words for maximum impact. Read on for a list of strong openers, information to include, and ways to cut words that will leave your text messages engaging and impactful in 160 characters or less.

Identify yourself.

• “JOE'S HOT DOGS Your order is ready for pickup.”
• “Ahmad's Flowers: Get 30% off rose bouquets this Valentine’s Day.”
• “Lily’s Library: Your rental is overdue.”

Personalize the message with the recipient’s name.

• “Sharon, Register for Corner Shop rewards today!”
• “Hi Emiliano, Your table at Corcoran’s Pub is ready.”
• “Bev, Will you donate to Mark For Mayor?”

Open with an attention-getting fact or announcement.

• “Did you know 80,000 acres of forest disappear every day? Sign our petition…”
• “Dara, It’s our biggest sale of the year! Use code SALE…”
• “1 in 5 children go hungry in the US each year. Will you donate…”

Put the important information at the beginning.

• “Timmy’s Toy Shop: Your gift is ready for pickup at 123 Main St. Call 555-5555 for delivery. Send HELP for more info.”
• “Oak Park Animal Shelter: Dozens of shelter dogs in Oak Park need homes. Learn more about pet adoption in your area at the link below. STOP to unsubscribe.”
• “Darrel, Sign Free Tree’s petition to save historic oaks on Main St. We’re counting on your support! Click to sign, share & learn more info.”

Include a clear call to action.

• “Subscribe to our email list by Jan. 31 for 10% off your next order.”
• “Call your Alderman to oppose the new Zoning Ordinance before City Council meets on Friday.”
• “Pick up your birthday cake today.”

Double-check your message for easy readability.

Use short words and sentences, simple phrases, and clear directions. You want your text to be understood by as many people as possible, so think of groups like students, people who speak English as a second language, or those who only have a second to glance at their phone. Even super readers will appreciate a short and sweet message. [3] X Research source Examples of simple language include:

• “This ordinance is bad for trees along Main St” is easier to read than “This ordinance, if passed, will negatively impact the trees lining Main Street.”
• Just say “This is our biggest sale of the year” instead of “We have a lot of sales every year but this one is the biggest.”
• “Use code WIKI for 25% off boots” reads better than “If you want to get 25% off boots, use the code WIKI.”
• While you're at it, make sure that there are no typos or grammatical errors in your message. [4] X Expert Source

Leave out jokes and strong emotions.

• Instead of “You know we love when our white chocolate is on sale,” just say “Our white chocolate is on sale!”
• Ditch “Why did the chicken cross the road? To try our new winter menu!” for “Try our new winter menu.”
• Trade in “We’re outraged by the new City Council proposal” for “Sign our petition to oppose City Council’s proposal.”

Make it skimmable with lists or bullet points.

• “Reply with your preferred time:
  • 11:30 AM
  • 12 PM
  • 1:45 PM”

  Take out any unnecessary words.

  

  • “Our super exciting Annual Sale” becomes “Our Annual Sale.”
  • “You’ll really love our new fall collection” gets shortened to “You’ll love our fall collection.”
  • “Stop by our giant superstore anytime this weekend” becomes “Visit our superstore this weekend”
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  Reword your message to be more concise.

  Rearrange or delete words to shorten sentences without changing their meaning." width="460" height="345" />

  • Choose the active voice over the passive voice to cut words. For example, “1 in 5 children are affected by hunger” becomes “Hunger affects 1 in 5 children.” [9] X Research source
  • Cut unnecessary prepositional phrases. “Visit our downtown location on 11th & 45th” can just be “Visit our downtown location.”
  • Place the subject of the sentence at the beginning. Instead of “There are 6,000 stray cats that need homes,” try “6,000 stray cats need homes.”

  Use contractions.

  

  • “Do not” turns into “don’t.”
  • “Can not” turns into “can’t.”
  • “They are” turns into “they’re.”
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  Use standard abbreviations for professional texts.

  

  • “&” for “and”
  • “info” for “information”
  • “3 PM” in place of “3 p.m.” or “three o’clock”
  • “msg” for “message”
  • “US” for “United States”

  Include a link with more information.

  

  • “Click for tix & more info: bit.ly/3rzhlT9”
  • “RSVP for our grand opening celebration: bit.ly/3rzhlT9”
  • “Take our customer satisfaction survey here: bit.ly/3rzhlT9”
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  Only use periods when necessary.

  

  • Leave a period off of the final sentence or instruction: “. Limited time offer. Text STOP to unsubscribe”
  • Remove a period after an all-caps introduction: “WE NEED YOUR HELP Sign the petition…”

  Expert Q&A

  Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Advertisement

  Tips

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