Effective communication with your customers is essential for success. Whether you are sending out SMS marketing campaigns or transactional text messages every point of contact gives you the opportunity to boost your customer relationships, improve your retention and boost your sales and ROI.
However, in order to be able to communicate effectively with your customers, you need to have a current database with an audience that is actively engaged with your brand. The good news is this can easily be achieved. But how is the question?
We have put together some top tips for how you can encourage your customers to opt-in, so you can continue to build an actively engaged audience for your SMS campaigns:
Review where you are already collecting customer information
For example, if you are already running a website where you are actively collecting your customer’s information i.e. a signup page or a bookings page then you could simply add in an ‘I’d like to receive offers/information via SMS’ tick box and start collecting data from here.
What’s awesome is using our SMS API you could even look to build this into FireText so it adds the contacts automatically for you.
Shortcode opt-ins
Here at FireText, we have a handy opt-in tool. This is an SMS keyword on our shared shortcode 82228. You can purchase a keyword and advertise this across your website and social media channels, with an enticing message to encourage them to sign up. When they text your keyword to 82228 they will be instantly added to your database in preparation for your next campaign.
Ensure your opt-in process is simple
There are many opt-in processes you can offer whether it’s our handy shortcode or a form on your website you want to ensure it is quick and easy to join. If the opt-in process is confusing or time-consuming your audience will lose interest and give up. You want them to be able to join without even thinking about it.
Offer an incentive
You are likely to see a rapid increase if you provide your customers with a benefit for signing up to your database. Whether that’s offering them exclusive products or services, or providing them with 20% of their first order. Essentially people are busy and you want to give them a reason to stop and sign up to be a member and an incentive is a great way to encourage them.
Provide helpful information
The incentive that you offer doesn’t always have to be a discount, providing your customers with helpful information is also a great way to get them to engage with your brand and sign up to your database.
Entice your audience
You want to be able to generate some curiosity surrounding your ‘SMS members list’ this will entice customers as they will want to find out more. So by not detailing everything you are going to send them and keeping it brief, you will leave them wanting to find out more. This is another way to build your database.
Here are just a few different ideas and tips for how you can start building your database to kickstart your journey to sending successful SMS campaigns. Of course, we have a friendly team of SMS experts on standby to help out every step of the way and as such please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you want to discuss growing your business with SMS 🙂