# What is promotional SMS?

> Promotional SMS is marketing sent by SMS — offers, campaigns, announcements, abandoned-cart nudges. Unlike transactional messages, it requires explicit marketing opt-in, must honour opt-out (STOP) and quiet hours, and is often registered and routed as a distinct traffic class. Done well on consented lists it converts strongly; sent without consent it wastes spend and damages sender reputation.

- Canonical URL: https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-promotional-sms
- Language: en
- Last reviewed: 2026-07-22
- Publisher: BroadNet (https://www.broadnet.me)

## Consent is mandatory

Promotional SMS may only go to recipients who gave marketing consent, and every message must offer an easy opt-out. This is both a legal requirement in most markets and a deliverability protection. See /answers/how-to-handle-sms-opt-outs and /answers/what-is-dnc.

## Classify and register correctly

Promotional traffic is often registered under a separate sender ID and routed as its own class; mixing it under a transactional ID risks suspension. See /answers/how-to-register-sender-id and /answers/what-is-transactional-sms.

## Make it convert

Identify your brand, lead with one clear benefit and a single call to action, time it to local business hours, and segment the audience. See /answers/sms-marketing-best-practices and /answers/sms-marketing-roi.

## Related

- [All answers](https://www.broadnet.me/answers)
- [Glossary](https://www.broadnet.me/answers)
- [What is transactional SMS?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-transactional-sms)
- [What are SMS marketing best practices?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/sms-marketing-best-practices)
- [How do I handle SMS opt-outs?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/how-to-handle-sms-opt-outs)
- [What are SMS opt-in best practices?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/sms-opt-in-best-practices)
- [Bulk SMS](https://www.broadnet.me/products/bulk-sms)