You may have heard this one before, but it’s always a good reminder. We all get busy satisfying our short term goals… serving customers, closing deals, and cashing checks, which takes our eye off long term goals like building a big customer list that we can sell to whenever we want FOR FREE, FOREVER!

Postal List
There has always been the postal mailing list. I’m sure you have one. Although each mailing costs you money, they’re still critical to customer retention and appreciation. Nothing keeps a customer/client/patient loyal like a regularly-scheduled tangible newsletter or gift in their mailbox (not the one in their computer).

Email List
Some of you may have started collecting customer email addresses. Very smart! Emails are quick and easy to write, plus they are FREE to send. Just be sure you are CAN-SPAM compliant… have an unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email, as well as your physical mailing address. We use Aweber to manage our email list, send automated scheduled marketing messages and keep us CAN-SPAM compliant. You can get a 30-day FREE trial here >> http://freetestdrivepromo.aweber.com .

Text Message Phone List
The latest and most effective list you should be building is a customer cell phone list for Text Message Marketing. You can start capturing cell phone numbers with a simple KEYWORD/SHORTCODE combination. You’ve seen these on billboards and television ads…

“Text FERGIE to 50799 to win a trip to meet her”
or
“Text LOCALS to 41411 to start your text message marketing campaign”

Yes, that one is ours. Try it now to see how it works.

When you include your KEYWORD and SHORTCODE in all of your ads, online and offline, you give your potential customers a new instant response mechanism. When they text your KEYWORD to your SHORTCODE number they will receive two automated text messages from you. First, they will receive a notification that they have joined your list, including how to opt-out. Next, they will receive what they requested (i.e. a coupon or confirmation of contest entry).

Why Text Message Marketing?
There are more Cell Phone Users (3.3B) in the world than Internet Users (1.3B), and 91% of your customers carry them in their purses and pockets everywhere they go!
Source: Neustar, Morgan Stanley

Is 2010 the Right Time to Start?
77% of US Cell Phone Users sent or received at least one text message in 2008, a 369% annual increase. The time is now to get on board and start building your cell phone customer list.
Source: Nielsen, CTIA

For just $47/month (plus $97 set-up fee), you get:
* a custom 5-15 character alphanumeric keyword (i.e. COUPON)
* a shared 5-digit short code number (i.e. 41411)
* up to 250 subscribers (additional blocks of 250 available at same rate with $0 set-up fee)
* UNLIMITED messages

Text Message Ads…
* increase your customer loyalty and brand image
* are permission-based (no spam)
* have response rates 2-10 times higher than Internet display ads
* are opened and read within 5 minutes
* can be received on 99% of US cell phones (not just smartphones)

Common Uses…
* weekly coupons and specials
* contests and sweepstakes
* charitable and other event reminders (remember “Text HAITI to 90999 to donate“?)
* weather warnings and other local news
* holiday greetings

Using the example above, you would use the following phrase in all of your advertising…

“Text the word COUPON to 41411 to receive weekly special offers.”

It’s so easy and so effective.

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