How Fitness & Wellness Businesses Can Master SMS and Email Marketing

Did you know the average SMS click-through rate ranges from 20 to 35%? That makes SMS marketing a powerful tool for kicking off timely campaigns and driving engagement. While email remains a cornerstone for building client relationships, the popularity of mobile phones has made SMS an essential channel for managing the customer lifecycle and staying connected in real time. 

Both email and SMS aim for the same goals and use similar strategies, from acquiring new clients to retaining existing ones. When used effectively, integrating the two can enhance client experiences, provide consistent messaging and branding, and enable communication with audiences in ways that encourage higher engagement. 

Whether you own a gym, fitness studio, salon or spa, keep reading to learn how to master both channels to connect with your clients, deliver personalized experiences, and boost revenue.

How SMS marketing stands out

Communicating effectively with current and prospective clients means meeting them where they are, and for many, that’s on their phones. SMS marketing stands out as a highly effective and personalized way to connect with the modern consumer. Text messages boast a 97% read rate within 15 minutes of delivery, ensuring your message gets seen almost instantly. 

The average consumer is enrolled in eight SMS programs, and 63% of those subscribed to at least one brand’s SMS marketing program have made a purchase from a text message in the last three months. This shows that consumers are open to receiving relevant updates, discounts, and offers directly from brands they trust. Here are some additional reasons why SMS should be a key part of your business's marketing strategy.

SMS is a good first touchpoint

When it comes to launching limited-time offers or seasonal campaigns, SMS marketing is an ideal first touchpoint. The average smartphone user checks their phone 96 times a day, creating countless opportunities to grab their attention. SMS marketing is highly effective at reaching them directly and prompting immediate action. Whether you're promoting flash sales, event registrations, or timely updates, SMS ensures your message reaches your audience when and where they're most engaged.

SMS is ideal for connecting with loyal clients

Consumers are more selective about signing up for a brand’s SMS program than they are an email list. While this leads to a smaller contact list, it consists of the most dedicated audience members—those who have explicitly opted in to receive messages from the businesses they love and trust.  

This exclusivity offers a unique opportunity to create highly targeted and meaningful messages for your most dedicated audience. For example, you could send an SMS thanking your loyal clients for their continued support and offering them a 20% discount on their next class package, personal training session, or spa treatment. Messages like these not only show appreciation but also encourage repeat visits and deepen the connection with your brand. 

Where does email marketing come in?

Email is a tried-and-true marketing channel, so it takes little to convince you that it can provide immense value on its own. However, in today’s crowded digital landscape, it’s starting to lose its edge. That’s where SMS marketing comes in. By pairing email with SMS, you can break through the noise and capture your audience’s attention like never before. Here’s how. 

You have a wider reach

Most businesses have been growing their email lists for years, making email a cost-effective way to reach a broader audience. While SMS is perfect for engaging your most loyal customers, email's broader reach makes it ideal for mass communication and even encouraging subscribers to opt into your SMS program for more personalized updates and offers. 

Email allows for long-form content

While SMS is perfect for short, sweet, and direct messages, email excels at delivering more detailed content. Since you're not bound by character limits, you can share multiple updates, additional content, and more detailed information, all in one message.  

Email’s capacity for longer-form content makes it ideal for relationship-building and sharing awareness or consideration-phase information where clients may want more details. It’s also great for non-time-sensitive updates, complementing the immediate nature of SMS while providing a deeper dive into your brand or offerings. 

The dynamic duo: Email and SMS

Throughout history, legendary duos like Batman and Robin, Shaq and Kobe, and peanut butter and jelly have proven the power of teamwork. Now, email and SMS join the ranks as a dynamic pair for modern marketing. These two channels don’t just coexist, they thrive together. The key is orchestrating them to create a seamless, personalized, and highly effective communication strategy for your business. 

It's important to understand that not every customer will prefer the same channel; some may choose email, others SMS, and many will opt for both. By meeting your clients where they are and offering flexible communication options, you can deliver a better overall experience.  

When you use both channels together, you gain valuable insights. By analyzing how different segments perform on email versus SMS, you can refine your messaging and craft more strategic customer journeys. This helps you understand which types of content work best on each platform, ensuring your communications are both targeted and impactful. 

How to maximize impact with email and SMS

Now that we've covered how email and SMS work together, let's discuss strategy.  

Secure sign-ups

Subscribers are the foundation of any successful SMS program. Without them, your retention efforts can't take off. Here are some simple tips for streamlining SMS sign-ups: 

• Combine email and SMS sign-ups: Create a seamless experience that encourages users to subscribe to both channels at once. For example, offer an incentive like, “Sign up for email and SMS to get a free class”
• Keep your branding consistent: Design your SMS sign-up form to match the look and feel of your brand, just as you would for an email sign-up modal
• Capture preferences during sign-up: Use your welcome flow to gather valuable information like birthdays, interests, or service preferences. This data will help you personalize future messages and enhance the customer experience

Personalize your triggered messages

Class booking reminders, membership renewal alerts, and open appointment books are just a few examples of triggered messages that fitness and wellness businesses might send via email. By incorporating SMS into your strategy, you can double your chances of conveniently connecting with current and potential clients.  

For example, with appointment booking reminders, SMS can serve as the ideal first touchpoint, sending a quick reminder shortly after a client browses your schedule but doesn’t book. This immediate outreach acknowledges their intent and provides a convenient nudge. If the SMS doesn’t lead to a booking, you can orchestrate a follow-up email within a set time frame, offering additional details like class benefits or an exclusive discount. 

Customize campaign messages

SMS marketing allows for more advanced techniques in delivering the right messages to specific audience segments at the optimal time. For example, you can send personalized and seasonal reminders about an offer about a New Year’s discount or offer exclusive last-minute holiday gift cards to specific customer segments. 

Choose the right channel for the right message

During promotional periods, clients can feel overwhelmed by repeated emails. In these situations, SMS can be an effective tool for sending messages like “last chance” or “sale ends soon.” You can also target these messages specifically to clients who haven’t made a purchase or booked yet, or to a segment that is part of a “purchases only sale items” list. 

Use preferences to segment messages

With email and SMS marketing you can use preferences gathered through SMS to tailor your email campaigns. If a client shares their skincare concerns or favorite treatments via text, you can use that information to personalize your emails. When you send an email promotion or new product announcement, including images and offers that align with their preferences and interests, such as highlighting acne treatments or their favorite hair care products, makes your message more relevant and engaging. 

Track your progress

Key performance indicators (KPIs) for email and SMS marketing differ, so it’s important to define your SMS goals upfront to measure success and guide improvements. The specific KPIs you choose should align with your brand’s objectives, ensuring you focus on the right areas to optimize your program's performance. Some key metrics to track include:  

• New sign-ups
• Conversion rates
• Click-through rates
• ROI
• Opt-outs
• Delivery rates 

Elevate your client relationships with SMS and email marketing

Integrating SMS and email into your marketing strategy unlocks new opportunities to engage your audience with personalized, multi-channel communications. With Mindbody's partnership with Attentive, you can seamlessly set up and manage personalized SMS and email campaigns directly within the Mindbody platform, connecting with clients where they are and driving repeat interactions. Whether you're starting fresh or optimizing an existing program, this powerful integration helps you align SMS and email for meaningful results.