6 Ways to Get People to Opt In to Your SMS Marketing Program

SMS marketing has so much potential, but you cannot take advantage of it if you do not have subscribers. It is not enough to simply promote your campaign and spread the word; you need people to opt in. This is because texting is a permission-based medium, so you cannot send out any text messages to non-subscribers. The following are a few ways that you can motivate people to join your program so you can reach your goals.

CTA On All Marketing 

With a texting CTA, people can act on your marketing campaigns from anywhere.

An easy way to encourage people to opt-in to your campaign is to include your SMS marketing information on all of your marketing collateral. It acts as a strong call to action, and it is easy to include on anything, including your pre-existing marketing:

• Radio spots
• TV ads
• Flyers
• Posters
• Billboards
• Vehicle wraps
• Website
• Social media profiles and posts
• Email newsletters
• Direct mail
• Print ads

You simply include the keyword and other relevant information on your materials. Create a call to action by asking people to text to join your SMS marketing program. Most people already have their phone on them, so even if they see your ad in passing, they can quickly text a keyword and join your campaign.

Cross Promote 

Although using texting as a CTA is powerful, it is not the only way to get people to join your texting program. It is also beneficial to promote your program in other ways to attract interest. You most likely interact with customers in a variety of platforms, so take advantage of this and share information about your text messaging program.

By doing this through platforms like your email newsletter and social media profiles, you have an added bonus: you are marketing to people who are already interested in following your company. This means they are more likely to sign up for your SMS marketing program, which may increase the number of opt-ins you receive.

Provide Incentives 

A simple way to increase the number of people who subscribe to your SMS marketing program is to provide incentives for doing so. An incentive can include a coupon or offer, but it might be something else, based on your company and products or services. Everyone loves a good deal, so an incentive is a great way to build your subscriber list.

Give Them a Reason Why 

It is not just about giving potential subscribers a single incentive for signing up; you also need to provide a compelling reason for them to join your SMS marketing program. For many programs, this means regular coupons. However, subscribers also like to receive:

• Updates on your company
• Exclusive access
• Behind the scenes information
• Contests
• Notification about events

There are many aspects of your program that provide something of value to your customers. You just need to find out what they want and then follow through on your promises. If you provide a strong enough motivation, you will see people subscribing to — and remaining a part of — your program.

You also want to ensure that the content you share remains exclusive to the medium. You ideally want to have people sign up to follow you across channels; therefore, you need to give them a reason to do so. If you provide the same deals through your email as you do via text message, then people might choose to only sign up for one. Give them a reason to sign up for your texting program, even if they already follow you on social media, receive your emails, regularly read your blog and otherwise continually interact with your brand.

Maintain the Value 

Keep your customers happy by developing a campaign that provides value from the get-go.

It is not enough to simply make an enticing reason to subscribe to your SMS marketing campaign; you need to follow through. If your program does not maintain its value over time, then you will see your subscribers start to opt-out. What is more, they may tell their friends and family members not to bother signing up.

Conversely, if you meet — and exceed — their expectations of your program, then you will build a strong reputation. This will not only keep your program’s churn rate down, but it will also increase your subscriber base, thanks to positive word of mouth marketing. Always follow through on your promises and keep value at the center of your campaign.

There are many ways to build your subscriber list. If you develop a strong program that provides significant value to your customers, then you will find that all you need to do is get the world out about it, and people will choose to opt-in.

Try GroupTexting for free and try out one or more of these actions to build your subscriber list.

Categories: Text Message Marketing Tips