In a world of crowded inboxes and constant notifications, effective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in the form of email and text messaging isn’t about sending more, it’s about sending smarter. Whether you’re communicating through email or text (SMS), the goal is the same: deliver the right message, to the right person, at the right time.
CRM channels like email and text are powerful because they’re personal. These messages land directly in someone’s inbox or phone, making relevance, timing and clarity absolutely critical. Start with some best practices to help your email and text campaigns connect, engage and convert.
Start With Segmentation For Stronger Email and Text Messaging
Before you write a single word, define who your message is for in each particular instance. Generic messaging leads to generic results. But specific messaging for a specific set of people generates tailored results that the receiver will find to be helpful and motivating. Segmentation can be based on:
- Past purchases or behaviors
- Engagement history
- Location or timing
- Lifecycle stage (new lead, active customer, lapsed customer)
Write Like a Human in Email and Text Messaging
People don’t want to read corporate language in their inbox or texts. CRM messages should sound conversational, clear, and approachable. Even in B2B environments, friendly and direct almost always outperforms formal and vague. For both email and text messaging try to:
- Use short sentences and simple words
- Avoid jargon and buzzwords that you might use in your marketing department
- Write how your brand would actually speak to a person, as if they were a person
Make the Value Clear and Get to the Point Fast
You only have a few seconds to earn attention, especially on mobile. Always ask yourself: What’s in it for the reader and make sure they can tell immediately.
For Email Messaging:
- Subject lines should quickly communicate benefit or relevance (remember your character count here is 60, including spaces)
- The first sentence should reinforce why this matters to the reader
For Text Messaging:
- Lead with the purpose of the message
- Avoid burying the point under greetings or filler
- Remember you have a maximum of 160 characters, including a link and the best practices phrase “Text STOP to end” at the end of the SMS
Keep Calls to Action (CTAs) in Email and Text Messaging Simple and Specific
Every CRM message should guide the reader toward one clear next step. Avoid stacking multiple asks or multiple CTAs into a single message. Focus in your messaging increases a reader’s follow-through.
Best practices for strong CTAs:
- Are action-oriented (“Book your spot,” “Download the guide,” “View your offer”)
- Match the intent of the message
- Feel easy to complete
Optimize for Mobile (Because That’s Where It’s Read)
Most CRM messages are read on phones, even emails are mobile first these days. If it’s not easy to read on a small screen, it’s unlikely to be read at all.
Best practices:
- Use short paragraphs and plenty of white space
- Avoid long blocks of text
- Make buttons large and easy to tap
- Keep SMS messages concise and skimmable
Test, Learn and Refine Your CRM Messaging
The most effective CRM programs evolve over time. Even small improvements in open rates or click-through rates can lead to significant gains. Consider regularly testing:
- Subject lines
- Send times
- Message length
- CTA wording
- Personalization
When it Comes to Email and Text Messaging, Be Helpful First, Promotional Second
At its best, CRM messaging feels like good service to loyal customers, not advertising. When emails and texts deliver value, solve problems or save time, they build trust that lasts beyond a single click. Strong email and text messaging isn’t about filling calendars or hitting send quotas. It’s about building relationships one relevant, well-timed, precisely-crafted message at a time.