grey38

I'm offering SMS services, but I'd like to be able to get the client going as soon as they get signed up. I want to stockpile a couple hundred and make it so they all can have the generic tent with a way to fill in the "keyword" and "number" field.

Sort of like this.



It obviously needs to be better, but how should I handle ordering in mass as well as making it look professional when I go to have it ready for the restaurant/salon, etc. Should I write the numbers and keywords in manually? or have some labels and put those on there. Perhaps allow the restaurant to get an employee to do it (preferred female, most guys handwritings suck at least mine does.) Any thoughts?

I have considered just handing these to them as a way for them to get started right away but encourage them to get professional ones for their personal keywords...

Also is there maybe a WSO of some table tent designs I can hand to a printing company. I tried looking but perhaps they aren't really called table tents...

All help appreciated.

Benjam1n

If you're aiming at restuarants, a better way would be to provide them with a "satisfaction report" (which could also be applied to most other businesses).

Just an A5 card that they fill out some questions on after their meal. At the top, it could say something like "How did we do? Fill in the card for your chance to win a free meal"

Make it look professsional and just add the normal questions, name, D.O.B., mobile phone number, ratings out of five for various aspects of the service etc.

If these are handed out after the meal, 99% of people will fill them in. A restuarant around the corner from me gets the details of 100's of people each month with this. It means you don't have to reprint a card for every client that you get plus you get a great response rate with more detailed information that can be used.

For instance, with this card, you now have the following:

- Name - You can send personalised texts rather than just the normal generic ones

- Mobile number - Obvious why this is useful

- Date of Birth - You can set up a system (and charge more) whereby customers get a text a few weeks before their birthday "Book your birthday celebrations at XXXX and we'll provide the drinks

- Email address - You can charge your client for setting up an e-mail campaign and creating a weekly newsletter etc.

So rather than just getting a text message, you get all this information which you can use to make correspondence more personalised (which will lead to a better response rate for your client) and you can make more money from!

You can learn about all of these services on the net and keep the money for yourself our just outsource it.

"You become what you think about most of the time" - Think BIG!!

beeswarn

Sorry about that answer above. This forum is getting more bizarre by the day.

Consider using a cheap online printer like gotprint or vistaprint because they have decent WYSIWYG editors you can use to spiff up your design like you want.

This isn't a bad idea to get them started with some kind of instant signage. Don't forget to add the standard opt-in compliance info: "For coupons, discounts and invitations. Up to 6 msgs/month. Normal msg rates apply. Reply STOP to cancel."

Good luck

Benjam1n

As people's egos are getting bigger! "Sorry"...lol.

Have you actually read my post? Please let me know how this is bizarre. I just provided the OP with a better alternative to what he is doing.

How many people are really going to text in from the table card he has provided? Not many.

How many people will fill in a customer review card if there is an incentive for them to do so? A lot more.

The restuarant I mentioned employs both of these strategies, the table tent and the review card. He also has the "Text **** to **** to get special offers etc..." on all of his menus and receipts. In one month, he has had 9 people text in.

In the same amount of time, he has collected about 200 review cards which contain all the information mentioned in my first post.

I fail to see why you feel the need to apologize for my first post. It's simpler, cheaper and more effective.

"You become what you think about most of the time" - Think BIG!!

grey38

Benjam1n, was the staff trained to point the offer out to the customers? Or was the offer just on the menus? Also was there any specific offer to entice them to joining? I've been told that might be where your problem lies in actually getting numbers in

HypeText

The first thing I notice about this post is the "Text *** to **** for Special Offers"

Signage should always include the SPECIFIC initial Offer and it has to be strong enough to garner the interest of the customer.

10% Off, A free Desert, or other WEAK offer isnt going to do a thing to help gather opt ins.

Signage, Table Tents, Employee Training to ensure the Servers & Cashiers are all promoting the Service are essential. They should even have it on the footer of their Cash Register & Credit Card Receipts. It should also be used in their existing Advertising & Marketing.

