By: John Hardacre, Product Manager

Dominion’s Web Control now provides the option for car dealers to communicate with their customers via text. Companies who use SMS enjoy better customer satisfaction and conversion rates than those who do not. Using text messaging during a sales process can increase conversions by more than 100%, while sending three or more relevant text messages after first contact with a customer can ramp up conversions by 328%. These are some encouraging stats!

Get the facts on Web Control’s SMS/MMS features

When building your SMS customer base, it’s important that you remain compliant with current laws. The basic rule is:  if customers haven’t opted in, you don’t have permission to send them texts. You can only send texts to customers who have opted in to receive them, making the growth of your opt-in list extremely important.

So how do you build your opt-in customer base?

The key to a successful SMS messaging program is the depth of your customer opt-in list.  The more opt-ins, the more you can leverage this valuable communication strategy.  There are several strategies for increasing your opt-in lists.

1. Integrate SMS across all media
Those that are most successful at building a solid opt-in base are those who incorporate SMS into all of their dealership marketing efforts. Make sure you let customers know how to opt in to your texting program via:

• In-store signage
• Print Ads
• Social Media
• Emails
• Responsive Website
• Point of sales materials
• Employee solicitations “Would you like to sign up for our texting program?”

During every customer interaction, employees should reach out and ask them to join.  Additionally, all should be trained on “how and when to ask” as well as how to instruct the customer to opt in.

2. Leverage your email database
Send a specific email to your entire email database informing them of this new avenue for communication. The email should highlight the benefits of utilizing the SMS program: special offers, exclusive discounts, etc. This email should also include instructions on how to opt in. By leveraging your email database you can gather a significant amount of opt-ins quickly rather than one at a time.

3. Offer Exclusive Benefits
One of the main incentives for customer participation in a SMS program is the idea that they now have access to exclusive benefits. By offering regular promotions and rewards to these customers you not only keep them engaged,  you also foster loyalty and a better customer experience.

4. Offer Something for Free

Everybody likes free! One easy strategy to consider is offering a free gift to those who opt-in to your SMS program. The Nimnicht Family of dealerships gained 4,000 new opt-ins by advertising a text-to-win marketing campaign with several prizes offered. The campaign not only remarkably increased their opted-in customer base, but also provided several marketable leads that drove increased sales.

Whatever strategy you choose to build your customer opt-in list, it is important to note that growing this list is a continuous process. It is not a “one promotion and done” activity.  As individuals opt-in, others will drop off. Collecting SMS opt-ins should be a dealership wide program incorporated into your dealerships communication and marketing strategy.

Dominion’s Web Control allows users to chat with a customer right from the prospect record, tracks all communications, and ensures you dealership is compliant with government regulations.

Start communicating with your customers via this key channel today! Call 877.421.1040 for more information.