Text messaging (SMS) can be a powerful tool for your organization to connect with your community of followers. Whether you’re sending event reminders, appeals, or quick updates, SMS offers a fast, personal, and effective way to engage your audience. But before diving in, it’s important to follow a few best practices to set your strategy up for success.
Opt-In Best Practices
To build trust and stay compliant with mobile carriers, your SMS opt-in process must be transparent, informative, and user-friendly. Here are the essentials:
1. Include Your Business Name
Always identify your organization in the opt-in message.
Example: “By checking this box, I agree to receive texts from Purple Paws at this mobile number.”
2. Add SMS Disclaimers
Let users know they might incur charges.
Example: “Message and data rates may apply.”
3. Provide Opt-Out Instructions
Make it clear how recipients can unsubscribe.
Example: “Text STOP to unsubscribe from messages at any time.”
4. Link to Your Terms and Privacy Policy
Include links to your terms of service and privacy policy. Ensure they are thorough and clarify that your organization will not sell or share personal data. These terms are often reviewed by carriers before enabling SMS communications.
5. Specify Your Use Case
Tell subscribers exactly what kind of messages they can expect (event reminders, promotions, updates).
6. Disclose Message Frequency
Be upfront about how often you’ll send messages.
Example: “You’ll receive up to three texts per month from our organization.”
Strategic Ways to Use SMS
Once it’s set up, SMS can be a versatile part of your multi-channel communication approach. Here are a few creative and effective ways to use it as you build your SMS audience:
Events
Before: Share event details and send reminders
During: Keep attendees informed with timeline updates or changes. Example: “Please find your seat – the program is scheduled to begin promptly at 7:10pm”
After: Send donation reminders, surveys, and thank-yous
Donations & Acknowledgements
Send reminders around specific appeals
Send thank-you messages with images or video links
General Updates
Announce when your latest newsletter is live
Share news, highlights, or impact stories
Volunteers
Share any last-minute volunteer needs
Send reminders and signup prompts
Steps to Implement Text Communication
Ready to get started? Follow these key steps to implement SMS effectively:
Assess the Fit for Your Audience
Consider your audience’s demographics, mobile usage, and giving behaviors. Ensure internal infrastructure is in place to support SMS communication.
Choose a Text Messaging Platform
Select a platform that meets your needs for segmentation, scheduling, and reporting. There are several donor software programs that have SMS platforms built in. Others offer add-ons or integrations.
Start including Opt-In Language on All Forms
Ensure that all signup forms collect mobile numbers and include proper opt-in language.
Review Your Landing & Donation Pages
Keep forms short and mobile-friendly. If your donation landing page gathers a lot of information or has text-heavy information, consider using a separate landing page just for traffic from SMS messaging. Enable quick payment options like Apple Pay, PayPal, and Venmo to streamline text-based giving.
Update Your Privacy Policy
Make sure your website clearly explains how mobile numbers and emails will be used, and that data will never be sold or shared.
Final Thought
SMS is more than just another marketing channel, it’s a direct, personal way to build lasting relationships with your organization’s audience. By following these best practices and strategies, your organization can use text messaging to build engagement, increase donations, and make every message count.