The biggest mistake brands make with SMS is focusing on the size of their list. The real goal isn't to get the most subscribers, it's to get the right ones. A smaller, more engaged list is dramatically more valuable than a huge list of people who signed up for a one-time discount and never plan to buy again.
The popular view is that SMS marketing is a numbers game. You put a pop-up on your site offering 15% off, collect as many numbers as you can, and then blast away. On Honest Ecommerce, Jeremy Horowitz acknowledged this is the fastest way to grow a list. It’s a top-of-funnel strategy that treats text messaging just like email. The logic seems sound: more subscribers should lead to more sales. This approach is tempting because platforms like Postscript and Attentive make it incredibly easy to implement, and you see immediate, measurable growth in your subscriber count.
But this mindset is flawed. SMS is not email. It’s a more expensive channel and a more personal one. Jeremy Horowitz makes this point himself, clarifying that SMS is actually for contacts that are “further down the funnel,” the “warm or hot leads.” When you chase growth at all costs, you end up paying to text thousands of people who aren’t interested. Nick Flint drove this home on eCommerce Evolution, explaining that in the current climate, his team is “getting really tight with who we're sending to right now.” They focus their campaigns on “a guaranteed segment” of engaged subscribers to ensure that sends are profitable. Flooding your list with low-intent subscribers who don't open or click just wastes money and can even hurt your deliverability over time.
Instead of chasing a big number, you should treat SMS as a VIP channel. Change your primary list growth tool from a site-wide pop-up to an opt-in on your post-purchase thank you page. As Jeremy Horowitz suggests, this captures proven buyers at their moment of highest excitement. These are the people you want on your list. He also confirms that this doesn't cannibalize your email list, it complements it. By focusing on high-intent moments, you build a list of actual fans who welcome your texts. This is how you create profitable, compliant Sms Marketing Campaigns, not by just collecting numbers.
