A short, friendly text is one of the easiest ways to remind your regulars about a holiday sale. But texting customers comes with real rules, and a pushy text can lose you a customer. Here's how to get permission first, keep it short, what to include, when to send for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday 2026, what to avoid, three copy-paste AI prompts, and a made-up example.
Note: This guide is general information, not legal advice. Marketing texts in the US are covered by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), carrier rules, and in some places state laws that can be stricter. Check with your texting platform or a local small business adviser before you send promotional texts.
Step one: get permission first
Before you write a word, make sure the people you're texting actually asked to hear from you. Having a customer's phone number because they paid with a card, booked an appointment, or filled out an invoice is not the same as permission to send them sales and promotions.
Under the TCPA, marketing texts generally need the customer's clear, written agreement first (a checkbox or a text-to-join counts as written when it's done electronically). Carriers and texting platforms add their own rules on top. You don't need to memorize the law, but you do need a simple, honest opt-in process:
- Ask clearly. Use a sign at the counter, a checkbox at checkout, or a "Text JOIN to [number]" sign-up. Say what they're signing up for, such as "sale alerts and holiday offers."
- Say how often. Something like "up to 4 texts a month" sets expectations. Pick a number you'll actually stick to.
- Mention costs and how to stop. The standard line is "Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help."
- Don't make it a condition of buying. Customers should be able to buy from you whether or not they sign up for texts.
- Keep a record of when and how each person joined. Your platform usually stores this.
- Honor STOP right away. When someone replies STOP (or "unsubscribe," "cancel," or similar), stop sending them marketing texts. Most platforms do this automatically, but check that yours does.
Send through a business texting platform, not your personal phone. US carriers expect businesses to register for marketing texts (often called 10DLC registration), and the platform walks you through it.
Keep it short: about 160 characters
A standard text message holds up to 160 characters, including spaces and punctuation. Go over that, and the message gets split into two or more parts. Many platforms charge per part. Emojis and some special characters (like curly quotes) can shrink the limit to a much smaller number, so a single emoji can quietly turn one text into two.
The fix: one idea per text, no extra words, and check the character count before you send. Your platform usually shows a counter. AI can count too, but double-check it.
What to include in a holiday sale text
Every promotional text should answer five questions in a few seconds:
- Who is this from? Start with your business name so nobody wonders who's texting them.
- What's the offer? One clear deal, like "20% off all candles" or "free gift wrap." Not three.
- When? The exact day or dates, and an end time if there is one ("Fri 11/27 only" or "ends midnight").
- Where or how? One link, your address, or "show this text at checkout." Pick one action.
- How to stop? A short opt-out line such as "Reply STOP to opt out." Many businesses include it in every marketing text, and it's required in the first message after someone signs up.
Timing ideas for the 2026 holiday weekend
The big shopping weekend starts right after Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 26, 2026). Here's a simple plan that won't flood anyone's phone. Two or three well-timed texts are plenty for most small shops.
- Optional heads-up (around Monday, November 23): one short "save the date" text if you have a big offer.
- Black Friday, Friday, November 27, 2026: send in the morning, when people are planning their day. Lead with the deal and the hours.
- Small Business Saturday, Saturday, November 28, 2026: a warm "thanks for shopping small" text with something in-store, like free gift wrap, a treat, or a small gift with purchase. Send it in the morning before you open.
- Cyber Monday, Monday, November 30, 2026: a good day for an online-only offer such as free shipping. A "last call" text in the afternoon can remind people the deal ends at midnight.
Whatever you send, stick to normal daytime hours in your customers' time zone. The TCPA limits calls and texts late at night and early in the morning, and some states set narrower hours, so mid-morning to early afternoon is a safe habit. And skip Thanksgiving Day itself; people are with family.
What to avoid
- Texting people who never opted in. It can lead to complaints, blocked messages, and legal trouble.
- Too many texts. If you promised "up to 4 a month," don't send 6 in one weekend.
- ALL CAPS and lots of exclamation points. It reads like shouting and can look like spam to carrier filters.
- Fake urgency. Don't say "only 2 left" or "ends tonight" unless it's true.
- Several links or no link. Give one clear action, not three.
- Skipping the opt-out line or ignoring STOP replies.
Prompt: write my holiday sale text
Fill in the yellow parts with your real details, then paste it into ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, or Claude.
I run a small [TYPE OF BUSINESS, e.g., gift boutique] called [BUSINESS NAME]. Please write 3 different versions of a holiday sale text message to customers who signed up for texts. Offer: [e.g., 20% off all candles] Day and dates: [e.g., Black Friday, Fri 11/27 only] Where or how to shop: [e.g., in store at 214 Main St, or the link example.com/bf] Tone: [e.g., warm and friendly, not pushy] Rules: each version must start with my business name, be 160 characters or less including spaces, end with "Reply STOP to opt out," use no emojis and no ALL CAPS words, and include only the details I gave you. Don't invent prices, discounts, deadlines, or stock levels. Show the character count after each version.
