What to use for SMS?

ozlizard · 28th Jun 2013, 09:35 PM

I sell mobile sites and want to add SMS marketing to upsell. The first one is going to be a café.
I can sign up with a local SMS marketing company so I need to get the customer's first name and mobile number.
I tried to set up an optin form with Mailchimp but it defaults to email.
The plan is the have A5 displays asking for their details in return for an instant 10% off their bill, so they will use a virtual mobile number or scan a QR code.

What are you SMS marketers using to collect this info?

xlfutur1 · 28th Jun 2013, 10:45 PM

Why do you need a first name? Just have them text a keyword to a local number, or call the same number to subscribe. Make it really easy for them to get the reward. The more stuff you ask them for, the less likely they will subscribe.

webwizdevelop · 28th Jun 2013, 10:58 PM

I would love to hire mobile marketing company which are having lots of customer database and they have software to send bulk sms too, so thats a better idea for sms marketing

ozlizard · 28th Jun 2013, 11:48 PM

For small local businesses like restaurants and cafes it makes more sense to collect the mobile numbers of your customers. Remember that your best customer is the one who just walked out your door. You want them to come back.

Why do you need a first name? Just have them text a keyword to a local number, or call the same number to subscribe. Make it really easy for them to get the reward. The more stuff you ask them for, the less likely they will subscribe

.

It was mentioned that it can be better to use their name to personalise the message.
I can get a virtual number for $99 per year, so that is no big deal, and I get that they just text the number. My question is how to you retrieve and store the number so you can upload it to the SMS marketers address book?

xlfutur1 · 29th Jun 2013, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by ozlizard

For small local businesses like restaurants and cafes it makes more sense to collect the mobile numbers of your customers. Remember that your best customer is the one who just walked out your door. You want them to come back.

It was mentioned that it can be better to use their name to personalise the message.
I can get a virtual number for $99 per year, so that is no big deal, and I get that they just text the number. My question is how to you retrieve and store the number so you can upload it to the SMS marketers address book?

$99 bucks a year seems pretty steep. Twilio is $1 per month for local numbers,10X less expensive. Use openvbx for to manage all of your SMS campaigns. its free.

28th Jun 2013, 09:35 PM	#1
ozlizard Active Warrior Registered Member Join Date: 2013 Location: Western Australia Posts: 88 Thanks: 2 Thanked 16 Times in 13 Posts	What to use for SMS? Share on: I sell mobile sites and want to add SMS marketing to upsell. The first one is going to be a café. I can sign up with a local SMS marketing company so I need to get the customer's first name and mobile number. I tried to set up an optin form with Mailchimp but it defaults to email. The plan is the have A5 displays asking for their details in return for an instant 10% off their bill, so they will use a virtual mobile number or scan a QR code. What are you SMS marketers using to collect this info?
	Mobile Sites/Web Sites/Mobile Marketing http://www.zapmedia.com.au

28th Jun 2013, 10:45 PM	#2
xlfutur1 Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,112 Thanks: 13 Thanked 249 Times in 154 Posts	Re: What to use for SMS? Share on: Why do you need a first name? Just have them text a keyword to a local number, or call the same number to subscribe. Make it really easy for them to get the reward. The more stuff you ask them for, the less likely they will subscribe.

28th Jun 2013, 10:58 PM	#3
webwizdevelop Warrior Member Join Date: 2012 Posts: 29 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: What to use for SMS? Share on: I would love to hire mobile marketing company which are having lots of customer database and they have software to send bulk sms too, so thats a better idea for sms marketing