There’s something oddly personal about a text message. It lands directly on your phone — no subject line, no fancy design, no distractions — just a short note meant for you. That’s why when a business sends an SMS that sounds cold or scripted, it jars. It feels like a machine is talking at you, not a person talking to you. And that’s the mistake many brands still make.
SMS marketing works best when it feels human. It’s fast, simple and direct, but it should still sound like someone who understands how people actually speak. The key is in tone of voice — how your words come across, not just what they say. A good message feels like it’s written by a person who knows your brand and your audience, not copied from a customer service manual.
A robotic text is easy to spot. It’s the “Dear valued customer, your order has been dispatched” type of message — polite, but painfully impersonal. It’s also the “Act now for exclusive limited-time offers!” kind — loud but empty. The problem isn’t the information itself; it’s that the tone doesn’t belong in a text conversation. When people get a message like that, they switch off.
Writing conversational SMS is about sounding approachable without being unprofessional. You can still be efficient — SMS doesn’t give you much room to ramble — but that doesn’t mean your tone should be clipped or lifeless. Small touches make a big difference: contractions, natural phrasing, and even the occasional emoji if it suits your brand.
Take something simple like a delivery update.
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Robotic: “Your delivery will arrive today between 09:00 and 17:00.”
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Human: “Your order’s out for delivery today — keep an eye out between 9 and 5 ?.”
Same information, but the second one sounds like it came from a real person. It’s friendlier, and importantly, it feels like it’s meant for you.
Or imagine a café sending a loyalty reminder.
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Robotic: “You have accumulated enough points for a free beverage.”
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Human: “You’ve earned a free coffee — fancy one today?”
Tone of voice doesn’t have to be complex. It’s about writing how you’d naturally say something aloud, keeping things short and warm rather than formulaic.
Personalisation helps too, though not in a forced way. Using someone’s name or referencing their last order can make messages feel genuine rather than generic.
“Hi Alex, your regular flat white’s waiting — we’ll keep it warm for a few minutes ☕”
That kind of familiarity goes a long way in customer engagement. It reminds people that there’s a human behind the brand, paying attention.
There’s also timing to consider. Conversational SMS isn’t just about words — it’s about context. A cheerful message at 10 a.m. might feel friendly; the same one at midnight might feel intrusive. Good communication respects the rhythm of someone’s day.
And while emojis, punctuation and friendly language can make texts more relatable, it’s easy to overdo it. A sprinkle of warmth works better than trying too hard. “Hey bestie!! ???” from a car insurance company is not the vibe anyone wants.
In practice, the best SMS marketing messages feel effortless. They sound like something a helpful person would genuinely send. They still represent your brand, but with a natural rhythm and flow that invites a response rather than commands one.
The conclusion, really, is that businesses don’t need to overthink it — just under-robot it. If your SMS reads like something you’d never say aloud, rewrite it. If it makes you smile a little when you send it, you’re probably on the right track.
Because at the end of the day, customers don’t want a text from “The System.” They want to hear from you.