Nearly 80% of marketers say that SMS is the most effective way to reach potential customers. Thanks to its high open rate and convenience, text message marketing has become one of the most powerful tools for businesses to connect with their target audience. But your efforts can only be successful if you have people to send your messages to. Without a good list, your texts will end up going nowhere. Over time, these 5 steps will help you build up a contact list that benefits your business.
The first step in creating a successful text message marketing campaign is creating an opt-in form. This is a short survey of basic information that allows people to sign up for your SMS list. Of course, it should ask for the person’s phone number and email address, but you can also ask for additional information such as name and age if it’s relevant to your business. The important thing here is that the form makes it clear what people they are signing up for. Make sure you include a line explaining that by filling out the form, they consent to receive promotional texts from your business.
Now that you have created your opt-in form, it’s time to start getting it out there. First, you should place it on your website. You can experiment with placing a link to it on your home page or even embedding the form into your blog posts. Another great place to share your form is within your emails. When you first launch your text message marketing campaign, consider creating an email dedicated to why people should sign up for your list. Then, in future emails, you can include a link or a button to do the same thing. Finally, make sure you promote it on your social media accounts regularly. This encourages new followers to sign up as well as existing followers who may have missed it in the past.
As you are sharing the opt-in form, don’t be afraid to offer some incentives. In particular, offer them a deal that they can’t find anywhere else. For example, you could offer a percent-off discount on a purchase or free shipping. This will help you grow your list quickly and get people engaged.
Another great time and place to grow your SMS list is during the checkout process. This works whether you have an in-person or e-commerce business. Restaurants could include a place on their receipts for customers to enter their phone numbers. Retail businesses could ask while people check out. Similarly, e-commerce businesses can incorporate a question asking for a customer’s phone number as they enter their shipping information.
You also shouldn’t forget about all of the people who already know about your business. These are some of the best prospects for joining your SMS list, since you already know that they are interested in your business. Make sure you let existing contacts know why they should join your SMS list. Emphasize that it is the best way to stay informed about upcoming promotions or offers from your business. Since these people already know and support your business, they may also be more likely to tell their friends and family to sign up for the list.
Text message marketing can be incredibly powerful when used correctly. The key to using it correctly is having a solid number of contacts to send the messages to. By following the four steps outlined above, you’ll begin seeing your list grow in no time. Then once you have a sizable list, you can start reaping the benefits of text message marketing, such as the 98% open rate!
Not sure where to start your SMS marketing journey? 98 Buck Social is here to help! Our affordable text message marketing service can be purchased separately or bundled with our other offerings for extra savings. Check out how we can help your business make the most of its marketing dollars today.