SMS vs. Email for Premium Brands: What’s the Right Mix?

Email, on the other hand, allows for storytelling and brand immersion but risks getting lost in crowded inboxes. 

The right balance between the two is essential. For premium brand positioning, the challenge lies in maintaining a seamless customer experience where exclusivity, brand voice, and value remain uncompromised.

Why Owned Channels Matter More Than Ever

Brands are increasingly moving away from reliance on paid channels, seeking to build lasting and direct relationships with their customers. Rising acquisition costs, stricter data privacy regulations, and iOS tracking changes have made CRM strategies increasingly valuable. 

Owned channels like SMS and email not only give brands control over messaging and timing but also deliver significantly higher ROI by targeting customers already engaged with the brand. For premium brands, these channels ensure the brand narrative isn’t diluted.

The Pros and Cons of Email for Customer Engagement

Pros

• Highly brandable: Emails allow full creative control and supports long-form storytelling.
• Segmentation-friendly: Tailor content to different audience tiers or regions for more relevance.
• Cost-effective and scalable: Particularly valuable for nurturing relationships over time with a low cost.

Cons

• Saturation: Inbox competition is increasingly challenging, as customers may receive dozens of marketing emails daily.
• Lower open rates: Even the most beautiful designs can be overlooked and scrolled through quickly.
• Risk of generic messaging: Without personalisation, email can lose its premium feel.

The Pros and Cons of SMS

Pros

• High open rates: Often above 90%, ensuring messages are seen quickly.
• Immediacy: Perfect for time-sensitive campaigns like flash sales or limited releases.
• VIP experience: With the right tone and targeting, SMS can create a personal invitation. 

Cons

• Perceived intrusiveness: Overuse or irrelevant messages can lead to opt-outs.
• Limited real estate: Short copy means less room for storytelling, requiring precise messaging.

For luxury brands, opt-in strategy is crucial. Position SMS as an exclusive channel, such as “members only” or “first access”,  and ensure every send justifies the interruption.

Tone, Frequency & Brand Voice: Striking the Right Balance

Maintaining a consistent brand voice across SMS and email is essential.

• Frequency: For premium positioning, less is often more. SMS should be used sparingly for high-impact moments, while email can maintain a regular but not overwhelming cadence.
• Channel positioning: SMS thrives on scarcity and urgency; email can build depth and value.

Voice: Keep both channels aligned with your brand’s tone.

Use Cases: When to Use SMS, When to Use Email

Email: Long-form editorial content, seasonal storytelling, product launches with full details, post-purchase flows, loyalty updates.

SMS: VIP access alerts, early launches, limited-time offers, event reminders, personal service follow-ups.

How to Layer SMS and Email for a Seamless Brand Experience

The best premium strategies treat SMS and email as partners, not competitors.

• Complementary flows: Send a teaser via SMS (“Tomorrow at 10am see an exclusive preview”) followed by a richly designed email with full product imagery and copy.
• Avoid duplication fatigue: Never send identical messages across both channels on the same day.

Smart segmentation: Use behavioural triggers, e.g., only send an SMS if a customer hasn’t opened the related email.

What the Best Premium Brands Are Doing

• Fashion label drop alerts: Some luxury fashion brands send SMS invites to VIP customers 24 hours before a new collection drops, followed by an email with the full lookbook.

• Private shopping experiences: Premium watch brands invite high-spend customers to private viewing events via SMS, with follow-up details sent by email.

SMS and email each have their strengths, but they work best in harmony. The goal is to curate a customer journey where every touchpoint enhances brand perception and drives meaningful engagement.

Audit your CRM flows today to ensure you’re using each channel where it performs best  and delivering a truly premium experience at every stage.

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