A Properly done campaign will get OPT INS and will have Excellent Redemption.

Mobile Marketer had an article about Carrabba's Italian Grill in Florida launching their Mobile Campaign. They did it properly...and the results were...

627 Opt Ins and a WHOPPING 68% Redemption Rate... a total of 424 out of 627.

This is why I continuously stress the importance of TRAINING when selling SMS.

Review Cards can be powerful as well and one is NOT a substitute for the other.

The misconception that review cards are cheaper is incorrect as their is the Printing of the Cards and the Cost of Pens which people WILL walk off with.

A review card is not going to allow a Business Owner to send future offers to their Customers, where an SMS opt in will.

A Hybrid of the Two can be powerful as well.

Use a SMS Poll to gather Customer Feedback, not only do they get Customer Feedback but they also have the ability to market further to the opt ins. Something to the effect of...A Free Dessert or a discount off of todays bill in exchange for participation.

philboy uk

Beeswarn, you are entertaining with your unique insights

http://www.warriorforum.com/mobile-m...pact-gomo.html

post #2

Amber Jalink

Grey - for tent cards, I saw some yesterday from PaperDirect.com - they're pretty good, I use PD for my letterhead, envelopes, business cards and I've also bought custom post-it notes from them.

If you're in the US they're pretty quick to ship. If you're outside, well, it might take a week or two to get it, but its reasonable.

They do custom printing too for a slightly higher price (but I think usually cheaper than getting it done elsewhere, since their designs are custom to them)

Amber Jalink, Founder http://www.dime-co.com
WSO - Create Native Apps - Prelaunch Announcement

Brandon Tanner

Now that's a cool idea. And one way you could get around the ongoing costs of paper cards is to laminate the cards and pass them out with dry erase pens. That way, after the customers details are gotten off each card, they can be wiped clean and reused over and over again.

Benjam1n

Nice response HypeText.

I have no doubt that these table tents can provide excellent results, however (and I do not mean to be offensive), I don't think that the OP is going to find many businesses taking up his offer with his current design, hence suggesting an alternative.

I agree that the offer needs to be good enough to get the opt in, but with a review card, you don't need to incentivise people to do it (other than something like "For your chance to win a free meal" etc). People will happily fill one in without wanting something in return which means the business saves money on not discounting their menus and they still collate all the details.

I think it all depends on the type of client that you have. If they are really into it and are prepared to market the hell out of it with the staff enthusiastic as well, an opt in message is great.

But for those that are just not that pro-active, I review card is just as successful (great idea by the way Brandon) and you get more information on every single customer. You can then add value to your own services and make more money by doing so.

For instance:

Package one:

Customers simply text in the keyword to the short code. The client can then have access to the numbers that have texted in at any time by sending them SMS messages about deals/events/exclusive offers etc.

That is all (I say "all" sparingly, obvisouly there are hundreds of ways this can be used) they can do with a table tent.

Alternatively

Package Two:

All of the above plus a personalised message three weeks before their birthday offering them an incentive to celebrate at your restuarant. A weekly newsletter containing new menu's, taster sessions and exclusive offers etc.

If somebody was pitching me, I would choose option two (but that might just be me).

"You become what you think about most of the time" - Think BIG!!

Rymico

I am with Lime Cellular and they supply samples for table tents, posters, etc. I picked the one I like best, took it to my local printer and had 300 printed as a 5 x 7 card. ( Spent too much here, Goprint is lots cheaper) . I went to a restaurant supply company and bought card holders for $0.87.

These card say _____ has gone mobile. Text _____ to &&&& to join us. We fill in the blanks with a Sharpie. I put one on each table. We set up a coupon for them to receive when they opt in. Then go from there on the program. Most of my clients only have about 40-50 tables, so the cards last a while.

I do not offer a free trial, so the cards and holders are free to them when they sign up. Cheaper than giving them a free trial. After 3 months, we still get 2-3 opt ins a day.

The Lime opt in confirmation gives a person a chance to add name, address, e,ail, etc if they want.