30+ SMS Opt-In Examples With Real Use Cases for Campaigns  2024

Keeping your brand connected with your customers takes a great deal of effort. Customers can easily slip away due to ineffective communication.

Any consumer is bound to receive around 70 emails every day from various companies trying to sell their products. So, one of the core challenges businesses have to fight on is to capture and retain their customer’s attention strategically.🎯

But what if you could break through that noise and reach your customers directly on their mobile devices?📱SMS Opt-in can help your business create personalized messages for mass texting campaigns, giving customers value and incentives.🎁

In this blog, we’ll discuss SMS opt-in messaging, exploring its types, 30+ examples, and strategic tips to help you write effective opt-in messages to get your customers to respond positively. 

We’ll also cover what common mistakes to avoid ways to work with double opt-in and single opt-in messaging, and real case studies to make your SMS opt more effective.

What is an SMS Opt-In message? 

An SMS opt-in message is a text message sent to potential customers to seek their explicit permission to receive future text messages from a business.

By providing clear enrollment options (such as website forms, in-store sign-ups, or text-to-join), businesses can create a subscriber list of individuals who are genuinely interested in their products or services.

A well-designed SMS opt-in should contain a clear, brief, and good reason-to-believe factor, where consumers are well-informed of exclusive products, offers and receive personalized support that can lead to high engagement rates and improved customer satisfaction.

30+ SMS Opt-In Examples 

Let’s dive into some real-world examples that show you exactly how to do it right. We’ll break down each example by its specific use case so you can see what works best for different scenarios.

• Marketing
• Sales
• Customer Service
• E-commerce and Retail
• Education
• Other Industries

5 Marketing SMS opt-in examples

Marketing SMS opt-in delivers messages that give informational content, which also lets consumers be curious about a product or a service. Some of the marketing text message examples are:

5 Sales SMS opt-in examples

Sales SMS opt-in helps to attract customers and encourage them to purchase. This is done by sending action-oriented messages to the customers.

5 Customer service SMS opt-in examples

Customer service SMS opt-in provides personalized support to subscribing customers for any of their inquiries. This is done by sending them messages about updates, inquiry tickets, support calls, or text options.

5 E-commerce and retails SMS opt-in examples 

E-commerce and Retail SMS opt-in provides activity, reminder and exclusive offer texts to the subscribed customers. This will constantly remind customers about their activity on the e-commerce platform.

5 Education SMS opt-in examples

Education SMS subscription provides important updates, notifications, and notices to the students as well as parents.

5 Other industries SMS opt-in examples

Some of the other industry’s SMS opt-ins are shown below.

10 customizable opt-in text message templates 

5 customizable double opt-in text message templates 

Here are 5 customizable double opt-in message templates for you with their benefits for your SMS campaign:

Some benefits of the double opt-in text message templates are:

• It confirms interest, hence a more engaged audience.
• It reduces a lot of spam complaints.
• A clear expectation around the type and frequency of messages is created.
• It ensures legal regulations about explicit consent are followed.
• Improved data quality ensures that communications are sent only to interested parties, thus perfecting the targeting effort.

5 customizable single opt-in text message templates

And here are a few customizable single opt-in message templates for you with their benefits for your SMS campaign:

Some benefits of the single opt-in text message templates are:

• It’s much easier for customers to subscribe and also leads to higher conversion rates.
• It allows a business to engage with customers instantly.
• Reducing the number of steps in the process can improve the user experience.
• Information of great importance could quickly be communicated without additional steps of confirmation.
• Time- and resource-intensive, it makes the subscription process easier.

Common mistakes to avoid while creating SMS opt-in messages 

There are some common mistakes out there that must be avoided while creating your SMS opt-in message.

• Not collecting opt-ins: A common one is when no explicit consent is obtained from the users to send bulk SMS messages. This can get you into serious legal trouble under laws such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and hurt your brand reputation. Clearly ensure the SMS consent process through all customer touchpoints, including websites and social media.

