Business texting has become a powerful marketing tool. Some reasons for this are the ability to deal with clients on a personal level, the ability to get a quick response, and the potential to save money. However, before sending business messages to a customer, you must obtain their permission or opt-in. Also, to run a successful SMS campaign, your SMS list must expand with more subscribers.
So, let's discuss below how you can get more SMS subscribers and what are the benefits of getting opt-ins the right way.
Top 10 ways to get more SMS subscribers
Do you know the easiest ways to get more SMS subscribers to your business?
Here are some proven ways to grow a huge list of contacts for your SMS marketing campaign.
Now let's look at how each of the above methods strategies can be used by businesses to grow their SMS marketing contacts.
01. Start a text-to-join campaign
Text-to-join is the easiest way to collect phone numbers.
Text-to-join campaigns let your customers sign up to receive promotional messages from you. By this method, you can also collect additional information such as full name, zip code, and product preferences. This information can be used in your future marketing campaigns as well.
Starting a text-to-join campaign is very easy. You just need to create a keyword relevant to your business and promote it. Ask your audience to text that keyword to your business phone number or short code number.
Everyone who sends the keyword you mentioned will be added instantly to your SMS subscription list.
When somebody joins your SMS list, they will receive your automated reply and that will let your customers know that they have successfully opted in.
02. Offer incentives for joining your subscriber list
Sometimes, you may need to encourage your customers to join your SMS marketing contact list. You can do this by offering incentives, rewards, and special offers to your customers.
If you make an offer that your audience can't refuse, your SMS subscriber count will boost in no time.
Just assume you own a car cleaning business. Give them a 50% discount on their next vehicle wash if they join your SMS list. Suppose your business is a supermarket: you could give a Buy one, get one free deal on selected items for signing up for your messages.
Other than the above you can also offer incentives like free products, giveaways, event tickets, early access to soon-to-be-launched products, etc.
03. Get the numbers when your customer leaves
Another smart way to collect customer numbers is to ask them to sign up when they check out.
When your customers check out from your business place, ask them to join your SMS list. Inform them that they will be able to receive exclusive offers as SMS subscribers. This allows you to easily obtain many customers’ phone numbers for your SMS marketing.
If you own a Salon or Spa, you might offer a discount on their next treatment if they opt-in to receive business text messages from you.
04. Use website traffic to collect opt-ins
If you have a business website with a decent amount of web traffic, use them effectively to grow your SMS marketing list.
You can use visual banners on your website to invite your customers to opt-in to your messages. Even you can highlight coupon codes, free products, or services that they get for signing up for your messages.
Using pop-ups and opt-in forms on your website is also another great way to convert your website visitors into SMS subscribers.
But make sure that the popup you are using is not annoying for your website users. Otherwise, it will be a reason for them to bounce off your website.
Generating new SMS subscribers is very easy if the pop-up is displayed to web users at the right time with useful incentives.
05. Convert your existing email or newsletter subscribers
Have an email or newsletter subscriber list already?
If then, you can convert the same people into text subscribers easily. You just need to send an email to your email list and ask them to join your SMS marketing program.
Getting the people on your email list to opt-in to SMS can also have a positive impact on your business. Because SMS marketing is more effective than email marketing.
06. Add an opt-in option to the sign-up or checkout flow
Do you have a newsletter sign-up form on your website? Then on the same form, you can ask if they want to receive text offers as well.
Also, you can consider adding an SMS signup option for online checkout pages to grow your SMS subscribers.
For example, if you have a field on a checkout page where clients can enter their phone numbers, you could put a checkbox next to it that says, "send me promotional messages and updates via SMS." This could help you to get more opt-ins easily for your future SMS marketing campaigns.
07. Use social media to promote SMS opt-in
You have the chance to turn your social media followers into SMS subscribers if you have social media accounts with a number of followers. Use social media effectively to cross-promote your SMS marketing channel and gain new SMS subscribers.
08. Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is a sponsored partnership between you and an influencer. This will help in promoting your business on their social media handles such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, etc. Further, you can ask influencers to mention SMS keywords in their posts that would help customers sign up for your SMS marketing campaigns.
09. Ask for referrals
Offering rewards or special discounts to customers for promoting your services or products to others is one of the best methods to increase your SMS customer list. Consider offering a discount of 10%-20% for each successful referral. You can grow your SMS subscribers in this way.
10. Convert web chat leads into SMS subscribers
Web chat is a simple way for your customers to communicate with you. You can automate chatbots to ask your website visitors if they want to sign up for SMS marketing texts.
How to retain your existing SMS subscriber list
Treat your subscribers as VIPs
Who doesn't like to be treated as VIP? So as your SMS subscribers.
Consider offering exclusive deals to your SMS subscribers so they can feel the value of becoming a subscriber of the exclusive community. As a result, you will be able to reduce the opt-out rate.
But make sure you respond faster to their messages, and also ensure that you give them bigger and better discounts than non-subscribed customers.
Stop annoying your customers!
Sometimes getting lengthy text messages can be annoying to your customers. It also might be a reason for them to opt out. Therefore, make sure the messages you send are easy to understand and they have a clear call to action. Every message you send must provide value for your customers.
Don't text your subscribers too much. Also, it's better to send them business text messages only during office hours.
Segment SMS audience by interest
Categorize your SMS contact list depending on their interests. Some people would like to receive messages about flash sales, some may like to get messages about offers and discounts, and some may like to get updates about new product information.
Therefore, try to send messages depending on the interest of each audience and perform your text marketing campaign. Then you will be able to retain your SMS subscribers without losing them.
Always be compliant
Opt-ins are a must when you are doing an SMS marketing campaign.
According to the TCPA rules for SMS marketing, you need a customer's prior permission (opt-in) before sending them business text messages, and also you can send texts to them only between 8.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. in their respective time zones.
Being compliant with these rules means that you have fewer complaints about your SMS marketing campaign and higher customer satisfaction. Ignoring these rules can result in the loss of valuable contacts from your SMS marketing subscriber list.
Falkon SMS can help grow your SMS list
Now you know a number of ways to capture and grow your SMS subscriber list. Consider implementing those methods to grow your SMS list.
The more SMS subscribers you have, the more likely you are to convert them into sales.
Are you ready to build your own SMS subscriber list? Or do you need to launch a campaign to your existing SMS list? We at Falkon SMS can help you with that. Let's discuss it!
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