Text Message Marketing Case Studies

SMS Marketing Case Study: Chili’s Grill and Bar

Chili’s is everyone’s favorite Southwest-style restaurant, and they’re as savvy with SMS marketing as they are with burgers, ribs, and fajitas. Chili’s SMS marketing strategy is based on a text-rewards program that provides members with incentives. Below, we take a closer look at the kinds of text messages that Chili’s serves up, from their efficiency to their formatting, copy, clarity, media usage, and more.

 

Chili’s SMS Marketing Examples: Sweet and Savory Messaging

Chili’s typically sends out messages featuring deals and free products once or twice a week. The examples themselves are pulled from smsarchives.com. Check it out for more SMS marketing examples from Chili’s and other top brands, or keep reading to see our Chili’s analysis below.

 

Chili’s SMS Marketing Example 1

In our first example, we see a holiday-focused mobile alert from Chili’s. It’s a 3 for $10 Independence Day deal. The message follows a standard format, including an identifying tag (“Chili’s”) at the start of the message, a short description of the deal, and instructions for unsubscribing at the end. This message also includes a link with an image preview, which accomplishes three things: it keeps the formatting clean, provides a tempting image of food (which is always a winner in advertising), and gives Chili’s a tool for checking click-through rate and gauging product interest.

 

Chili’s SMS Marketing Example 2

Much like the first example, subscribers receive the deal followed by a link to take advantage of the deal. In this case, the promotion itself is different, and it allows Chili’s to encourage social distancing and to convey exclusivity at the same time. This message, sent during the COVID-19 pandemic, offers subscribers a free dessert for staying home and socially distancing. Through this, Chili’s does a few things: they continue to serve and satisfy consumers, they frame Chili’s as a socially conscious and responsible brand, and they provide incentives for new potential subscribers. It’s a solid message strategy all around.

 

Chili’s SMS Marketing Example 3

Our third example is your garden-variety rewards program coupon. This message uses the same format as the previous examples, but provides some different information. This message includes a timeline for the coupon’s validity instead of other specific details, which is suitable for the generalized coupon being offered. All of these text message marketing examples are slightly unique, which enables Chili’s to test which message type performs best, so they get more revenue and results out of every text message they send. In fact, it’s one of the things that we love about text message marketing — it’s extremely measurable so you know exactly how much your brand will make every time you send a message.

 

Chili’s and TCPA Compliance

Chili’s uses a rewards program for their SMS marketing, rewarding consumers for signing up with exclusive deals. The sign-up page on their website is not only well designed and fluid, but also clear and open, with all the standard TCPA compliance checklist items.

The checkbox for consent is more than the standard one-liner “I consent to receive messaging.” Chili’s describes the full extent of what the consumer can expect from the program, the opt-out command, and the “subscription is not a condition for purchase” disclaimer right on the page. They also provide links to the Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Put simply, Chili’s does an excellent job of meeting TCPA standards and general transparency guidelines. Their example is a good one to follow.

 

Getting Started with SMS Marketing

If you’d like to see more case studies like this, or if you have SMS marketing, MMS marketing, or RCS marketing questions, we invite you to explore our free text message marketing resources. If you’re interested in starting your own SMS marketing campaign or modifying an existing one, Tatango is here to help! Give us a call to set up a successful text message marketing program today.

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