• Inappropriate timing for messages: Timing is everything in SMS marketing. Some of the reasons people unsubscribe is because of numerous messages at inappropriate times. Thus, it is vital to remember the time zones of your target audience and the normal trends in their activities to ensure that the timing for sending the message is appropriate. Scheduled texts at appropriate times increase the chances of engagement.

• Overloading messages: Receiving too many messages can overwhelm and irritate subscribers, potentially leading to a decrease in their numbers. Frequent messages can burnout customers, and it can potentially result in fewer engagement subscribers over time. The message should strike a clear and concise path in its frequency. You should analyze the engagement metrics for an optimal schedule of sending that will keep your audience in the know without being intrusive.

• Using generic messages: This can include sending one size fits all messages that can ultimately become a reason for disengagement. If messages are not relevant to their interests and behavior, people will begin to believe that all your communications are irrelevant. Personalization is key to your audience, and craft relevant messages for each segment in order to foster a stronger connection.

By avoiding these common mistakes, businesses can create more effective SMS opt-in messages that enhance customer engagement and compliance while building a positive brand reputation.

Types of SMS opt-ins 

There are particular types of SMS opt-ins you should know about which exact type can help you increase your campaign progress.

1. Verbal

Verbal opt-ins are based on the customer’s consent received in person or by phone. It’s crucial to keep a record of how consent was obtained with the date and context. This is best for service-oriented industries where a representative is able to elaborate on features of getting SMS updates, and questions can be asked and answered. 

2. Paper form

Paper form opt-in is a traditional option in which customers must fill in a physical form to give consent. It is commonly used in retail outlets, conferences, or exhibitions, and it allows for the direct collection of information about the customer. 

It should include what the SMS messages will contain, how often texts can be expected, and how to cancel.

3. Via text

Via text opt-in leads the customer proactively to join in by texting a keyword provided to them to a specific Phone Number. It’s also referred to as a text-to-join system. The customers find it very simple to follow through with this process, and initiation is customer-driven. 

Many channels, such as social media, websites, or in-store signage, may be used to bring this option to businesses’ attention. 

4. Mobile QR code

Mobile QR codes facilitate quite innovative SMS opt-ins. Customers can scan a QR code with their mobile devices, which would then redirect them to a text message sign up process or even a landing page where they could enter their information. This works well in print marketing materials, on product packaging, or at events.

5. Website form

Website opt-in forms allow customers to give consent by filling out an electronic form on the business’s website. You should provide clear details on what messages your subscribers will receive and how often they should expect to hear from your business. 

Strategic tips for opt-in text messages

There are some strategic tips for building creative opt-in text messages that focus on conciseness, engagement, and optimization for your marketing campaign. 

1. Clear and concise messaging

Use simple terms to communicate the message. Subscribers shouldn’t be confused about what they are opting for immediately. Clear messaging ensures that when your business texts customers, the message is easily understood.

• Keep it Short: Make it brief but include the important details. For instance, instead of saying, “You can get updates on our latest products and newest promotions and events,” say, “Get updates on new products and promotions!
• Avoid Jargon: Use simple terms that your audience can easily understand. You should try to avoid technical language or industry-specific jargon that may leave potential subscribers confused.
• Highlight Key Details: Specify clearly what subscribers can look at to receive and how often. For instance: “Sign up for weekly deals and exclusive offers!

2. Strong call to action

An efficient call-to-action (CTA) should be there to influence joining immediately. In fact, this can increase the opt-in chance dramatically.

• Action-Oriented Language: Use language such as “Join now,” “Sign up today,” or “Text [Keyword] to [Number]” to get people to act now. Make sure this CTA is highly visible and easily acted upon.
• Add Urgency: Create limited-time offers or limited-time promotions that allow subscribers to act sooner rather than later.
• Make It Easy: The enrolling process needs to be very easy. Be very clear with them about how to subscribe, whether through a text, QR code, or website form.

3. Value proposition

Clearly articulate the benefits of subscribing. Subscribers are more likely to join if they know what’s in it for them.

