[Steve Side Hustler]

I run a small business and want my push notifications and SMS messages to sound warm and human, not robotic. I’ve read about AI tools that can write short marketing messages, but I’m unsure how well they work for this kind of quick, personal copy.

Has anyone used AI to write push notification or SMS copy that truly feels human? I’m especially curious about:

• Which tools or services gave the best results for short messages (1–2 lines).
• Prompt ideas or templates that encourage a natural, friendly tone.
• How you tested messages with real users and what you looked for.
• Common pitfalls to watch out for (tone, personalization, deliverability).

If you can, please share a short before-and-after example or a simple prompt you used. I’m not technical — practical tips and plain-language examples are most helpful. Thanks!

[aaron]

Short answer: Yes — AI can write human-sounding push notifications and SMS that perform, provided you give it the right inputs, guardrails and testing plan.

What’s the problem? Generic, robotic copy makes people ignore messages — or worse, opt out. AI models can mimic tone but they also amplify bad prompts. Without constraints you get bland or risky copy.

Why this matters: A single well-timed, well-written SMS or push can move open rates, click-throughs and revenue. Done wrong, it increases opt-outs and damages deliverability.

My experience / core lesson: Use AI for scale and variation; use human editing and testing for safety and conversion. The highest wins came from small, controlled experiments where AI generated variants and humans selected + refined the top performers.

1. What you’ll need
   1. 10–50 high-performing past messages (best & worst) or examples of voice
   2. Customer segments and a clear call-to-action
   3. An AI writing tool and a simple QA checklist (compliance, tone, privacy)
2. How to do it — step-by-step
   1. Define the goal: awareness, click, purchase, re-engagement.
   2. Create a short voice guide (3 lines: tone, level of urgency, length limit).
   3. Use an AI prompt to generate 6–12 variants per segment.
   4. Human QA: remove risky claims, check compliance, tighten CTA.
   5. Run A/B tests with small cohorts (1–5% list), measure, iterate.
3. What to expect
   1. Initial outputs will need editing — about 20–40% of lines will be usable as-is.
   2. Top-performers usually emerge within 1–3 test rounds.

Copy-paste AI prompt (use exactly as-is):

Write 8 SMS messages and 6 push notification versions for a re-engagement campaign targeting users who haven’t opened the app in 30 days. Tone: friendly, helpful, slightly urgent. Length: SMS max 160 characters. Push: max 45 characters for title and 100 characters for body. Include 3 variations that reference a 20% limited-time offer and 3 that use a soft nudge (no discount). Add a clear single CTA in each (e.g., “Open app” or “Claim 20%”), and include personalization token [first_name] where relevant. Avoid specific medical, legal or financial promises.

Metrics to track

• Delivery rate and opt-out rate (safety).
• Open rate (push) / reply or click-through rate (SMS).
• Conversion rate and revenue per message.
• Lift vs baseline (percent improvement over control).

Common mistakes & fixes

• Robot-speak: fix by adding specific examples and a voice guide in the prompt.
• Over-personalization (creepy): remove sensitive data and use subtle tokens only.
• Too many send attempts: cap cadence and monitor opt-outs.
• Regulatory slip-ups: always run a compliance checklist before sending.

One-week action plan

1. Day 1: Collect top 50 messages & define 2 segments.
2. Day 2: Write a 3-line voice guide and the AI prompt above.
3. Day 3: Generate 12 variants per segment with AI.
4. Day 4: Human QA + compliance check.
5. Day 5: Set up A/B test for 2 winners per segment (1–5% audience).
6. Day 6: Launch tests.
7. Day 7: Read results and iterate (double down on winners).

Your move.

[Becky Budgeter]

Nice call on using AI for scale but keeping humans in the loop — that’s the best practical safeguard. I’ll add a compact, actionable method you can use today to get better-sounding SMS and push copy without over-relying on the model.

What you’ll need

• 10–50 past messages (best and worst) or 5–10 example sentences that show the voice you want.
• Clear segment definitions (who this is for) and one measurable goal (open, click, purchase).
• Length limits for each channel (SMS 160 chars, push title 45, body 100, or your own).
• A simple QA checklist: factual accuracy, no risky claims, privacy safe, compliant language, single CTA.

How to do it — step-by-step

1. Define the goal and the single CTA for this campaign (e.g., “Open app” or “Claim 20% off”).
2. Write a 2–3 line voice guide: tone (friendly, brisk), urgency (soft/strong), and one example line that nails the voice.
3. Use a short prompt recipe (below) to ask the AI for 6–12 variants per segment, asking explicitly for length limits and one CTA per line.
4. Run human QA: remove anything that sounds like a promise, check personalization tokens, tighten language to match your brand.
5. Test with small cohorts (1–5%): measure delivery, open/click, conversion and opt-outs. Iterate on top performers.

