A drip campaign is a series of texts sent one after another on a schedule, starting when a person joins it. For example, a new subscriber might receive a welcome text on the first day, a useful tip three days later and an offer a week after that, without anyone at the business sending each text by hand. SMS drip campaigns suit any message that follows a predictable path, such as welcoming a new customer, following up on an estimate or inviting back a customer who has not returned.
This post gives six drip campaign examples with ready-to-copy texts and suggested waits between them, followed by how to set one up in CampaignCNX+ and how to measure it. Drips are one of the scheduling tools covered in our text message marketing strategy guide, which walks through the whole plan.
How a drip differs from other scheduled texts
| Tool | What it does | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled text | One text to a group at a set date and time | Offers, events, holiday notices |
| Repeating text | The same text to a group on a repeating schedule, such as every Friday | Weekly specials, class schedules |
| Drip sequence | A series of texts, each sent a set time after the one before | Welcomes, follow-ups, win-backs |
The main difference is that a drip's timing is counted from when each person joins, not from a date on the calendar. Two customers who join a week apart receive the same texts a week apart. That makes a drip a poor fit for anything tied to a fixed date, such as an event on a particular Saturday. Use scheduled texts for those.
Rules for every drip
Before anyone gets a text
- Ask in writingThe form or sheet says plainly that they agree to receive texts from you.
- Keep the recordNote the date and where each person signed up.
- Send at reasonable hoursQuiet-hours scheduling keeps texts out of the night.
- Honor STOPA STOP reply is handled automatically.
- Get consent first. Most drips are marketing, so they need the customer's prior express written consent: a clear, written agreement to receive marketing texts from your business. Our post on SMS opt-in requirements explains what that agreement should say.
- Introduce yourself in the first text. Name your business and end the first text with "Reply STOP to opt out".
- Keep each text under 160 characters where you can. A longer text is sent in parts, called segments, and each part is billed as one text.
- Keep the sequence short. Three or four texts covers most purposes. Space them days apart, not hours.
- Plan for the customer who acts early. Write later texts so they still read well if the customer has already booked or bought. A line such as "If you've already booked, thank you" does this.
- Respect sending hours. CampaignCNX+ sends texts only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the recipient's time zone.
Replace everything in brackets with your own details, and check each finished text's length.
Example 1: Welcome series for new text subscribers
Start this sequence when someone signs up for your marketing texts. It sets expectations, gives something useful and then makes a first offer.
- On sign-up: a welcome that says what to expect.
- 3 days later: practical information, such as hours or how to order.
- 7 days after that: a first offer.
Welcome to [Business] texts, [Name]. Expect up to 4 texts a month with news and offers. Reply HELP for help. Reply STOP to opt out.
[Business]: a few things worth knowing. We're open [Hours], and you can book or order anytime at [Link].
[Business]: as a thank-you for joining, enjoy [offer] on your next visit. Show this text or use code [Code] by [Date].
Example 2: New customer follow-up
Start this sequence after a customer's first purchase or first visit. It thanks them, asks for a review and invites them back.
- On the day of the visit: a thank-you.
- 1 day later: a review request.
- 3 weeks after that: an invitation to book again.
Thanks for choosing [Business], [Name]. If you have any questions about your visit, just reply here. Reply STOP to opt out.
[Business]: if you have a minute, we'd appreciate a review of your visit: [Link]. Thank you either way.
[Business]: [Name], when you're ready for your next [service], you can book at [Link]. Reply here with any questions.
Send the review request to every customer in the sequence, not only the ones you expect to be happy. Review platforms have their own rules on how businesses may ask for reviews, so read them before you start. Our guide to customer retention texts has more review request and loyalty texts.
Example 3: Estimate follow-up for home services
Start this sequence when you send an estimate to a customer who asked for one. Because these texts encourage the customer to go ahead, treat them as marketing, and include a texting consent checkbox on your estimate request form.
- When the estimate is sent: the link to the estimate.
- 3 days later: an offer to answer questions.
- 7 days after that: a last note with the date the estimate expires.
[Business]: hi [Name], your estimate for [job] is ready at [Link]. Reply here with any questions. Reply STOP to opt out.