• Emphasize Special Deals: Introduce any special deals, discounts, or exclusive content subscribers will get. For instance: “Get exclusive access to sales and promotions only for SMS subscribers!
• Personalization: Let them know that they will receive messages customized by preference or based on past interactions. This will add better value to your list.
• Build Trust: Ease their minds about privacy and data security. Give them the assurance that personal information will be kept confidential and that they reserve the right to opt out whenever they wish to.

4. Optimization and testing

Test and optimize your SMS sign-up continuously.

• A/B Testing: Experiment with different formats of messages, CTAs, and value propositions to know what works with your audience. For instance, test of different wording for the CTA or various incentives for signing up work better.
• Monitor key engagement metrics: Opt-in rate, click-through rate, and unsubscribe rates. Use this data to refine further messaging and strategies.
• Iterate Off Feedback: Capture feedback from your subscribers to understand their interests and experiences. This may help you make very informed decisions when adjusting the subscribing strategy.

3 Real case studies of SMS opt-in examples

1. Airbnb uses SMS opt-in to streamline host-guest communication:

• Hosts receive instant SMS notifications when a guest requests to book.
• Hosts can confirm or deny bookings directly via SMS.
• Airbnb provides a masked phone number system for direct SMS communication between hosts and guests, protecting privacy.

2. Lyft uses SMS to enhance rider-driver communication and streamline operations:

• Passengers receive automated SMS updates on ride status, driver arrival, etc.
• A masked phone number system allows direct SMS communication between riders and drivers, protecting privacy.
• SMS reduces support costs by enabling direct rider-driver communication for non-urgent matters.

3. Dell employs SMS to enhance customer communication and order processing:

• Sends order confirmation updates via text message
• Alerts customers about credit card holds, allowing quick resolution
• Achieves high read rates (98% within 4-6 minutes) compared to email (22%)

Conclusion 

Long story short, crafting an effective SMS opt-in message can help businesses build a large and engaging subscriber list. Marketers should learn about the various kinds of SMS subscriptions and tips to avoid mistakes; this includes strategic tips on a clear and concise value proposition, a value-led call to action, and optimization and testing for a powerful enrolling message that drives customer engagement and loyalty. 

The beauty of making such SMS opt-in texts personalized is that they can touch your prospecting customers. Being relevant, clear, short, and sweet helps the subscribers connect to the message any business is trying to convey.

By doing so, you will be able to build trust with your customers, secure more opt-in rates, and subsequently increase your revenue and growth rate.🚀

FAQ

How to set up an opt-in text message?

To set up an SMS subscription text message, you should follow these steps:

• Choose Opt-In Method: Decide whether you want to use single opt-in, where customers provide their number or double opt-in, where customers are asked to confirm via follow-up text.
• Create a Clear Message: Write the first SMS enrolling message detailing what subscribers will get from you. This includes your brand name, the frequency of the message, and the message type. “Welcome to [Brand]! Reply YES for exclusive offers. “
• Collect Consent: This can be triggered through an online registration form, a sign-up sheet, or even by asking customers to text a keyword to your number.
• Send Confirmation: The system will then respond with this double opt-in confirmation message: “Thanks for signing up! Reply YES to confirm you want updates from [BRAND].”
• Monitoring and Optimization: The engagement metrics and feedback will give insights into the gradual improvement of your SMS enrollment messages.

What is SMS and example?

SMS means Short Message Service, which is a text message service that allows mobile device users to send and receive short messages. It is one of the most popular means of personal communication that also finds space in business for marketing, alerting, and notification purposes.

A restaurant could use text messaging to confirm reservations for customers. 

For example, when a customer books a table, she could receive the following text message: “Your reservation at [Restaurant] is confirmed for 7 PM on [Date]. Reply STOP to cancel future messages.”

What is SMS marketing with an example?

SMS marketing is a way to send promotional content or updates to customers via text messages.

For example, What a clothing retailer may send would be something like, “Flash Sale! Get 30% off all items today only. Show this text at checkout. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.” This will increase sales and keep subscribers updated about promotions.