Grow your SMS list with proven strategies
Bola’s Baked Goods has recently activated their SMS account, and they’re excited to start engaging subscribers via text message. They know that SMS messages tend to drive higher conversion rates than email, and they plan to launch their first text message campaign around an upcoming new launch of coffee flavors.
However, while they have a large email marketing list, they currently have no SMS subscribers. Before sending any text messages, Bola’s Baked Goods first has to grow their SMS list.
Watch the video below to see the strategies Bola’s Baked Goods used to acquire SMS subscribers.
As a reminder, it is required to obtain explicit consent for SMS marketing. It is strongly recommended to use double opt-in when collecting SMS consent. For helpful reminders about how to grow your SMS list compliantly, reference this guide: Best practices for SMS compliance.
Design forms that encourage subscription
In the video, we saw how Bola’s Baked Goods set up sign-up forms to gain SMS subscriptions. Click through the tabs below to view different design configurations you can use to help drive form submissions.
Use a sign-up incentive
A sign-up incentive helps drive submission rates by showing your new subscribers the immediate value of signing up for your marketing.
When collecting both email and SMS consent on a multi-step form, use a layered incentive to encourage subscription for both channels, while also positioning SMS as a higher value channel.
Example: Offer 10% off your first order when you subscribe to email marketing, with an additional 5% off when you also subscribe to SMS marketing.
When collecting solely SMS marketing on a targeted sign-up form, use an incentive to encourage subscription.
Examples: 10% off your next order, or free shipping on your next order.
Add a teaser
Adding teasers to your signup forms allows site visitors to minimize the form and continue browsing, with the option to re-open the form at a later time by clicking on the minimized widget.
By allowing your visitors to re-open your form at a later date, you increase the likelihood of form submissions.
Enable timing settings
Use timing settings to control when the sign-up form appears during a site visitor’s session on your website.
Try setting your timing as Immediately, so visitors encounter your form as soon as their session begins.
To configure the timing settings in the form editor, click the Targeting & behavior button in the left-hand menu.
Under Timing, either select Immediately, or select Based on rules to set your custom time delay.
Enable frequency settings
Use frequency settings to control how often you want your signup form to reappear for site visitors after they first close it.
Try setting your frequency setting to re-show your form again after 1 day to drive fast SMS list growth.
To configure the frequency settings in the form editor, click the Targeting & behavior button in the left-hand menu.
Under Frequency, update the text field to say 1 day, and leave the below setting checked so site visitors who successfully submit your form aren’t shown your form again.
Enable consent at checkout
When site visitors reach the checkout flow on Bola’s Baked Goods site, they’re excited about their brand. Bola’s team took advantage of this great opportunity in the customer journey, and asked them to subscribe to SMS marketing at checkout. Consent at checkout is also a less intrusive experience during the customer’s session on your site.
View the dropdowns below to learn how you can enable consent at checkout for your business.
Set up with your ecommerce integration
Set-up instructions for consent at checkout differ depending on your ecommerce integration. Click on your ecommerce integration below to learn step-by-step instructions for enabling this feature on your website.
Follow compliance regulations
When enabling consent at checkout, make sure you follow the below regulations to stay in compliance:
- The checkbox for collecting consent needs to be defaulted to unchecked. This ensures that you're clearly stating that SMS consent is optional, and new subscribers explicitly consent to receive their text message marketing.
- Your SMS disclosure language must be included everywhere you collect SMS consent, so you need to include your disclosure language.