The heart of your text marketing campaign is your SMS list. It's the cake icing and doughnut sprinkles on your cake. No matter how strong your offers are or how brilliant your content is, without a high-quality in-house list, your messages won't convert.
Unfortunately, it takes time and effort to create an organic SMS marketing list from scratch (much like most worthwhile endeavours in life). Many advertisers skip over this step and purchase text lists only to discover unengaged (and now displeased) recipients. For the record, buying a list is strongly discouraged.
Obtaining customers for SMS marketing cannot be sped up.
You must put up the effort if you want to expand your SMS list. Luckily for you, we have a few tactics to hasten your progress towards success.
We've included six tried-and-true strategies for expanding an engaged SMS Service Australia list below. Try them out and see how many subscribers you gain. But first, let's discuss why building a list is important and some recommended practices to have in mind while you go about it.
Why is it important to expand your SMS marketing list?
SMS is a potent B2C (business-to-consumer) communication method. All 15 billion phones in use worldwide have the ability to send and receive text messages, therefore everyone with a phone may use this kind of communication.More people have email addresses or are active on social media than that.
Here are a few more justifications for expanding an SMS marketing list:
You have it forever:
SMS is an owned channel, not a borrowed channel, much like email. Google's algorithms can change overnight, Twitter can block your account, and both of these things might significantly reduce your reach or organic traffic. When you create an engaged SMS list, however, no algorithm update or social media platform can remove your subscriber list.
SMS opens up quickly:
Nearly 98% of text messages are opened. SMS is the best option if you want to be sure your message is seen by a consumer.
Unwanted text message marketing is forbidden: Brands are not allowed to send unsolicited marketing text messages to customers under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). You need someone's consent before you may send SMS messages to them at will.
Guidelines for increasing SMS subscribers
Let's discuss a few general best practises before moving on to the list-building strategies:
Obtain consent first:
Before sending marketing text messages to your subscribers, you need to get their express permission.Just because a consumer provides you their phone number doesn't imply you can start sending SMS marketing messages; this permission is different than when you ask for their phone number at checkout.
Give a way to opt out:
Provide instructions on how clients may stop receiving your communications. They may SMS "STOP" to themselves to unsubscribe from your list, for instance. If a subscriber is unable to remove themselves from your list, they may choose to block your number instead, which might eventually harm your SMS deliverability.
Provide a perk:
People should only give you their phone number if there is a compelling reason to do so. Give them something worthwhile in return for their subscription. That may be timely information updates or exclusive deals.
Send at the appropriate moment: Respect the time of your audience. Sending marketing communications at 2:00 a.m.
6 methods for expanding your SMS marketing list
Your SMS marketing list will attract more clients if it has more subscribers. However, it's uncommon for subscribers to accidentally join your SMS list; you'll need to actively seek them out.
Here are 6 strategies you may employ to increase SMS marketing subscribers:
Provide SMS-only specials and discounts
Offer bargains via SMS to your subscribers that they can't get anyplace else. This might be used as a one-time holiday promotion or on a regular basis.
For instance, you might conduct a Christmas promotion that offers all SMS subscribers free shipping.
They may, however, unsubscribe when the campaign ends (or your consumer completes their transaction).
For this reason, we advise providing ongoing value. Send exclusive deals to your SMS subscribers that they can't get via your website or even your email list. To encourage your customers to subscribe to all of your channels, keep these promotions related to those channels.
Include a registration form on your website
Inform all website visitors on how to subscribe to your SMS list. Try including a sign-up form immediately on your homepage or even within blog entries.
Think about providing free information, such as a guide or checklist linked to your brand, to your new subscribers. Your subscribers may only need to input their phone number once if they do this.
Adding an SMS sign-up form to your sidebar, footer, or non-intrusive website pop-ups is another option. Measure the effectiveness of each sign-up form to see where you are receiving the most conversions; discard underperforming forms.
Convert the email subscribers you already have
Inform your email users that SMS marketing messages are also available. To get them to join up for both, provide your email list with a separate value offer.
For instance, your SMS list may get last-minute surprise bargains while your email marketing list gets Christmas discounts. Customers who wish to buy your items for the lowest price will be encouraged to sign up for both lists as a result.
Offer discounts at checkout
Customers that sign up for your SMS list will receive a bonus at the register in person (or online). Think of providing a 10% off coupon or gift in return for their contact information.
By doing this at the register, you provide your consumers a quick benefit. Yes, 10% off coupon codes might be alluring, but they're not quite as successful as showing a buyer a $20 discount before they swipe their card.
