New Study: The First SMS Message Gets Nearly 2x the Replies of Any Follow-Up

New Study: The First SMS Message Gets Nearly 2x the Replies of Any Follow-Up

As phone calls and emails become less effective, texting is often the fastest way to get a response. And it’s the first text that most often sparks the conversation.”

— Vivek Zaveri, Founder & CEO of Meera.ai

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new study from Meera.ai reveals that in SMS outreach, the opening message makes the biggest impact.
The 2025 SMS Marketing Benchmarks Report analyzed 4.7 million sales text conversations across education, financial services, and insurance between April and July 2025. Key findings include:

The first message generated a 9.3% response rate, nearly double the first follow-up (4.8%).

On average, it took two follow-ups before a lead replied.

Response times vary by industry: insurance leads reply fastest (2.44 days), while education leads take longest (4.79 days).

Timing matters: responses peaked around midday, with the highest activity at 12:00 PM.
“These results show just how much weight the first message carries in SMS outreach,” said Vivek Zaveri, CEO of Meera.ai. “As phone calls and emails become less effective, texting is often the fastest way to get a response. And it’s the first text that most often sparks the conversation.”
The full 2025 SMS Marketing Benchmarks Report is available at: https://www.meera.ai/blogs/sms-marketing-benchmarks-2025