SMS Welcome Series for New Subscribers
TL;DR:
- Send a warm welcome SMS immediately after someone subscribes
- Thank them, set clear expectations, and offer something useful right away
- Use automation to send follow-up messages without manual work
- Keep messages short, personal, and helpful rather than sales-heavy
- Test different timing for follow-ups to find what works best
- Tools like QuickSMS make setting up automation straightforward
Setting up a solid welcome series is one of the smartest moves you can make with SMS marketing. When someone signs up to hear from you, that first message sets the tone for everything that follows.
Your First Welcome Message
Your opening SMS needs to do three things well. Thank the person for subscribing, tell them what to expect, and give them something useful straight away.
Start with genuine gratitude. A simple "Thanks for joining us!" works better than anything fancy. People appreciate being acknowledged, especially when they've just handed over their phone number.
Next, set clear expectations. Let them know how often you'll message and what kind of content they'll receive. Nobody likes surprises when it comes to their inbox, and the same goes for SMS.
Finally, include something they can act on immediately. This might be a quick tip, a discount code, or a link to your best resource. The key is making them glad they subscribed within the first 30 seconds of reading your message.
Keep it short. SMS works best when you get to the point quickly. Aim for one clear message that fits comfortably in a single text.
Setting Up Automation
Manual SMS sending gets old fast. Automation lets you welcome new subscribers consistently without being glued to your phone.
Most SMS platforms make this straightforward. You create your welcome message template, set it to trigger when someone subscribes, and schedule any follow-up messages you want to send.
The timing matters more than you might think. Your first welcome should go out immediately or within a few minutes of signup. For follow-ups, test different gaps. Some audiences respond well to a second message after 24 hours, others prefer a few days gap.
Create a simple sequence. Maybe three messages over the first week. The first welcomes them, the second shares your best content, and the third introduces your main offering or service. Keep each message focused on one clear action.
Test different versions of your messages. Small changes in wording can make a big difference to response rates. Try different subject approaches, various calls to action, and different timing gaps.
Personalisation That Actually Works
Adding someone's name to a message isn't personalisation, it's basic courtesy. Real personalisation means sending relevant content based on what you know about the subscriber.
If someone signed up through a specific landing page about marketing tips, your welcome series should focus on marketing. If they came through a page about web design, talk about web design. Match the message to their original interest.
Consider where they are in their journey. A complete beginner needs different information than someone who's been in business for years. If you can segment your welcome series based on experience level, you'll see better engagement.
Location can matter too, especially if you run events or have physical locations. Someone in London might care about your Manchester workshop, but probably not as much as someone actually in Manchester.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't oversell in your welcome sequence. People just subscribed, they're not ready for your full sales pitch. Build trust first, sell later.
Avoid sending too many messages too quickly. Three messages in one day feels spammy. Spread them out over at least a week.
Don't forget to give people an easy way to unsubscribe. It's not just good practice, it's often legally required. Better to lose uninterested subscribers early than deal with complaints later.
Make sure your messages work on all devices. Test how they look on different phones and avoid formatting that breaks on smaller screens.
FAQs
How long should a welcome SMS be?
Aim for 160 characters or less for your main message. If you need more space, make sure the key point comes first in case the message gets cut off.
When should I send follow-up messages?
Test different timings, but generally 24-48 hours after the welcome message works well for the first follow-up. Then space subsequent messages 3-5 days apart.
What if someone doesn't respond to my welcome series?
That's normal. Not everyone will engage immediately. Keep them on your regular messaging schedule and focus on providing value rather than chasing responses.
Can I include links in welcome SMS messages?
Yes, but use them sparingly. One clear link per message works better than multiple options. Make sure you use link shortening and track clicks.
How do I know if my welcome series is working?
Track open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates. More importantly, monitor how welcome series subscribers engage with your regular messages compared to those who didn't receive the series.
Jargon Buster
SMS Automation – Software that sends text messages automatically based on triggers like new signups or specific dates
Subscriber Segmentation – Dividing your SMS list into groups based on interests, behaviour, or demographics to send more targeted messages
Opt-in Rate – The percentage of people who subscribe to your SMS list when given the opportunity
Click-through Rate – The percentage of people who click on links in your SMS messages
Wrap-up
A good welcome series turns new subscribers into engaged audience members. Keep your messages helpful, timely, and focused on what the subscriber wants rather than what you want to sell.
The technical setup is the easy part. The real work is crafting messages that people actually want to read. Start with a simple three-message sequence, test what works, and build from there.
Remember that SMS feels more personal than email. People carry their phones everywhere and often read texts within minutes. Respect that immediacy by making every message count.
Learn about QuickSMS https://www.quicksms.com/