How to Grow Your Text Subscriber List

The majority of local businesses find maximising their marketable SMS list to be the hardest part of SMS marketing. Why? Many organisations are not collecting phone numbers, forgetting to collect explicit consent, or failing to maximise their opportunities to collect opt-ins. 

But with the right setup, collecting opt-ins can be passive work. The key is to integrate opt-in entry points at every possible step of the customer journey. There are a number of touchpoints along your customer journey where collecting an opt-in is natural, and even expected. If you take advantage of these opportunities, your text subscriber list will build itself. 

Read on to learn how to grow your text subscriber list quickly and naturally. 

The Low Down on Text Message Marketing

The fact of the matter is that local businesses are uniquely positioned to win with SMS marketing. According to our 2021 Local Business Messaging Trends report, local businesses are situated to reach their consumers’ text messaging inboxes more often than major chains and eCommerce players.

Consumers are 21% more likely to opt-in to local businesses’ text promotions over major chain or big-box retailers. And they’re:

• Online Sign-Up Pages and Forms – This collection type involves creating landing pages that are dedicated to collecting opt-ins. With this touch point, location-specific pages can be generated and shared via URL or QR code. Remember that not all sign-up pages are created equal. Effective pages provide fields to collect names and phone numbers, use clear legal language to communicate that they’re collecting information for SMS marketing purposes, and should be customised to fit your company’s brand.

• Website Banners, Pop-Ups, and Prompts – With this collection type, customers opt-in by filling out a banner pop-up that appears on your webpage after a time delay specified by you.

• Website Chat – Website chats are tools where website visitors can do things like ask questions, set appointments, and check for product or appointment availability. They’re also opt-in wellsprings. You can easily leverage your website chat to include an opt-in invitation whenever someone leaves an enquiry. This might involve using an embedded lead form or “Contact Us” form (with the proper legal consent).

• Point of Sale or Transaction – Collecting opt-ins at the point of sale can be a game-changer. It can be easy, too. Simply give customers the option to opt-in during the checkout process. At this point, they’re already interested enough to purchase from you, so there’s a good chance they’ll want to be looped in for future communication from your brand.

• Review – This is the opt-in touch point that closes the loop. If you’re already leveraging a reputation management solution like Podium Reviews, you can capture the opt-in after a review is sent. People who leave favourable reviews are probably more likely to want to receive information about future promotions.

→Hybrid Touch Points

These days, local businesses can conduct their business in-store, online, face-to-face, or even a combination of all three.

With the right tools, you can gather opt-ins wherever and however you operate. With that in mind, here’s a list of out-of-the-box ways you can present opt-in invitations to build your text subscriber list.

• URL & QR Code – Once you’ve set up an online sign-up form, you can share it via URL or QR code.
  • URLs are a great way to link prospects and customers directly to your sign-up form. They’re particularly useful for sharing over social media and converting an existing email marketing list.
  • QR codes are a great way to present your sign-up forms on printed (wall signs or table tents) and digital signage (televisions/monitors/tablets that are present in-store). You can also present them via product packaging, business cards, stickers, cash register stands, or physical checkout locations. With this method, all your customers have to do is scan the QR code with their smartphone camera and they’ll be redirected to your opt-in sign-up form.

• Sign-Up/Opt-In Station – An online sign-up form that can be displayed on a tablet, smartphone, computer, or laptop is a great way to collect opt-ins face-to-face. Many businesses find this effective at events, trade shows, and pop-up shops. Other effective scenarios for this type of opt-in invite might include a home services business that conducts services at customers’ homes or retail stores with lots of foot traffic.

• Text-to-Join Keyword – Another effective method for collecting opt-ins from prospects and customers is establishing a textable keyword. This form of opt-in doesn’t rely on an online sign-up page. Instead, it requires a business to pick a keyword like “Subscribe,” which can be texted to a business’s number to opt-in. A textable keyword—much like a QR code—can be printed or displayed digitally alongside the appropriate consent language.

>permission to market to them.

There are a couple of different ways you can do this.

• Direct Incentives – Giving direct incentives involves offering a specific discount or offer if consumers sign up for promotional texts. Think: “Sign up for our text list for 10% off your next purchase” or “Our text subscribers get access to deals and discounts first. Don’t miss out—opt-in today!”
• Contests and Giveaways – Contests and giveaways are also excellent ways to create value from the get-go and help subscribers feel like they’re getting the better end of the deal. Next time you host a giveaway, consider offering extra entries to those who join your text list.

Get Started with Text Message Marketing

With the right tools, collecting opt-ins for SMS messaging is a breeze for a team of any size. Podium’s text message marketing software provides:  



Ready to get started? Sign up for a free, no-strings-attached 14-day trial of Podium and start sending text campaigns to your subscribers today.