Best practices
Best SMS Practices for Local Square Businesses
Great local SMS is short, specific, and respectful. These practices keep deliverability healthy and messages feeling human — especially when AI helps you scale.
Updated 2026-08-11 · 6 min read · ReturnFlowHQ
Write like a human, not a billboard
One idea per text. Lead with relevance. Avoid ALL CAPS urgency and fake scarcity. Sound like the shop, not a corporate template farm. If you would not say it at the counter, do not send it.
- One CTA: visit, reply, or redeem — not all three
- Name the shop once; skip slogan spam
- Prefer concrete items over vague “specials”
Time it to real visits
Send inside local hours when people actually come. Exclude today’s visitors. Use cooldowns so nobody feels spammed. A perfect text at 11pm still feels wrong for a breakfast concept.
Offer only when it helps
Not every win-back needs a discount. Many guests return for a great reminder. Save stronger offers for deeper lapses so you do not train the list to wait for deals.
Invite light replies
A simple craving or preference question turns one-way blasts into conversation — and teaches the system what people want next. Keep the ask easy to answer in three words.
Protect the channel
Clear STOP. Honor opt-outs immediately. Watch opt-out rate as a health metric, not just a legal checkbox. Spikes usually mean copy, frequency, or list quality — not “bad customers.”
Operator checklist before every batch
Confirm send window, exclude today’s visitors, skim a sample of drafts for tone, verify STOP/HELP, and know which segment you are measuring afterward. Five minutes of review beats a week of cleanup.
- Sample 5–10 drafts before approve
- Check location/number match on multi-unit
- Note baseline opt-out so you can spot spikes
FAQ
How long should a marketing SMS be?
Aim for one short screen: a hook, a reason to visit or reply, and STOP language. Longer copy belongs in a landing page, not the text.
What opt-out rate is a red flag?
Context matters, but a sudden jump after a batch usually means frequency, list quality, or copy tone. Pause volume, review samples, and fix before the next send.