8 Ways to Expand Your SMS Contact List

The TCPA requires express prior written consent in order to send SMS communications, and the fines are hefty if you don’t comply. When you use Drip SMS campaigns, we’ve got you covered at every turn.

Plus, when you send unwanted texts, you risk losing potential customers… forever. How would you feel if someone you didn’t know started texting you?

Update your popups

First up, work with what you have. Already capturing email addresses in your popup forms? Great! Update your forms to include an SMS phone number field and watch the numbers start rolling in.

Include language that clearly communicates your SMS terms. When you collect SMS numbers in Drip forms, we automatically generate consent language that will include links to your terms of service and privacy policy.

Embedded forms, too!

Your embedded forms should also include a phone number capture as well. This example from Drip customer, Baltic Born, creates consistency with an embedded form that mirrors their popup - a smart move that establishes trust and credibility.

Invite your email subscribers

Your email subscribers have already expressed that they want to hear from you, so give them another way to keep in touch and be the first to know your deals, updates, and product launches by signing up for text messages.

Send this invite as a dedicated email campaign to your existing subscriber list, and at it to your automations like your Welcome Workflow for new subscribers.

Compelling talking points like early access to new products, sales, or exclusive discounts get folks interested. A one-time discount is a helpful carrot, too!

Pro tip: “SMS” is marketing lingo that helps clarify from a technical sense, but marketing in this channel is all about being conversational. So, when talking about SMS with your customers, use the language that is familiar: text messages. That is a friendlier, more familiar way to speak and will help you seem that way to your r customers will help you sound friendly and warm

Need more design inspo? The folks at Mailcharts put together an amazing collection of email examples promoting SMS sign-ups that is sure to give you some fresh ideas.

Capture SMS consent at checkout

SMS holds a big place in the future of ecommerce marketing, and your shopping platform knows it, too! Shopify recently enabled SMS consent at checkout for all stores (not just Plus). With over 60% of marketing consent being captured at checkout, this is one of the easiest ways to capture subscribers compliantly.

Even if you aren’t on Shopify, your host might still have this option. Find out and then activate, pronto. Collecting phone numbers from your active customers is top priority - they want to hear from you the most!

SMS Opt-in landing pages

Put some extra juice behind your list growth efforts by creating a dedicated landing page and form to capture SMS consent. This will allow you to drive potential subscribers to the page from social, email, and other sources and make it extra easy to sign up once they get there.

Share it on social

That landing page we talked about? Add it to your bio on social platforms like Instagram, include it in your LinkTree, promote it via Facebook lead ads, or share it on TikTok to make sure your loyal social followers have a chance to sign up for texts.

Ugly Drinks makes it easy for their followers to sign up for texts via their LinkTree!

Pro tip: If you have more than 10,000 followers on Instagram, you can use the link sticker feature and promote your SMS program in your stories.

Referral programs

If you have a referral program in place, consider promoting it via SMS and reward subscribers for referring their friends. (And if you don’t, start a loyalty program next!).

Aisle powers their cash-back grocery rewards program via SMS, and just rolled out a referral program to their top users. This is a great way to turn your existing VIP’s into ambassadors, and give them a big thank you for it in return.

Keep them engaged

“New number, who’s this?”

Don’t risk having your texts left on read because subscribers forgot who you were. Roll out the red carpet and give new subscribers a proper introduction to your brand as soon as they sign up.

Welcome message. Say “hey there!” to new SMS subscribers with a personal welcome via text.

Promote sign-up offers. If you included an incentive in your popup or form, make sure you’re meeting subscriber’s expectations and delivering the offer as quickly as possible.

Share your Contact Card. There’s nothing worse than getting texts from numbers you don’t know. Make subscribers feel like friends, not strangers, by ensuring they can save your contact info at the beginning of the relationship.

Texting time!

Now that you are ready to build your SMS list, learn how to implement these strategies from the Drip guide. Your customers will love the convenience and getting an inside scoop, and your business will reap the benefits!