SMS marketing for businesses in Tanzania
Promote offers, launches and events to customers who want to hear from you. DARSMS lets you send personalised promotional SMS campaigns under your brand name, schedule them for the right time and see how many were delivered.
Overview
SMS is opened by almost everyone who receives it, usually within minutes, and it reaches every phone on every network, including basic phones without internet. For Tanzanian businesses that makes it one of the most direct ways to announce an offer, bring back past customers or fill seats at an event.
Good SMS marketing is short, specific and sent to people who have agreed to receive it. Use a clear offer, a deadline and one action to take, and send it from a Sender ID your customers recognise.
Common uses
- Weekend offers, seasonal sales and clearance events.
- New product, branch and service launches.
- Event invitations and ticket sales.
- Loyalty rewards and win-back messages for inactive customers.
- Holiday greetings with a relevant offer.
- Announcements to members, alumni and subscribers.
How it works with DARSMS
- 01
Build your audience
Import customers who have opted in from Excel and organise them into contact groups by location, interest or purchase history.
- 02
Schedule the campaign
Send immediately or schedule for the time your customers are most likely to act, such as a Friday afternoon before a weekend sale.
- 03
Review the results
Check delivery reports, remove numbers that consistently fail and compare response between campaigns.
Example messages
Hi Asha, this weekend only: 25% off all school uniforms at our Sinza shop. Show this SMS at the till. Offer ends Sunday 18:00. Reply STOP to opt out.
149 characters
Friday special at Bahari Grill: buy 2 pizzas, get 1 free, 17:00-22:00. Book on 0741 000 000. Karibu sana!
105 characters
Best practices
- Only message people who gave you their number and agreed to hear from you.
- Include an easy way to opt out and honour every request promptly.
- Send at sensible hours; avoid late evenings and very early mornings.
- Keep to one SMS where possible: no emoji, clear wording, one call to action.
- Do not message the same list too often; weekly is plenty for most businesses.
Frequently asked questions
Is SMS marketing effective in Tanzania?
Yes, when it is relevant and sent to customers who expect it. SMS reaches every mobile phone, including basic phones, and is typically read within minutes, which suits time-limited offers and event reminders.
Can I personalise marketing messages?
Yes. Upload an Excel file with columns such as name or last purchase and insert them into your message template. Each customer receives their own version.
What does a marketing campaign cost?
Each message of up to 160 standard characters uses one SMS credit per recipient. Credits cost TZS 25, 22 or 20 each depending on the bundle size, so a single-SMS campaign to 2,000 customers uses 2,000 credits.
Related pages
Ready to get started?
Create a free account with 5 SMS credits to test, then buy credits with mobile money as you grow.