It’s not every day you have the opportunity to make a first impression using a new marketing channel.
Think about it, when was your first email marketing campaign or your first post on social media? Chances are you’ve learned a few things about wine marketing since then.
So, when your winery finally gets serious about text marketing, how will you introduce it to your best customers?
The secret to success with any direct marketing channel is to grow a vibrant list. Since text marketing requires customers to actively opt-in, your first mission is to sell the benefits of text messaging while making it easy to opt-in.
Your best wine customers want to receive your text messages. How do you make ti easy for them to accept your invitation?
Fortunately, it’s easy to convince customers about the benefits of receiving relevant texts since over 90% of online consumers wish their favorite brands would use text messaging for customer service and special access to events, new releases, and exclusive customer experiences.
Customer service texts are twice as popular as promotional texts, so it makes sense in most cases to launch your text messaging channel by first targeting existing customers who want text messages about orders, shipments, and upcoming events.
And here’s the fun part, since you already know them, you can make it ridiculously easy for existing customers to opt-in for text messaging using these proven “one-click” email marketing techniques:
Link click tracking
Any email marketing platform worth paying for offers the ability to generate a list of contacts who clicked on a specific link. If your email message includes a unique link that customers can click to receive your texts, a single click is all it takes for them to opt-in.
Mail-to link
Another way to build your text marketing list using email is with mail-to links. So many wineries use this technique to offer 1-click shopping we wrote an article about it here. Mail-to links can also work for text opt-in just by changing the copy. When existing customers click on your mail-to link, you’ll have their email address and written consent for texting. You can even ask them to confirm their mobile number in their email to you.Embedded survey
Many popular email platforms used in the wine industry allow merchants to embed simple surveys for collecting customer feedback. Change the survey question to ask about opting-in to text messaging, and you’re on your way to building your text marketing list.
No matter what method you use to build your list, you’ll need to respect the laws regulating text opt-in, including a simple description of the messages you plan to send, how frequently you plan to send them, and a note about message and data rates, as described here.
For most DTC wineries, text messaging now offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-invent hospitality service with personalized engagement designed to support each customer journey.
To learn more about the best practices of text marketing for wine, please visit us at www.vinteractive.com.
Happy Selling!