By Michelle Fiacco
When you think of mobile text messaging what comes to mind?
Do you think about conversations with co-workers pertaining to day-to-day work? Are their personal conversations that you recall with friends and loved ones asking you for help with moving a couch or donating to their Go Fund Me accounts?
One thing we know for sure is that no matter what text messages you have ever received, you have opened them almost 100% of the time. Even if it was an unknown number - you still open the text and respond as it may just be someone who had the incorrect number in their own phone. Or to our disdain it could be a SPAM text trying to solicit you to purchase Ray Ban sunglasses in which case you have to text back NO so that they remove you immediately.
Whatever the text may be, marketers like myself are utilizing text messages as a channel that strengthens engagement with our constituents. This is especially helpful in non-profits to build both segmented communities and fundraising platforms.
An important piece to keep in mind is that mobile is much more strict than the CAN-SPAM protocol one must follow when developing an email channel. The reason for this is that the mobile carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc., have to approve organizations to be able to use this tool on a mass level. If you don't follow certain messaging that may be different for each carrier, you could be blacklisted. When starting a mobile channel, the carriers may also have you fill out additional paperwork to ensure that you will be following specific rules. Carriers also have their own opt-in language that has to be implemented which will automatically be part of your mobile campaigns. You also have to use certain language like "text and data rates may apply" if a mobile device user is not on an unlimited text message plan.
So what are the main ways s to utilize text messaging to benefit your company?
1. Community
This will consist of mobile numbers that directly opt-in to a main keyword like "Text JOIN to 50000 to be a part of the ABC community where you will receive XYZ info." A main keyword is what you will use in general ads and posts on social media to get people interested in the channel. Then there are other keywords that are specifically segmented to an event, demographics or campaign. Once you have a list of numbers in any keyword, a robust communications program can then be built for the segment so you are speaking to these groups in a specific tone and get them to take actions. Mobile platforms will allow you to text images, links and videos, all track-able.
2. Fundraising
Text messaging is important to building a database of donors that support your cause. There are specific keywords that can be developed to have people text to donate $5, $10 & $25, or that you send them a link to a coded landing page. If you have various fundraising pages being used in channels, it is vital to see where the $$ is coming in from for analytics, budgeting and so forth. Mobile is great because you can have the code (Text MICH to 50000 to donate $5) printed on materials, used at events where it could be announced or as part of an end card CTA of a video.
3. Lead Generation
One important layer of your organization is grabbing peoples contact info no matter if a person is fully interested or not in what you are doing. The reason for this is that if you can get a name, email and mobile number, you can put them in a very targeted messaging funnel and slowly get them interested until some people do respond to the CTA. In your mobile database, the numbers will be collected in buckets much like a keyword, but only for segmenting purposes and will not be used for externally opting in.
So try to have fun and be creative with texting to your constituents and remember we are all more likely than not on our phones watching the news on YouTube, sports, or shows on Netflix. So people will see your text message pop up and it will be hard for them to avoid it.
This channel is slowly becoming that much more prominent to marketers looking to grab attention, raise awareness and receive funding in real time.
