Ah, the customer list…it’s the tool we use to grow our business. Do you have one?

Are you regularly contacting that list about the value you offer?

If you don’t have a list, it’s time to start building one. If you have one but don’t communicate with the people on it, it’s time to make a plan and stick to it. In this article, we’ll show you how to build a new list and refresh an existing list so you can move forward with a text marketing plan that works…

Building a list from scratch

Starting from scratch can seem difficult at first, but it can be the best way to start. View it as a regrand opening. Here are five steps to building that first customer list:

•  Decide how you will communicate. If you intend to use direct mail, text marketing, email marketing and social media, you’re going to need a bit of info about your customers – name (first and last), address, city, state and zip code, phone (cell) and email address.
•  You also need a way to organize this info. Creating a simple spreadsheet is a good starting point. You may also want to look into a simple CRM (Customer Response Management). You may already have one if you use a Point of Sale system. This database of contacts can be sorted and pulled into your marketing tools such as Simple Texting to send an offer to your customers.
•  Get the info. This may be the hardest step in the process, but it will teach you a lot about your customers and your business.
•  Incentivize your customers. The best way to get customer data is to offer them an incentive to share it. Whether it’s half off their next $10 purchase or a free dessert, you need to offer the incentive to get the info.
•  Ask if they want to join a loyalty program. Consumers love earning points toward reduced price anything. And it’s a proven fact that simple loyalty programs really work. You know you’ve bought 9 drinks to get that 10th one free! Make the invitation simple – describe what they get, how to sign up and how to track their progress. You get their info; they get value.

Refreshing an old list

Many of the above strategies work well for refreshing an old list. Here are a few tips for making an old list a great list:

•  Send an email to customers about your update. Let your customers know that you only want to update them if they want to hear from you. Ask them to update their data and give them an incentive for doing it.
•  Tell your customers you have added a new and simpler way for them to hear from you. Put flyers up, add it to your website and tell them about your text program at checkout or on the phone.
•  Ask for feedback on a comment card. Gather info about your customer service and ask customers to opt-in at the same time.
•  Encourage sharing. Nothing spreads the word faster than word of mouth. Tell your customers to spread the word on discounts, specials and events and reward them for it.

It will take time, but if you are diligent, you will develop a great customer list and more sales.