Prompt: plan my Black Friday to Cyber Monday texts
Use this to map out a small, friendly set of texts for the whole holiday weekend.
I run a small [TYPE OF BUSINESS] called [BUSINESS NAME]. My customers agreed to get up to [NUMBER] texts a month. Here are my holiday offers: Black Friday (Fri 11/27/2026): [OFFER, or 'none'] Small Business Saturday (Sat 11/28/2026): [OFFER, or 'none'] Cyber Monday (Mon 11/30/2026): [OFFER, or 'none'] My hours: [HOURS] My link or address: [LINK OR ADDRESS] Please suggest a simple texting plan that stays within my monthly limit, with a suggested day and daytime send time for each text. Then write each text: 160 characters or less, starting with my business name, ending with "Reply STOP to opt out," no emojis, and using only the offers above. Keep the offer wording the same across texts so customers don't get confused.
Prompt: check my text before I send it
Already wrote a text? Use this as a final check before you hit send.
Please check this holiday sale text for my small [TYPE OF BUSINESS]: "[PASTE YOUR TEXT]" 1) Count the characters, including spaces. Is it 160 or less? Does anything in it, like emojis or curly quotes, shrink the limit? 2) Does it clearly say who it's from, what the offer is, when it ends, and what to do next? 3) Does it include a clear opt-out line like "Reply STOP to opt out"? 4) Point out anything that sounds pushy, spammy, vague, or confusing, like ALL CAPS or fake urgency. 5) Give me a cleaner version that keeps my exact offer, dates, and link and adds nothing new. Remind me of anything I should double-check with my texting platform, but don't make up specific laws.
Tip: Never paste your customer list, phone numbers, or names into an AI chat. Write the message with AI, then send it through your texting platform. Read every word before it goes out.
Example holiday texts (made-up business)
This is a made-up example to show how the pieces fit together. Juniper & Pine, its address, its link, and its offers are not real. Your texts should use your own offers and details.
Made-up example:
Juniper & Pine is a small gift boutique. Its customers opted in at the register for "up to 4 texts a month," so the owner plans three texts for the holiday weekend:
Black Friday morning (Fri 11/27):
Juniper & Pine: Black Friday, Fri 11/27 only! 20% off all scarves & candles, in store and online. Shop: example.com/bf Reply STOP to opt out
Small Business Saturday morning (Sat 11/28):
Juniper & Pine: Thanks for shopping small! Sat 11/28 free gift wrap + a cocoa bar 10am-4pm, 214 Main St. Reply STOP to opt out
Cyber Monday afternoon (Mon 11/30):
Juniper & Pine: Last call! Cyber Monday 11/30, free shipping on every online order until midnight. example.com/cm Reply STOP to opt out
Each text starts with the business name, has one offer, an exact day, one action, and an opt-out line. All three stay under 160 characters with no emojis, within the "up to 4 a month" promise.
Quick checklist before you send
- Everyone on my list opted in to marketing texts, and I have a record of it.
- My text starts with my business name.
- It has one clear offer, an exact day or date, and one action.
- It's 160 characters or less, with no emojis.
- It ends with "Reply STOP to opt out," and my platform honors STOP right away.
- I'm sending during daytime hours in my customers' time zone.
- I read every word the AI wrote.
Related reading: how to write a Black Friday email for a small business, how to write a Cyber Monday email for a small business, how to promote Small Business Saturday, and how to announce holiday hours to customers.
FAQ
Do I need permission to send customers a sale text?
Yes. In the US, marketing texts generally need the customer's clear permission first, and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and carrier rules set requirements for how you get and record that permission. Having someone's number from a receipt or invoice is not the same as permission to send promotions. Use a clear opt-in, keep a record of it, and honor STOP requests right away. This is general information, not legal advice, so check with your texting platform or a local adviser for your situation.
How long should a holiday sale text be?
Aim for about 160 characters, which is the size of one standard text message. Emojis and some special characters can shrink that limit and split your message into several parts, so keep them to a minimum. Include your business name, the offer, the dates, one link or action, and a short opt-out line like "Reply STOP to opt out."
What time of day should I send a holiday sale text?
Send during normal daytime hours in your customer's time zone. Federal rules restrict calls and texts late at night and early in the morning, and some states are stricter, so a mid-morning or early afternoon send is a safe habit. For a one-day sale, sending the morning of the sale or the evening before usually works better than days in advance.
Can AI write my sale text for me?
AI is good at squeezing your offer into a short, friendly text and giving you a few versions to choose from. It doesn't know your real prices, dates, or rules, and it may add details you didn't give it. Give it the exact offer, dates, and link, ask it to count characters, and check every word before you send.