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3. Maximise Your Distribution List

The third blog in our Christmas series is all about distribution lists. If you don’t have one or yours is smaller than you’d like, that’s ok, first we’ll tackle how to build a distribution list before looking at how you can make the most out of your database.

Making a list (and checking it twice):

Start by telling the world that you have a SMS service. There’s no point offering a service for your customers if you don’t tell them about it. Here’s three easy and free ways to promote your SMS database: 

  • Include it in your existing advertising material.
  • Put it on your website with your contact details.
  • Promote it in store.

Make sure that when you’re encouraging people to join your database you are giving them a good incentive to sign up. This could be member’s only specials or vouchers, invitations to secret sales or just letting them know about upcoming specials before the general public. When there is an event coming up (like say… Christmas) you can use it to create urgency, for example:

‘Sign up to our SMS database before Christmas to receive 10% off all Christmas products’

When you do get people interested in signing up, make sure you are capturing more than just their mobile numbers. Some good information to request is: postcode, age bracket and gender. This will help you with the next step:

The art of list splitting:

Once you have your list, you can then maximise its effectiveness by ‘list-splitting.’ This means sorting your distribution list into different categories, for example: age, last purchase or home address. Once you have done this, you can send different people relevant messages targeted right to them. So you can turn this:

‘Christmas shoe sale on now at all Two Shoes stores’

Into this:

‘Members special: Get 50% off Cons before Christmas at your local Two Shoes outlet: 123 Great Street, Richmond’.

Pretty cool huh? Our next blog will look at the different services that SMS Central offers, and how to pick the right one for your Christmas campaign.

A note on distribution lists:

When you sign people up to SMS distribution lists, it’s uber important (ie: you’re legally obliged) to let them know what they are signing up for, and that they can opt out at any time. If you want to find out more about best practice for SMS campaigns, you can have a squiz at our blog, or call our friendly staff on 1300 00 7672.

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