Whether new to SMS marketing and communication or a seasoned player, you should constantly cultivate the SMS marketing database. If you’re leveraging your CRM to expand your SMS subscribers list or doing it organically, you still need a guide. A comprehensive process as fat as a tome or as crisp yet valuable as this post.
Here is a 3-step SMS marketing list growth process for all marketers. If you’ve an established database, skip the first step and jump to the second one.
How to Go from Zero to a Hero of SMS Marketing List
- Build Your List of Subscribers/Build the Foundation
The first step, if you’re new to text marketing and communication, is no different from any other marketing style. You build a database of prospects and start probing them subtly and veer them toward your customer list. There can be several ways to invite people to your SMS subscription.
But don’t forget you must get their consent—the first rule you must not miss. Also, you can bag more contacts by offering the subscribers a first-time-user reward, such as a small discount or exclusive content like free entry to a webinar. You can even offer them an early release update for the product with a long waitlist
Now, here are some ways to get those numbers in your pocket:
- Create a pop-up that asks website visitors to subscribe to your SMS marketing messages, in mobile and desktop versions, with clear terms and conditions specified via a link.
- Add a pop-up to opt in when they buy or browse through your products.
- Seek their permission on the checkout page while they fill out their details to purchase your product on the website and mobile app.
- Combine a CTA section in your mobile app that leads users to their messaging app with a keyword.
- Display banners for leads who walk into your brick-and-mortar shop, seeking them to subscribe to your SMS list by sending a keyword to a short code.
- Float ads of your products with a subscription link to your SMS club.
- Fire up a pop-up box for an SMS subscription when a cart abandonment happens through an app notification.
- For out-of-stock products, seek their permission to communicate through SMS for replenished stock.
- Follow the last process for waitlisted products update.
Also, read the benefits of SMS marketing over emails.
As soon as a user subscribes to your SMS list, your job is to keep them engaged. For this, design a welcome series that’s processed automatically.
Send them a warm welcome message and introduce your most popular product or two. Allow them to save your number easily by sharing your contact card. Share a discount voucher or a free entry to an exclusive event with them. Allow them an opportunity to learn more about you. Even better if you seek their liking to serve them well.
Don’t go overboard with these texts. Make sure to limit them to 3 in your welcome series.
- Leverage Existing Audience
What better than banking on your existing audience from one community to invite into another? After all, your engaged audience from one channel knows your products and brand. And they understand your services and, perhaps, are your loyal customers.
Follow these tips to gain momentum in your SMS marketing and communication endeavors:
- Add a subscription link to your email updates, which leads your audience to their mobile messaging app in return for a coupon code
- Post your short code and the keyword on various social media for your audience to subscribe to and give them a discount voucher or an additional benefit.
- Run a specific email drip campaign focused only on SMS subscriptions with some rewards. Space them out over weeks and limit your emails between 3 and 5.
- You can leverage reels and stories on Instagram and Facebook. Likewise, use LinkedIn and Twitter to inform users of your exclusive SMS club with classified information.
- Capitalize on other social media channels like TikTok and Pinterest by updating your bio with an SMS subscription link.
- Capitalize on other social media channels like TikTok and Pinterest by updating your bio with an SMS subscription link.
- Add a short code and keyword on your Facebook and Instagram ads.
Remember, your existing audience might get miffed if you go overboard and splash them with your short code or SMS subscription link everywhere.
Read how to use social media with text marketing to grow your business.
- Bank on Loyalties
If you’ve been using SMS marketing, you might already have a bunch (or thousands) of subscribers. Use these tips to reach out to new subscribers through them or strengthen bonding with them:
- Run an SMS exclusive event, and spread the word via your subscribers about the discount only the event attendees would receive.
- Offer a friends and family add-on discount to new subscribers via the old one.
- Ask subscribers to refer your brand and incentivize them with a discount or offer a welcome reward to the new opt-ins.
- Run an SMS-only giveaway or sale on the condition of a subscription.
- Reward your loyal SMS subscribers for every Nth subscriber they add to your list.
- Open a much-coveted product’s sale only via SMS and seek new users through social media and referrals.
- Add a QR code in transaction, shipment, or delivery updates for your existing customers and invite them to join your SMS list.
- Repeat the same for your regular customers in their product’s packaging and add them to your SMS club.
How Textmunication Can Ease Your Process
Textmunication has nearly 14 years of experience in several industries. Whether you’re a new MMS and SMS marketing player or a seasoned player, we can help you start your list organically and ethically. We can also help you design an SMS drip marketing campaign to expand your database size in just a few months.
Schedule a free demo with our textperts today.
