Far and away, texting has emerged as our preferred method of communication and as a result we have conditioned ourselves to read all our text messages.
We also enjoy the convenience of text from the brands we choose to stay connected with. Organizations where we serve and give are at the top of this list. Powered by Text provides the software and best practice for organizations to deliver strategic messages over both registered 10-digit numbers and a 5-digit shortcode.
This service is ideal for reaching a single person up to your entire audience. The desired outcome of your texting campaigns is to stimulate a response and trackable URLs are the primary method to bridge recipients to web-based content.
In addition, a complete texting strategy includes a plan for replies by text. Let’s discuss how two-way texting can revolutionize how you connect with your audience.
”"...it’s essential to understand replies are inevitable and responding with relevant and timely information is critical."
Mike Cantrell
The Importance of Two-Way Texting
In many cases, when you incorporate text into your organization, some recipients will naturally respond; in fact, you should anticipate receiving replies to their messages.
Why? Because the statistics don’t lie and recent reports indicate 95% of text messages are read and responded to within 3 minutes. This interaction between two parties is referred to as two-way texting and these responses can emerge as a challenge if not planned for.
Organizations are now faced with an increasing challenge, this being the increasing number of unsolicited phone calls that people receive every day. As a Pew study recently showed, 81% of people don’t answer phone calls. As a result, the common tactic of outbound calling activity from organizations has experienced a diminishing success rate. The solution to this dilemma is two-way texting, but the majority of this kind of messaging should be in line with your follow-up strategies.
For instance, consider a mass text like the following: “Excited to see you at our service event this Saturday! Check out our prep guide to get ready for the event.” The importance of two-way texting becomes evident when someone replies with a specific question like, “Will you be providing childcare?” This level of interaction can become overwhelming to manage because responders expect a quick response back just like their peer-to-peer experience.
Your staff wear many hats and lack the capacity to handle all the reply messages. To avoid creating a negative experience, it’s essential to understand replies are inevitable and responding with relevant and timely information is critical. However, a well-defined plan for executing a successful two-way texting strategy is needed before diving in.
The Strategy Behind Two-Way Texting
Over the years, we’ve developed several best practices to assist organizations in managing their texting campaigns and have developed software to accommodate these best practices.
Until you have a dedicated team member trained and responsible for text support, the first step is activating automated responses for organization-wide and large, mass texting groups from your short code. When dealing with responses, the key question is, “Should I use my mass texting campaigns to manage replies?”
In most cases the answer is no. As your organization and segmentation expand, you’ll find that you’re not handling the majority of two-way text responses. Replies should inform recipients their responses aren’t monitored here and provide an alternative means of contact usually your website.
Two-way texting for mass texting groups should be configured with an automatic default message and responses should be supported by other methods. This should also be your strategy for sub-divisions and smaller groups. You can customize the automatic reply message to provide a direct number to small group leadership for support.
This brings us to the second most important best practice: proactive rather than reactive text engagement.
Implementing two-way texting involves creating a texting group designed specifically for proactive two-way texting. Organizations should react to mass texting replies with an automated redirect message as described above and proactively initiate individual messages to connect with individuals through a separate designated group. This approach ensures manageability and enhanced effectiveness.
For example, a proactive text from the designated chat group might read: “Hi Steve, it’s John from [Your Organization]. Noticed you attended our service event. Do you have any questions I can help with?” The ensuing reply creates a two-way text chat.
Implementing a Proactive Strategy
You might be wondering, “What number should they reply to?”
This is where texting from a registered 10-digit phone number proves beneficial. A proactive chat group utilizing a 10-digit number can be established, keeping your chats separate from mass texting campaigns. This dedicated texting group is where trained staff or volunteers initiate a text chat that creates a separate thread on the device and cannot be interrupted by a mass campaign from your organization.
The misconception is that people think they must react to all replies from mass texting campaigns. Our point is you need to be proactive with two-way texting. Two-way texting operates proactively outside of mass texting campaigns.
The best part? Each short code with a Powered By Text account includes a complimentary 10-digit phone number for two-way texting activities.
Your short code is an extension of your brand and I can’t stress enough the importance that 95% or more of your text message activity should deliver over short code. After providing enterprise-level texting services since 2009, the biggest mistake I see is executing texting strategies exclusively over 10-digit numbers and even worse over multiple 10-digit numbers for the same organization. I hate to see organizations not experience high delivery rates of texting over short code combined with the HUGE success of the use of keywords.
All in all, when you begin mass texting your audience, expect responses.
So, be prepared and have a plan. Acknowledge that phone call follow-ups yield diminishing returns due to an influx of unsolicited calls. A proper two-way texting strategy is proactive, not reactive. Engage proactively in all the diverse ways people respond to your initiatives. Create a dedicated two-way texting group using a 10-digit number to empower your follow-up specialists.
Let’s be wise stewards of our follow-up strategies. The solution lies in two-way texting, utilizing Powered By Text’s best practices.