[Business]: checking in on your [job] estimate. We're glad to answer questions or adjust it. Reply here or call [Phone].
[Business]: a last note on your [job] estimate, which is good through [Date]. If you've already decided, thank you for considering us.
Keep these texts about the estimate. If the customer says no or asks you to stop, end the sequence there, and do not move them into your promotions group unless they agreed to marketing texts.
Example 4: New member onboarding
Start this sequence when someone joins a gym, studio, club or membership program. The first three texts help the member get started. The fourth is a marketing text, so send it only to members who agreed to marketing texts.
- On joining: a welcome with the schedule.
- 1 day later: what to bring to the first visit.
- 6 days after that: a check-in.
- About 3 weeks after that: an invitation to bring a friend.
Welcome to [Business], [Name]. Your membership is active, and class times are at [Link]. Reply HELP for help. Reply STOP to opt out.
[Business]: for your first class, bring [items] and arrive 10 minutes early. The front desk will show you around.
[Business]: how is your first week going, [Name]? Reply here with any questions about classes or your membership.
[Business]: you've been with us a month. Bring a friend to any class this week, free. Details at [Link].
Example 5: Seasonal service follow-up
Start this sequence after a seasonal service visit, such as lawn care, gutter cleaning, furnace or air conditioning service, or tire changes. The long wait between the first and second texts is the point: the reminder arrives when the next service is due.
- After the visit: a thank-you with the service record.
- About 5 months later: a reminder that the next seasonal service is due.
- 2 weeks after that: a last reminder.
[Business]: thanks for having us out, [Name]. Your service record is at [Link]. Reply here with any questions. Reply STOP to opt out.
[Business]: [Name], it's about time for your [season] [service]. Book a visit at [Link] or reply with a day that suits you.
[Business]: a last reminder about your [season] [service]. Book at [Link] or reply here. If you've already booked, thank you.
A reminder that a service is due encourages a purchase, so treat it as marketing and send it only to customers who agreed to marketing texts.
Example 6: Win-back for lapsed customers
Start this sequence for customers who have not been back in noticeably longer than usual. Three texts, then stop.
- First text: a friendly check-in, with no offer.
- 1 week later: an offer with an end date.
- 2 weeks after that: a last note.
[Business]: hi [Name], it's been a while since your last visit. We'd be glad to see you again. Book at [Link]
[Business]: [Name], come back by [Date] and get [offer] on your next [service]. Book at [Link] or reply here.
[Business]: our last note about it, [Name]. Your [offer] ends [Date]. If now isn't a good time, no reply is needed.
Setting up a drip in CampaignCNX+
In CampaignCNX+, a drip sequence is a series of texts sent on a schedule. Setting one up takes a few steps.
- Write the texts first. Draft them in a document, fill in a real example of each placeholder, and check every length.
- Create the sequence. Add each text in order, and set how long to wait before each text after the first.
- Personalize. Use a merge field to fill in each person's first name.
- Add people to it. Add contacts one at a time or a whole group at once. Each person receives the first text, then the rest in order at the waits you set.
- Make adding people a routine. For a welcome or new customer sequence, add the day's or the week's new sign-ups on a set schedule, so no one waits long for their first text.
- Handle replies. Replies arrive in the shared reply inbox (an add-on, included on Enterprise). STOP replies are handled automatically, and a customer who opts out receives no further texts from your number.
Our page on text message automation shows how drips, scheduled texts and repeating texts work together.
How to measure a drip campaign
What one text costs on each plan
Look at each text in the sequence, not only the sequence as a whole.
- Opt-outs by step. If STOP replies gather after one text, rewrite that text or remove it.
- Replies by step. Note which texts bring questions, and add the missing detail to the text.
- Actions. Count bookings, orders or code words used after the offer text, using your own sales or booking records.
- Cost. Multiply the texts sent by your rate. As an example, 100 new subscribers a month in a three-text welcome series is 300 texts, or $18 a month at $0.06 a segment on pay as you go.
Change one text at a time, and give each change a few weeks, so you can tell which change made the difference.
Build your first sequence
The welcome series is a good first drip, because every new subscriber should receive it and it rarely needs to change. Start a CampaignCNX+ business trial. 100 free SMS included. Your number is $5 a month.
