![How to Convert Your Email List to SMS Subscribers [Tips]](/images/blogposts/2020-09-30/how-to-convert-your-email-list-to-sms-subscribers-Tips.jpg "How to Convert Your Email List to SMS Subscribers [Tips]")
If you're planning to start focusing on SMS marketing, you're on the right track. SMS is a great channel to reach customers, especially here in the Philippines. 159% of the local population have mobile phones--that's more than half owning two phones!
It might be daunting to start. But if you already have an email list, you've got the beginnings of a great SMS subscriber list. You've already put in the work to build your email list. Your email subscribers are already interested in your brand. They're the best people to start with in moving forward into SMS lists.
Use your list to your advantage--you don't have to start from scratch!
Here are a few things to keep in mind to help you convert your email list to loyal SMS subscribers:
Tell Them The Benefits
Be clear in your email what they can get out of subscribing to your SMS list. There should be a clear difference between having only an email subscription (definitely a valid option!) or changing into an SMS subscriber (or maybe even both!).
Since SMS have fast open rates (90% of text messages are read within 3 minutes of receipt) compared to email, perhaps super-hot limited-stock deals will be exclusive for your SMS subscribers. Maybe SMS subscribers get personalized deals depending on the nearest branches to them.
Whatever your offer is, make sure you clearly state what's in it for them.
Set Expectations
You should let them know how often you plan to send messages, and what kind of messages they can expect to get. Don't tell them you'll get them exclusive deals, but they later find out it's open to everyone. Or that you'll send them messages twice a month but they end up getting a message every week.
SMS is by nature more intimate than email marketing. Don't betray their trust in you by spamming them and ignoring expectations.
Make Signups Easy and Hassle-Free
Don't make things harder for them to sign up. Give them different ways to sign up -- keyword shortcodes work, but make an online method available to them as well. After all, 46% of emails are opened on mobile phones, so they're likely to be able to quickly sign up with a form rather than typing out numbers on a text message.
Look into website forms or even automated chatbots that can get your customer's data and integrate it with your SMS solution. Maybe you can even just have them reply to your email--many successful email campaigns employ more personalized tactics to great effect.
Start On the Right Foot
Not everyone will want to move into an SMS subscription list, and that's okay. What's important is that you are able to provide a better experience to those that do, without harming the experience of your other customers.
If you have a clear benefit to "upgrade" their subscription, set expectations, and make signing up as easy as possible, you'll get subscribers who are excited to be on your SMS list. Build on their experiences and move forward.