Your contacts are the foundation of your SMS marketing campaigns. In fact, it’s the foundation of your business! Every part of your business drills down to people, and people are the center of your marketing.

Growing your list is an important, ongoing task. We’re here to help! This list will help you think of ways you can get more people to opt in to receiving messages from you.

Grow Your Mass Texting List

Tell People About It!

Yes, it can be this easy. Remember, your SMS list is something people should want to be a part of- you’ll make sure of that because you’re offering something they want. Employees are some of your best brand ambassadors, and they can let your customers know about your mass texting list. Something as simple as, “If you text BREWSKI to 43506, we’ll let you know when we get new beers in stock!” works wonders.

Table Tents

Table tents, and other physical marketing collateral, are the cards and signage that sit at tables in restaurants or counters at a bar. If you have spaces like these available, you have one of the easiest ways to grab customers and convert them onto you mass texting list. These may take the forms of simple folded cards, material that typically promotes desserts or drink specials, or even napkin holders.

Checkout Flyers

To incentivize customers to join you list, you likely offer some sort of promotion, such as a discount. Nobody is more ready to take up an offer for a discount than a customer who’s about to check out. A flyer right at checkout captures customers who get value from your list immediately.

Bag Stuffers

This works particularly well in retail organizations. A small, branded piece of paper is easy to produce, easy to drop in a bag, and gives customers a reminder about what you offer via text message when they get home. Think about variations that may apply to your business- for example, pizza delivery orders can easily include that same branded material attached to the outside of a box. Talk about repeat customers!

Digital Signage

Getting a little more techy in your brick-and-mortar location? (You’d better be- you’re one of the top 10% of businesses who are utilizing SMS marketing!) If you have digital signage, such as a flat screen TV on a wall that showcases different aspects of your business, use it to let people know about your text message program.

Email, Social Media, Website…

Chances are, your presence extends past your physical storefront. You’re likely using social media to some extent. Tell your loyal followers about your text marketing program! Even better, use your cover photo to feature your keyword and shortcode, front and center. The same goes for any emails you may send, your website, or any other arm of your digital presence.

Incorporate Other Advertising Formats

If you’re investing in radio ads, TV ads, or any other form of traditional advertising, use it to get some real bang for your buck. As a creative example, one of txtsignal’s clients includes their keyword and shortcode on bus wraps around their city! If you communicate the value of your SMS program, what people are signing up for, and how to join, you can see your mass texting list grow exponentially.

Receipts

Receipts can be important on your end from an accounting perspective, and on the customer’s end if they like to keep track of their financials. But that doesn’t mean they have to be simply transactional. Receipts are a great, physical way to promote your list, and the benefits customers will receive from opting in!

Outdoor Easels

Have an easel outside your door? Think about your goal: to grab people’s attention enough to get them through the door. Why not kill two birds with one stone? Capture that attention with a special deal or offer that they can receive by signing up for your text marketing list.

Giveaways/Text-to-Win

Giveaways and contests work. People will flock to you for the chance to win something- the higher the value, the more likely they are to enter. Once they do, they’re included in your SMS list, if they haven’t already opted in. For a relatively small investment (the cost of the prize), you can reap huge rewards in people signing up to receive promotional messages from you.

Text Club/Exclusive Offers

To take a page from social psychology, exclusivity is a powerful driver of human action. Offer something that only your subscribers have access to- whether that’s a deal, or being the first to know about new updates. You can even call your SMS program a club- after all, “Join Our Exclusive Text Club” sounds a lot more enticing than “Sign Up to Receive Updates.”

Last of all, get creative! There are infinite variations of ways to use these ideas, and even more that aren’t covered here. Spend time observing where customers spend their time, in your store, at home, and online, and think about what you can offer them that will leave them dying to subscribe to your list!