fbpx

A Guide to Text Message Welcome Flows

Aug 9, 2022

Phone with Data and Analytics - Boost Digital Ad Performance

Rolling Out the Green Carpet The Pros of Welcome Flows

Picture this: With our guidance, you’ve confidently planted your foot in the fresh, evergreen world of text message marketing. You have a platform and strategy, and you’ve started building a decent-sized first-party list of audience members who have opted-in to receive texts from your brand. You sit down to cook up a draft for the first text message subscribers receive, serving as the tone-setter for what people can expect. And then, right as your fingers rest on the keys, your mind becomes a void. What makes for a good first text, anyway? Learning how to construct an effective Welcome Flow is the ideal solution for situations like these.

What is a Welcome Flow?

In SMS & MMS marketing, a Welcome Flow accounts for the content of the very first message sent out to those who join a text club. Such a thing has existed in the world of email marketing for decades, but its efficacy at introducing users to the perks of an opt-in program makes it just as handy in text marketing. If anything, given how much higher the open rate for text messages are compared to emails, they’re of greater use now more than ever. You only have one opportunity to make a first impression, so the importance of coming out swinging can’t be overstated.

The Ingredients of a Killer Flow

While there might not be a set-in-stone structure to a Welcome Flow that will make your entire base swoon, there are several elements found in most flows that go a long way in making your first interaction with a customer a total knockout.

Lead with Some Eye Candy

Now that MMS is the gold standard for text-based marketing campaigns, you don’t need to rely just on words to attract your audience! Starting with some images or an animated GIF is always a good call. It’s eye-catching and especially beneficial if it shows off a product you sell, an exclusive welcome offer, a unique giveaway, or perhaps an upcoming event.

Don’t Forget to Welcome Them

Introduce your company and formally welcome the user to your text club. Use text to also discuss the content you’re promoting in the image you’ve attached.

Include a Call-to-Action

Incorporating some kind of CTA (call-to-action), like asking a user to visit your website, online store, or Content Hub, helps establish synergy between your text chat and your services.

Offer a Discount Code

Given a text club is a service that can only be joined voluntarily, consider handing out a temporary discount code to the new opt-in as thanks for signing up.

Drop Your Contact Card

Working with TapOnIt, you’ll be able to create a custom contact card with the name and logo of your business included, so the customer can quickly discern when a text is from your brand through just a glance. Make sure to plug it a little after you roll out your welcome flow so your users can add it to their Contacts!

When composed with the tools provided by text messaging, a welcome flow can make the difference between a new opt-in feeling truly catered to and wondering if they made the right call in giving you their phone number. Your first message to a customer should be treated as a significant opportunity to prove how relentless your company is regarding customer service and how grateful you are that they took the time to join your text club.