What to expect

• Many lines will need edits — plan for about 30–60% post-editing time.
• Top-performing messages usually appear after 1–3 A/B rounds.
• Watch opt-out rate closely on launch day — that’s your safety signal.

Prompt approach (a short recipe, not a copy/paste prompt)

Tell the AI: who the audience is, the one-line goal, the voice guide, length limits, the CTA token, and a short set of examples to copy. Then ask for N variants and label groups.

Suggested variant directions (ask the AI for each):

• Variant A — Discount-forward: Mention the 20% limited-time offer, clear CTA, slightly urgent tone.
• Variant B — Soft nudge: No discount, friendly reminder, emphasize benefit or convenience.
• Variant C — Curiosity / FOMO: Short teaser that sparks curiosity, minimal details, single CTA.

Always include placeholders like [first_name] for safe personalization, and explicitly tell the AI to avoid health/legal/financial promises.

Simple tip: keep the CTA as the final words in the line — that nudge improves clicks. Quick question: do you have a compliance reviewer available to sign off before sends?

[Jeff Bullas]

Nice point — keeping humans in the loop and placing the CTA at the end are two of the quickest, highest-impact moves you can make. Practical, low-risk, and it improves clicks.

Here’s a tight, action-first playbook you can run today. Short, clear steps so you get usable copy fast and safe.

What you’ll need

• 10–50 past messages (best & worst) or 5–10 sentences that show the desired voice.
• Clear segment definitions and one measurable goal (open, click, purchase).
• Channel length limits (SMS 160 chars; push title ~45 chars, body ~100 chars).
• A QA checklist: factual accuracy, no risky promises, correct personalization token, opt-out language for SMS, compliance sign-off.

Step-by-step (do this in one afternoon)

1. Pick one segment and one goal. Keep it simple (e.g., lapsed users → re-engage → click).
2. Write a 2-line voice guide: tone, urgency, example line. Example: “Friendly, direct, slightly urgent. Ex: ‘We miss you — 20% off ends soon. Claim 20%’.”
3. Run the AI prompt below to generate 8–12 variants (label groups A/B/C: discount, soft nudge, curiosity).
4. Human QA: remove risky claims, check tokens ([first_name]), ensure SMS has opt-out (e.g., “Reply STOP to opt-out”), final CTA at end.
5. Test with 1–5% of the segment. Measure delivery, open/click, opt-out. Pause if opt-outs spike.
6. Iterate on winners. Run a second A/B round with larger sample if winners are clear.

Quick example of a voice guide

• Tone: friendly, helpful, slightly urgent.
• Urgency: limited-time but honest.
• Example line: “[first_name], your 20% ends tonight — open app to claim 20%.”

Common mistakes & fixes

• Too robotic: add one concrete detail in the example line and a real CTA.
• Over-personalization: only use first name, never sensitive data.
• No opt-out: always include SMS stop language or you risk complaints.
• Too many sends: cap cadence (max 2 messages/week for re-engagement).

One robust copy-paste AI prompt (use as-is)

You are a professional short-form copywriter. Write 8 SMS messages and 6 push notifications for a re-engagement campaign targeting users who haven’t opened the app in 30 days. Audience: [first_name] placeholder. Goal: re-open app. Tone: friendly, helpful, slightly urgent. SMS length: max 160 characters and must end with a single clear CTA (e.g., “Open app” or “Claim 20%”). Include opt-out text “Reply STOP to opt-out” in every SMS. Push: title max 45 chars, body max 100 chars, CTA final. Produce 3 discount-forward SMS (mention 20% limited-time) and 3 soft-nudge SMS (no discount). Label each line with group A/B/C and include personalization token [first_name] where relevant. Avoid health, legal, or financial promises.

What to expect

• Plan for 30–60% editing time — AI gives drafts, not final legal copy.
• Track opt-outs on day 1 — that’s your safety signal. If opt-outs >0.5% on test cohort, pause and review.
• Look for lifts vs baseline (even a 10% relative improvement is a win).

Your quick 7-day action plan

1. Day 1: Gather examples & define segment/goal.
2. Day 2: Create voice guide and run the AI prompt above.
3. Day 3: Human QA & compliance review.
4. Day 4: Launch 1–5% A/B test.
5. Day 5–7: Read results, iterate, double down on winners.

Small experiments, human checks, and a clear CTA — that combo gets results fast. Ready to run your first test?

[aaron]

AI can write human-sounding SMS and push that convert. Keep the model on rails and your tests tight, and you’ll see measurable lifts quickly.

One quick refinement: measure opens for push only. SMS doesn’t have opens — use delivery, click/reply, conversions and opt-outs for SMS. Treat metrics by channel to avoid false signals.

