Retailers Turn to Texting for Simpler, More Personalized Marketing Text messaging has become the latest strategy for direct marketing, as companies look for simpler ways to connect in real time with customers in the pandemic age. SMS is not new, but retailers are starting to find that these quick, direct messages are effective in improving engagement. This trend has compelled retailers to move away from email-based marketing, which has long been the standard for customer communication. And not only are these messages able to reach customers directly, the cost is lower than email marketing, making texts a much more cost-effective way to go.