Top Ways To Get Signups For Your Text Message List …
Top Ways To Get Signups For Your Text Message List …
I keep getting the question from small business owners… How do they get more customers and prospects on their text message list (club).
It’s a great question, and the truth is it’s very, very easy to grow your list.
We have worked with many owners in all types of businesses and have grown their list.
With all of our experience we sucked up over the years we have gather that information and developed the list of top four ways to get signups for your text message list.
I’m going to quickly give you the 4 categories, then we’re going to talk about each one in detail.
1 – Incentives, Coupons, Contest
2 – Product Information
3 – Exclusive Content, Be the first to know
4 – News, Events, Reminders
With that information you should be able to start building your list right away… but let’s dig into these each a bit more deeply.
Build Your Text Message List with Incentives, Coupons & Contest.
So, one of the studies I read indicated more than 75% of businesses were attracting people to their list with an incentive.
The most popular incentive… a coupon!
I’ve seen this a hundred times in restaurants. You see it all the time too. Get a coupon for 10% off… or get a free desert or drink for signing up for our list.
I know a pizza place that gives members of it’s text message list a free discount coupon, which is good the following week.
How do you promote this?
Have your cashier ask people if they want to sign up.
Or
Put up a sign in your store… or a table tent on the table with instructions on how to sign up.
Or
Put a flyer in the bag as people check out.
Or
Put up a sign on your website.
I know one business owner who runs a cafe. She puts her text message list sign-up in her advertisements. She runs ads in local magazines and newspapers and this is part of her offer! It’s amazing, she gives people free deserts for signing up.
But it doesn’t stop with coupons…
One of the most popular ones is a ‘ENTER TO WIN A GIFT CARD’
Instead of offering everyone a discount or give them something FREE. Offer them a chance to win a $25, $50, or $100 Gift Card.
Remember the days of drop your business card in a fish bowl for a chance to win a free lunch? Now people will text to enter to win.
It’s a great incentive to attract a lot of people. You don’t have to track a lot of discount’s or give 200 items away for free.
Build Your Text Message List with Product Information.
People are hungry for information. Especially information about products they are thinking of buying. They also just want to be the first to know about new products.
So, offering them more information about a product… in exchange for signing up for the text message list… is an easy offer to make.
As a matter of fact, I’ve heard it said, this is the second most frequent way businesses get customers and prospects to opt into their text message marketing list.
I’ve seen this with real estate agents who use text message marketing to promote their homes for sale. Ever see the sign text “XYZ-Code” to learn more about this house?
The agent gets the phone number of interested customers… and the customers get a response from the automated message system about the house they are interested in.
I’ve also seen it with products for sale at conferences…
If you text a keyword to a certain number – the system automatically responds with links to videos on how the product is used.
These kinds of offers work great with case studies, information on how to use a product, and up-sells or add-ons to current products.
But that’s not all…
Build Your Text Message List with Exclusive Content.
I’ve seen some small businesses build their list by offering exclusive content almost exclusively! For example I see this many many times with consultants and speakers…
At a conference, speakers will announce at the beginning of a session they are making their slides available… and all they need to do is text keyword “XYZ” to this number.
I’ve also seen speakers offer access to other speeches they’ve done.
One was a keynote speaker… who said if you wanted to see the video of the talk he gave earlier in the year, simply sign up for his texting list and he’d send the link free!
I know some financial planners are offering access to white-papers and seminars online – to prospects who opt in to their texting list.
The exclusive content angle is endless… you can offer videos, white papers, reports, articles, interviews, webinars, seminars, exclusive events… and even podcasts.
One more great idea – I know a personal trainer that sends his list an inspirational message every day to keep them on track with their workout regimen. Anyone can sign up, and he adds prospects to the list as well – it helps show his commitment to helping his customers!
Where does he advertise this… right on his website!
The options for this freebie is endless.
Another option you have…
Build Your Text Message List with News and Events.
While not as popular as the other giveaways, I see a number of businesses build their texting list by offering up something as simple as a spot on the early bird list for a product launch.
If you’re about to host a conference, it’s another way to get customers and prospects involved.
One business group we work with, uses text message marketing to update conference attendees with real time updates on schedules and activities.
But that’s not all.
You can offer customers and prospects news on some important event.
Think about the news you might have… new product launches, the opening of a new store, new service areas, even new awards you’ve won!
News is News, and sometimes your customers want to learn more!
Really, the options are endless to what you can offer customers and prospects.
The biggest piece of advice I can give you is have more than one offer.
Let me say that again – HAVE MORE THAN ONE OFFER!
Your prospects might want to learn more about your products, so offer them additional information and exclusive content they won’t see anywhere else.
Your VIP customers might want to get early access to new product launches and information about product up grades.
New customers or prospects might want coupon codes to get them off the fence.
There’s no reason you can’t have different offers for different customer types and give them exactly what they need!
Remember Text Message Marketing is a powerful, cost effective tool to educate your customers and business prospects.
Give it a try today.
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