5 Ways to Reduce Churn Rates for Mass Texting Programs
Every mass texting campaign experiences some level of churn rate - some subscribers will opt out by choice, others might change their numbers without updating you, so your messages bounce. But there are things every business can do to keep that churn rate as low as possible.
No one wants to lose subscribers, so here are 5 tips to help you avoid that with your next mass texting program.
Listen to your Subscribers
Get in touch with subscribers regularly and get their feedback on what they want from you and your mobile communications with them. Implement the changes they’re asking for and you’ll have happier subscribers who will want to keep on receiving your texts. Whether you use customer surveys or texting polls, all feedback is valuable.
Listen to your Non-subscribers
When people opt out it’s easy to get a bit of text feedback to find out why they’re unhappy. Finding out why people are leaving your service lets you know where you need to make changes to make future mass texting programs more successful.
Keep in touch regularly
It’s no use having a mass texting program in place if you don’t keep in touch with your subscribers regularly. If they never hear from you, what’s the point in subscribing to you? Regular texts reminds customers you’re there, keeps them engaged with your brand and service, and it makes it more likely that they’ll let you know if they change numbers too. Customers are even more likely to opt out when they get a stray text from you months or years of radio silence. Always get in touch with customers soon after they opt in, and keep in touch.
Don’t overdo it
While you want to keep in regular contact with subscribers, you definitely don’t want to become a nuisance - nothing will have them opting out faster than an over-zealous campaign. Try to keep your SMS send-outs to two to four per month, and make them targeted. Create a selection of subscriber groups so you can text different groups with different offers that are better suited to them. And bear in mind users’ other subscription methods - if they’re also signed up to your email list, direct mailing list and social media channels, they might not want to hear from you as often via mobile too.
Send Content that Matters
You want the texts you send out as part of your mass texting program to be genuinely useful or informative for your subscribers. Provide value with the messages you send, and keep the content exclusive. Switch up your messages between a mixture of offers, discounts, event or appointment reminders, tips and information. Try and target your texts to specific subscribers you know are going to appreciate them.
Interact with Customers
Engaging with customers via SMS can help to build brand loyalty. Don’t forget to look after the subscribers you already have, as it’s cheaper to market to customers who already patronize your business than to attract new customers. Interact with your customers regularly and use the simple two-way nature of SMS to encourage them to get in touch with you via mobile too. Offer them services that are of real value to them and in turn ask for their input. Keep the doors of communication open to make your customers feel really valued.