Your Rally Point Episode 6: Best Practices for Text Messaging

Let’s talk about the most effective text messages. Hosts James Martin and Jack Bobin summarize what works: Personalize your texts with a first name, write like a human, use emojis and/or images to pull people in, actually inform people, tell cohesive stories, and make a direct ask when it’s time with a clear call to action. Segmenting can be a way to zero in on the people who actually respond—it’s not all about the blast. Texts are unswipeable, so long messages can be a way to hook people with an in-depth story. Your history of texts can also show a cohesive story—you’ve got relational equity right there.

What You’ll Learn

• Text messaging can be a powerful tool for nonprofits.
• Craft messages that are personal and to the point.
• Repurpose existing content to save time and effort.
• Then compare content across platforms to gauge effectiveness.
• Engage donors through storytelling and updates.
• Long text messages can work by hooking people in.
• Segment to hit your biggest supporters, and save money by skipping those who don’t respond.
• Unlike email, multiple texts can build on each other like a continuing conversation.
• Texting can be simple and approachable.

Resources

• Multimedia messaging service (MMS) guide to dimensions and sizes

Quotables

• “Be to the point, express your need, and give me the ‘where do I go from here’.”
• “We took their newsletter and I ran it through AI … write me three text messages that are ideas so I can get some inspiration.”
• "Just grab that same content and repurpose it.”
• “We tout texting, but it ends up being an extension of what you’re doing anyway. It doesn’t require any more resources.”
• “You don’t ever want a donor to go, gosh, I wish I knew that. I wish I had more information.”
• “The longer messages is really where it’s at—unswipeable.”
• “It’s no longer a blast life, right?”
• “I just gave a donation two weeks ago and now you're asking me again. We're better than that, nonprofits, you're all better than that.”
• “If you bring up your text message history on your phone right now, you have a story in this narrative.”
• “We're talking about these simple things, but these simple things roll up to big things for nonprofits.”
• "Make texting more habitual."

Skip to What You Want to Hear

• 00:00 - Introduction to Text Messaging Best Practices
• 00:45 - Types of Text Messages
• 02:19 - How to Write Your Text Messages
• 06:02 - Repurposing Content for Text Messaging
• 08:20 - Personalizing Your SMS Content
• 11:04 - Engaging Donors Through Storytelling
• 15:00 - Segmentation and Personalization in Messaging
• 18:05 - Overcoming Texting Concerns for Nonprofits
• 23:45 - Conclusion: Trying to Make Texting Approachable

Subscribe

Ready to mobilize better and grow smarter? Subscribe to Your Rally Point and listen wherever you enjoy podcasts. We’re here to help. For more tips and insights, text COACH to 24365 or learn more about our weekly coaching tips delivered via text message.