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How to Create a Two-Step Popup to Collect Your WhatsApp, RCS and SMS Opt-Ins?

Structure your popup in two steps to maximize your WhatsApp, RCS and SMS opt-ins, on Klaviyo as well as any other tool.

This popup format works on three levers, which reduce drop-off and increase the number of opt-ins collected:

  • Progressive engagement. A visitor is more hesitant to fill in a two-field form than a one-field form. By only asking for an email at the first step, you get an easy initial commitment, and once that first step is taken, the visitor is more inclined to go through the rest of the process.

  • A high conversion rate on the second step. A customer who has already given their email is significantly more inclined to also provide their WhatsApp (or RCS/SMS) opt-in at the next step: the perceived extra effort is low since they're already engaged in the journey.

  • A dedicated space for a second incentive. Step 2 gives you the opportunity to offer a reward specific to the WhatsApp/RCS/SMS opt-in (rather than diluting your offer across both channels right from step 1), which further improves conversion.

👀 Click here to discover other examples.

How to Structure the Two Steps of Your Popup

Step 1: Collect the Email

👉 Goal: get the essentials, most often the customer's email address. Some brands genuinely need extra information at this stage (a birthday for a loyalty program based on birthday gifts, for example): in that case, keep that field. The rule isn't to strip out everything, but to only keep fields that serve a specific purpose.

For the design of this step, add:

  • Engaging, clear and concise copy. Example: "Get our best offers exclusively. Enter your email so you never miss out!"

  • An email input field and a call-to-action button (e.g. Sign up or Continue).

Step 2: Collect the WhatsApp or RCS/SMS Opt-In

👉 Goal: get the customer's phone number, for a WhatsApp and/or RCS/SMS opt-in.

This is the step where you offer a second incentive, specific to the WhatsApp/RCS/SMS opt-in, to maximize conversion. A few phrasings that work well:

  • "Double your chances of winning our contest by adding your WhatsApp!"

  • "Get an extra discount on your next order by signing up via WhatsApp or SMS."

  • "Join our exclusive channel run by our founder and get tips first."

For the design of this step:

  • Compelling copy, with a clear mention of the benefit obtained.

  • A phone number field and a call-to-action button (e.g. Add WhatsApp).

👀 If you offer several channels (WhatsApp and RCS/SMS), clearly state which channel(s) the customer will receive your communications on. For example: "Get our offers via WhatsApp" if only one channel is offered, or "Choose your preferred channel: WhatsApp or SMS" if several channels are offered.

How to Set Up This Popup Technically

💡 The structure above (the two steps, their copy, their incentives) is the same regardless of your tool. What changes from one tool to another is only how the phone number collection event is connected to WAX. This trigger usually goes through an "Added to List X" event (your tool's WhatsApp/RCS/SMS opt-in list), which lets WAX know a new contact has just given consent.

If You Use Klaviyo

Klaviyo offers a ready-to-use two-step popup component.

🟠 Important: connect a WAX webhook to Klaviyo so that adding the contact to your opt-in list (the "Added to List" event) is passed on to WAX. Without this connection, the contact won't be recorded as opted in within WAX.

👉 Follow the dedicated guide: How to Create a Two-Step Popup in Klaviyo to Collect Phone Numbers?

If You Use Another Tool

Build the two steps yourself following the structure above. Then integrate your tool with WAX from Settings > Integrations, and configure the corresponding trigger to fire following the "Added to List X" event. The guide to follow depends on the tool connected:

Our Tips for Maximizing Your Conversions

  • Get the display timing right. A popup that appears too early interrupts the visit before the visitor has had a chance to discover your offer; a popup that appears too late misses the opportunity. Show it after a few seconds of browsing, or when the visitor is about to leave the page (exit intent).

  • Be clear and transparent. Explain how the information will be used (WhatsApp and/or RCS/SMS), and reassure the visitor about the privacy of their data.

Welcome Popup Examples

Click here to view all examples

Expected Outcome

Once the popup is in place and connected to WAX, every visitor who completes both steps becomes a WhatsApp (and/or RCS/SMS) opt-in contact in WAX, ready to be targeted in your campaigns and automations.

👀 At this stage, the contact is opted in, but hasn't received any message yet: nothing is triggered automatically.

Create the automation using the ready-to-use template, the Welcome Flow Pop Up, available in the library: it's triggered on this same "Added to List X" event and immediately sends a first welcome message to the contact who has just completed your popup.

👉 Follow the dedicated guide: Welcome Flow Pop Up

Other Levers for Collecting Opt-Ins

The two-step popup is just one lever among others for collecting WhatsApp, RCS and SMS opt-ins. Depending on your context, these other levers may also be relevant:

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