You can easily grow your SMS list through pop-ups on your website, as well as text-a-keyword programs that can help grow a list on non-owned channels like social media.
Most brands nowadays do a two-step opt-in process where they request an email address and then sweeten the deal when you sign up for texts. This method is one of the best ways of building both lists, and you already have the subscriber’s attention at that point.
HOW TO BUILD AN SMS LIST:
Here’s how to build your SMS list quickly with opted-in subscribers:
Website Popup
As shown above, the easiest way to build your list is with a website popup that sweetens the deal with an offer like a percentage discount. Most brands do a two-page opt-in where they request the email and then sweeten the deal further when opting for SMS. A/B tests the experience to see what yields a higher submission rate.
Signup at Checkout & Post-Purchase
There’s no better time to gather as much data as you can at the moment of checkout. Request SMS signups right at the moment a customer places their order and adds their number to their account.
HOW TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS:
The most important part here is to manage expectations. Make these three things very clear:
- Request that customers sign up for marketing updates.
- Explain that they will be receiving text messages from you in a TCPA-compliant manner
- Request that they provide their phone number in order to receive the text messages.
Here’s an example of the copy that accompanies the opt-in (which is usually standardized depending on your SMS provider)
I agree to receive recurring automated text messages at the phone number provided. Consent is not a condition to purchase. Msg & data rates may apply. View our Terms of Service for details.
Join our List of Emails
No brainer. Send an email to your list, inviting them to join your SMS list. Use a one-click join link so they can sign up with little friction. Here are a couple of emails that do the job very well. At the same time, don’t just rely on a one-email approach. Put your signup link at the bottom of all your emails and highlight the numeric text-to-join keyword as well. You can also add this to the footer of every transactional email.
Click-to-Text
Texting a keyword to a certain number to join is a way to get offline signups into your SMS list. Events, in-store, packaging, and even social use click-to-text options for getting signups. This method of list building is simple and convenient and can be applied in numerous ways. You can even change keywords to track different opt-in results. For example, your keyword EVENT can be for events, while LOCAL can be for in-store signups, giving you an additional data point for customer segmentation. Set these up as you prefer. In my experience, these are time-consuming but will save you a lot of headaches and missed opportunities in the future!