Calling all marketers! It’s time to switch to a fresh strategy! Year 2012 could be named the year of mobile marketing revolution. Email, mobile and SMS marketing are developing in tandem, so we want to help you get started leveraging these tools as soon as possible.

Recently we launched the Mailigen SMS feature that allows you to create SMS campaigns all over the world, as well as the ability to integrate SMS in email marketing campaigns. Before we start your SMS campaign, let’s start with phone number list building.

Gather Both – Email and SMS Lists

If you are a newbie, you are probably starting from zero and don’t have an email list or a SMS list, so gather them both at once. Create a sign-up form with name, email and phone number fields.

Promote joining your email and SMS sign-up form:

• place sign-up or lightbox sign-up forms in your webpage and blog
• invite people in social media to join your list by promoting a link to your sign-up form
• add a sign-up form on company’s Facebook page
• make people fill in an online form when registering for an account, event, download, discount coupon etc.
• benefit from offline events when people fill in subscription or registration forms
• make use of QR codes that you can place almost everywhere and encode links to your sign-up form

Add Phone Numbers to Your Email List

If you have email list and you regularly practice email marketing, you have already established relationship with your audience. It’s so much easier for you to build an SMS list if you can start from an established list. They already have a trusted relationship with you and know you are not a spammer. Sending them relevant content means they will be ready to give you also their mobile phone number.

Work those newlsetters

• When sending a newsletter, invite them to join your SMS list by filling in a special field placed in the newsletter.
• Create a call to action leading them to a special landing page and fill in their phone number there.

Problems You Can Face

Mobile phones are considered to be something more personal than email, so people are often suspicious when you request their mobile phone number. Be ready for some subscribers to push back, they may not want to give you their phone numbers making it difficult to build a solid SMS list.

If all sign-up form fields are obligatory, you risk people will not finish the subscription process or simply will write in the wrong phone number. So it’s better to give them choices on what kind of contact information they want to share.

And don’t forget to offer motivating benefits to subscribe. You can even differentiate benefits by whether a person has subscribed for email, SMS or both.

Motivation to Sign up for SMS List

Give great reasons to sign up by offering benefits for joining your SMS list:

• coupon, discount code, gift card, free stuff, or some other special offer they receive after joining your SMS list
• additional or unique information about your product or service
• having subscribed for a SMS list, give a free download of a guide or ebook
• position subscribing to your SMS list as joining a VIP community whose members receive unique offers and information
• organize contests and from all subscribers raffle the lucky ones winning prizes

Last Thought

All list building is a process and takes time. Sometimes even more true for building lists with sensitive data like mobile phone numbers. Put your imagination in motion and make the contact collecting process meaningful, motivating, and interesting. Remember to promote the subscription benefits and additional value. You can make use of our tips and prepare for your new mobile marketing challenges.

Follow our stream of blog posts, there is more info to come on SMS marketing campaigns and their integration with email marketing campaigns!