SMS has a reputation as the channel that always gets read. People do open texts quickly — which is exactly why they're so easy to overuse. A text interrupts. An email waits. The trick is matching the message to the moment.
What email does best
- Stories, launches and anything that needs pictures
- Longer content: guides, how-tos and product education
- A regular rhythm — a weekly or fortnightly send your subscribers come to expect
- Anything that can be read later without losing its point
What SMS does best
- Time-sensitive news: a restock, a launch going live, the last hours of a sale
- Cart and checkout reminders, where speed matters
- Order and delivery updates people actually want
- VIP moments, like early access for your best customers
A simple rule of thumb
Ask yourself: would this message be annoying if it arrived while someone was in a meeting? If yes, it's an email. If it's genuinely useful right now — the item they wanted is back, their order has shipped — it can be a text.
Consent comes first
Texting people needs their explicit permission, and the rules depend on where your customers live — CASL in Canada, the TCPA in the United States, and others elsewhere. Collect SMS consent separately from email, say clearly what people are signing up for and how often you'll text, and make opting out as simple as replying STOP. (This isn't legal advice; check the rules for your market.)
Where to start
Build email first. It's cheaper per message, more forgiving, and it's where your flows and campaigns will do most of their work. Then add SMS where it earns its place: cart recovery, restocks and launches. Keep texts short, infrequent and useful, and your list will thank you for it.
Not sure whether SMS is right for your brand? Book a strategy call and we'll give you an honest answer.
