Top 4 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?

It’s a great question, and one I’ve answered in the past.

A few months back I wrote an article about “11 Easy Giveaways To Get Prospects Signing Up For Your Mobile Marketing List by the Hundreds!”

In that article I shared a ton of examples you could use to get people to sign up.

But, many business owners still had questions.

Many owners were still confused over what to offer prospects and customers to sign-up.

So, I did some research and I found a few inserting studies. I sucked up 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 four categories, then we’re going to talk about each one in detail.

1. Incentives and Coupons
2. Product Information
3. Exclusive Content
4. News and Events.

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 And Coupons.

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 its 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…

Build Your Text Message List with Product Information.

People are hungry for information. Especially information about products they are thinking of buying.

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.

Approximately 45% of businesses that have text message marketing lists offer exclusive content of some sort as a carrot to get signups.

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 upgrades.

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!

If you’re thinking of using Text message marketing for your business, check out this free report: “The Ultimate Guide to Mobile Marketing”

Remember text message marketing is a powerful, cost effective tool to educate your customers and business prospects. Give it a try today.