This guide provides best practices for crafting engaging and professional messages for both email and SMS in CleanCloud. Following these tips will help improve customer engagement, maintain your brand's voice, and ensure your communications are effective, no matter which channel you use.
Best Practices for All Communications
These core principles apply to both emails and text messages.
Guide Your Customer to the Next Step (Call to Action)
Every message should have a clear purpose. Tell your customer what you want them to do next, whether it's visiting your website, placing an order, or leaving a review. The format of this "Call to Action" (CTA) will look different in an email versus a text message.
Match Your Brand’s Tone
Whether your brand is professional, friendly, or playful, keep the tone consistent. This builds trust and brand recognition.
Avoid Spammy Language
Using ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation (!!!), or pushy sales phrases can hurt your deliverability and make your message feel inauthentic. This is especially true for email subject lines.
Email Best Practices
Emails allow for more detail, personalization, and visual formatting.
Write a Compelling Subject Line
This is the most important part of an email. Keep it concise (under 50 characters is best for mobile) and make it clear what the email contains.
Use Clear, Clickable CTA Buttons
Emails are perfect for visually distinct, clickable buttons. Use clear, action-oriented text on your buttons to drive the desired action.
"Order Today”
“Leave a Review”
“Track Your Order”
Personalize Your Emails with Dynamic Fields
Dynamic fields automatically insert customer-specific information into your emails, making them feel more personal and engaging. Our marketing tool supports two powerful fields to help you connect with customers:
%Customer_Name%: This is used by default, it adds a personal touch by automatically inserting the customer's first name.
%REFERRAL_CODE%: Drives word-of-mouth growth by inserting a unique referral code for each customer. This makes it effortless for them to share your business with their friends.
Example: "Share this unique code with a friend to give them 20% off: %REFERRAL_CODE%".
SMS Best Practices
SMS messages are for immediate, concise, text-only communication.
Keep Messages Short and Sweet
Keep SMS Messages Under 160 Characters This is a strict technical limit. Keep your content short and to the point.
Use Short Links as Your Call to Action
Since you cannot use buttons, your CTA in a text message should be a direct, clickable link. Use a link-shortening service (like Bitly) to keep the link brief and save valuable character space.
💬 Keep SMS Greetings Generic 💬
SMS messages don't support personalization with dynamic fields (like %Customer_Name%). For best results, we recommend starting with a friendly, general greeting (like "Hey there!") or an engaging hook instead.
👉 For more on writing effective SMS messages, check out: Marketing SMS Templates and Guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is there a character limit for email subject lines?
A: While there is no technical limit, most desktop and mobile email clients will cut off subject lines after 50-60 characters. It's best to put the most important information first.
🛟 Need more help?
Explore our Help Center articles for answers. Contact us for further assistance.