The 4U Technique. How to Grab Your SMS Recipient's Attention in 6 Seconds?

When writing the text for your SMS campaign, you need to achieve the following goals:

• attract the recipient's attention;
• turn a potential client into one who takes action;
• build customer loyalty.

The first point is the most important, as without it, the second and third points cannot be achieved.

According to statistics, it takes the recipient just 6 seconds to understand whether your message is interesting to them. Then they need another 30 seconds to decide: yes or no. In total: in 36 seconds, your promotional offer will either succeed or fail.

So how do you grab your potential client's attention in 6 seconds using SMS text?

We recommend structuring your text as a headline! Imagine that the message is just a headline to a larger sales pitch. In other words, "headline" = "message text". The more interesting, bright, and unique the headline, the more customers will read the full text of your website, commercial offer, or email campaign. The same applies to SMS campaign texts.

Why a headline? Because it's much easier and faster to create. In one headline, you can fit all the necessary information about your promotional offer. You just need to come up with a headline for your product or service and send it to potential customers.

According to statistics, a quality headline doubles conversion rates.

Therefore, by writing your message as a catchy headline, you will double your SMS campaign conversion. And best of all, your SMS recipients won't even realize it's just a headline!

Now, let's figure out what makes a headline for SMS truly quality and conversion-boosting?

1. Definitely not one that strives for maximum pomp, "beauty," and other vague, meaningless terms! Avoid using phrases like: “To the top!” or “Be successful!” These phrases are overused and don't add value. Don't waste precious characters in your SMS on empty words.
2. Definitely not one that frequently uses words like: “cool,” “best,” “unique,” “excellent,” “professional,” etc. These are clichés, and your competitors use them too. Do you want to blend in with the crowd?

We offer a better way! Grab your potential customers' attention by using the 4U technique for crafting SMS headlines.

What is the 4U technique?

A quality headline for your message must include four "U"s:

• Usefulness
• Ultra specificity
• Urgency
• Uniqueness

1. Usefulness – when the recipient reads your message, they must get answers to several questions. Why is your product or service useful to them? What problem will your product or service solve for them? What will the customer get after purchasing your product or service? Understand that you need to sell not just gym sessions or a great trainer, but the weight lost as a result of the workouts; not just a spa package, but the relaxation your customer will experience. You must solve your potential customer's problem!
2. Ultra specificity – you need to specify the usefulness you're offering by adding a quantitative indicator. For example, if you're selling windows, state how many degrees warmer the customer's home will be. If you're offering a sales masterclass, state how much business conversion will increase.
3. Urgency – specify the exact timeframe when your potential customer will see results after purchasing your product or service. Use specific, truthful dates!
4. Uniqueness – describe the special features of your product or service, highlight the advantages that will help customers achieve the result you've promised.

Instructions for crafting headlines using the 4U technique

For example, you're offering gym sessions in your SMS campaign. Original data: “gym sessions.”

1. We add usefulness. “How to effectively lose weight through gym sessions?” Because we're selling not the sessions, but the weight loss.
2. We add ultra specificity. “How to effectively lose 5 kg without harming your health in the gym?” We've specified the usefulness and focused on precise numbers.
3. We add urgency. “How to effectively lose 5 kg in one month without harming your health in the gym?” We clarified the timeframe.
4. We add uniqueness. “Don't know how to effectively lose 5 kg in one month without harming your health? Go to ‘Start' gym.” We rephrased the sentence to specify the mechanics of achieving the result.

Another example: Offer auto repair services in SMS campaigns. Original data: “Car repair in an auto shop.”

• Usefulness: Why use an auto repair shop? To get quality repairs. “Quality repair of any car breakdown in our auto shop.”
• Ultra specificity: How quality? “100% quality repair of any car breakdown in our auto shop.”
• Urgency: How quickly? “100% quality repair of any car breakdown in our auto shop, from 30 minutes to 4 hours.”
• Uniqueness: What makes your auto shop different? “100% quality repair of any car breakdown in our auto shop, from 30 minutes to 4 hours. All necessary parts are always in stock!”

Then, just add your contact details to the message text.

Short summary

When writing an advertising message, imagine you're creating a headline for a sales pitch. This will make it easier to focus on such important details as usefulness, uniqueness, timing, and specificity, while expressing your thoughts concisely in one sentence, without wasting extra characters.

By applying the 4U technique to your messages, you'll double your SMS campaign's conversion rate. What's more, you'll stand out from your competitors' messages and capture the attention of your SMS recipients.