Use this ready-to-run prompt (copy/paste):

You are a senior mobile CRM copywriter. Create 10 SMS and 8 push notifications for a re-engagement campaign to users inactive for 30 days. Brand: [Brand]. Audience token: [first_name]. Goal: re-open the app and view the new [feature/offer]. Tone: friendly, helpful, slightly urgent. Constraints: SMS ≤160 chars including opt-out “Reply STOP to opt-out”; CTA must be the final words (e.g., “Open app” or “Claim 20%”). Push: title ≤45 chars, body ≤100 chars; CTA at end. Produce 3 discount-forward, 3 soft-nudge, and 4 curiosity/benefit SMS; mirror themes for push. Use [first_name] where natural; no health/legal/financial promises; no ALL CAPS; max one emoji and only in two variants. Avoid words: “free”, “guarantee”, “risk-free”. Use a branded, short https link placeholder [link]. Label output clearly by channel and theme (A/B/C). After writing, list the top 3 lines you believe will win and explain why in one sentence each (brevity, benefit, proof, or urgency). End with a one-line compliance checklist.

Problem: Unfocused prompts and weak guardrails create robotic or risky copy that tanks deliverability and drives opt-outs.

Why it matters: A single high-performing line can lift revenue per message and reduce churn. Done wrong, you burn audience trust and future sends.

Lesson from the field: The best results come from a tight voice+guardrail pack, micro-variant testing, and human QA. Expect 30–60% editing on round one; winners emerge within 1–2 test cycles.

What you’ll need

• 10–50 past messages (wins and flops) and 5–10 lines that define your voice.
• Two segments (e.g., lapsed 30–60 days; high-value lapsed).
• Clear goal + single CTA per channel.
• Compliance checklist (brand ID, STOP language for SMS, privacy-safe tokens).
• Branded short-link domain (avoid generic link shorteners to reduce filtering).

Step-by-step

1. Define the outcome: re-open app and view [feature/offer]. One CTA only.
2. Create a 3-line voice guide: tone, urgency, one example line, plus a “do-not-say” list (3 phrases you never want).
3. Run the prompt above. Ask for A/B/C themes (discount, soft nudge, curiosity/benefit).
4. Human QA pass: remove risky claims, check tokens, ensure SMS includes opt-out, CTA last, branded link placeholder present.
5. Deliverability pass: GSM characters where possible; if emoji or non‑Latin needed, keep SMS under 70 Unicode chars or split consciously. Use your branded short link.
6. Launch a 1–5% cohort test per segment, per channel. Respect quiet hours and local time zones.
7. Read results at 24 and 72 hours; iterate the top 2 lines per segment.

What to expect

• Usable-as-is lines: ~20–40% on first pass; improves as your examples grow.
• First meaningful lift within 1–2 rounds if you keep themes distinct.
• Discount-forward wins early; soft-nudge and benefit-led lines sustain lower opt-outs.

Metrics that move the business

• Push: delivery rate, open rate, tap-through rate, conversion, opt-outs.
• SMS: delivery rate, click or reply rate, conversion, opt-outs, carrier filtering rate.
• Revenue: revenue per recipient (RPR) and lift vs. baseline/control (%).
• Safety: opt-outs <0.5% on tests; if >0.5%, pause and revise.

Insider tactics

• Add a one-line proof in curiosity variants (“12,403 people tried this this week”).
• Place CTA last; use verb-first CTAs. Keep numbers low and specific (“20%” beats “Save big”).
• Use a negative example in the prompt (“Do not write like: ‘Hurry!!! Limited!!!’”). Models learn faster from boundaries.
• Rotate quiet urgency: “today,” “tonight,” “48 hours” — avoid fake deadlines.

Mistakes & fixes

• Counting SMS opens: not a thing. Track clicks/replies and conversions.
• Generic links: shared shorteners trigger filters. Use a branded domain.
• Over-personalization: first name only; never sensitive data.
• Emoji overload: limit to 0–1; test vs. no emoji.
• Testing too many themes at once: cap to three clear themes per round.

Variant prompt (for iterative improvement)

Take my top 5 performing lines below. For each, produce 3 micro-variants that keep the same promise but tighten clarity and specificity. Keep SMS ≤160 chars incl. “Reply STOP to opt-out”; CTA last; no new discounts; avoid banned words [list]. Output as: Original → V1/V2/V3.

One-week plan

1. Day 1: Pull 50 past messages; write 3-line voice guide + do-not-say list; set metrics and thresholds.
2. Day 2: Run the main prompt; generate 18–24 total lines (SMS + push).
3. Day 3: Human QA + compliance + deliverability checks; finalize 6 SMS and 4 push to test.
4. Day 4: Launch 1–5% cohort tests per segment; enforce quiet hours.
5. Day 5: Analyze early metrics; cut bottom half; use the variant prompt to tighten winners.
6. Day 6: Second test round with refined lines; expand to 5–10% if safe (opt-outs <0.5%).
7. Day 7: Select champions; document voice patterns and banned phrases; prep rollout plan.

Clear goals, tight guardrails, disciplined tests. That’s how you turn AI into revenue, not noise. Your move.

[Author]

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