SMS Starter Kit. A Guide to Nonprofit Text Messaging Campaigns

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1 SMS Starter Kit A Guide to Nonprofit Text Messaging Campaigns

2 1 Welcome! Is your nonprofit organization thinking about starting a text messaging campaign? Do you have the right tools to get started? Well, here s a handy guide to help you through the basics of setting up a successful text messaging campaign! Here s what you ll find in our SMS starter kit: Checklist for a Great Call to Action Mad Libs for a Warm Welcome SMS Bingo for Creative Content Do s and Don ts of Texting Etiquette

3 Checklist for a Great Call to Action

4 3 A Great Call to Action The first step to a successful text messaging campaign is a great call to action to build your mobile list. Here are four rules to follow when designing your call to action, followed by three examples that illustrate different strategies you can use to appeal to your target audience. And when you re ready to launch your campaign, be sure to promote your call to action everywhere so that people can see it! What is a Call to Action? A call to action is any content that asks people to text in a keyword to a shortcode, e.g. Text HELLO to

5 4 Checklist for a Great Call to Action Be Direct Make it clear exactly which keyword people have to text to which number in order to join your campaign.

6 5 Checklist for a Great Call to Action Be Concise Identify a clear purpose. Tell your supporters what to expect when they text in to your campaign.

7 6 Checklist for a Great Call to Action Be Visible Make your call to action bold and easy to read. Include it on all your promotional materials for the most impact!

8 7 Checklist for a Great Call to Action Be Compliant Include the terms and conditions of your text messaging campaign to stay compliant with CTIA guidelines. For more information on CTA compliance:

9 8 3 Strategies for Great Calls to Action 1. Make it Personal This Mother s Day call to action from United We Dream uses: A heartwarming photo to show how the campaign impacts real families. A topical keyword ( MOMDAY ) to reflect the occasion.

10 9 3 Strategies for Great Calls to Action 2. Make it Urgent This Affordable Care Act call to action from Voto Latino uses: A picture of a young woman to appeal to its target audience. Urgent language to encourage people to take action immediately.

11 10 3 Strategies for Great Calls to Action 3. Make it Clever This advocacy call to action from Reform Immigration For America uses: An amusing photo to catch the attention of social media users. A reference to a familiar story to give the goal of the campaign a clear, memorable purpose.

12 Mad Libs for a Warm Welcome

13 12 A Warm Welcome A great first impression goes a long way! Once people have opted in to your text messaging campaign, greet them with an inviting message. Use this opportunity to thank them for their support, collect their information, and engage them right from the start! Here are two templates, Mad Libs style, to help you write a warm welcome message for your new mobile subscribers: The first is for a general campaign, which is great for keeping everyone on your list updated on your ongoing activities. The second is for a targeted campaign, which is great for when you need supporters to take a specific action volunteer at an event, make an advocacy phone call, sign a petition, etc.

14 13 Template #1: General Campaign

15 14 Template #2: Targeted Campaign

16 SMS Bingo for Creative Content

17 16 Creative Content The key to keeping your subscribers engaged is to send them interesting and varied content on a regular basis. We ve created an SMS bingo card with 12 ideas to help you come up different ways to interact with your supporters. Try to mix up the kinds of messages you send to your supporters so that they don t get tired of hearing the same thing every week. Your supporters will appreciate the effort and they will be more likely to take action when you ask them to! Pro Tip: Stand out with MMS Include pictures and animated GIFs in your messages to engage your users with catchy visuals!

18 17 Use a text message quiz to test your supporters knowledge about an issue Ask your supporters to send in their own photos for a picture contest Tell a joke but don t give the punch line until after they text back! Send your supporters a personalized greeting to celebrate a holiday Share a recent news story that promotes your organization s efforts Promote your blog and social media accounts to your supporters Consult your text message subscribers for ideas for your next campaign Find out where your supporters live and send them info on local events Create a text message survey to get feedback on your latest campaign Tell a story about how your organization has made an impact on the community Remind your supporters to check their inbox for an important Send a picture or GIF message and thank your users for their support

19 Do s and Don ts of Texting Etiquette

20 19 Proper Texting Etiquette Now that you have a list of ideas for what content to send to your supporters, it s time to think about the tone of your text messages. Proper texting etiquette is more than just using spell-check. People want to know that they are texting with a real person, just like they would with a friend or family member. Here are four do s and don ts to help your organization s text messages sound personal and friendly while maintaining a professional manner. Pro Tip: When in doubt, keep things simple. Think about how you would send the same message to a friend or colleague.

21 20 Do s and Don ts of Texting Etiquette Personalize your greetings Be anonymous Text messages are the perfect place to customize your outreach to each person. Greet your users by their first name to make them feel valued as a supporter. Also, don t forget to sign your own name to remind people of who you are that way they know what to expect when they open your text message.

22 21 Do s and Don ts of Texting Etiquette Ask questions Send generic messages The best way to learn more about your supporters is to just ask them what you want to know! Text messages are the perfect way to ask simple questions and get immediate answers. You can then use this data to segment your users based on their responses so that you can send them targeted content to drive more action.

23 22 Do s and Don ts of Texting Etiquette Be action-oriented Use slang or jargon A text message is only 160 characters, so don t waste any space! Be clear about what action you want your supporters take right from the start. Also, avoid using text speak (like LOL or u r ) or uncommon acronyms and abbreviations that might confuse your users and take away from the main point of your message.

24 23 Do s and Don ts of Texting Etiquette Talk to your supporters Ignore a conversation Text messaging is designed for two-way conversations, so take advantage of it! The more you interact with your supporters, the more likely they will be to take action when you ask them to. Also, sometimes people will text you first. Use this opportunity to engage with them in a one-on-one conversation.

25 24 Bon Voyage! Now that you have all the tools you need to engage your supporters, you re ready to launch your text messaging campaign! The best way to learn about what strategies work best for your subscribers is to test them out yourself. Keep track of how supporters respond to each of your text messages so that you can keep improving on them throughout your campaign. For more tips and best practices on text messaging campaigns for nonprofits, visit our blog at or us at

26 25 Upland s Mobile Commons is the leading mobile messaging platform offering mobile strategy to the most influential brands, government agencies, healthcare groups and nonprofit organizations in the world, including DoSomething.org, the Sierra Club, the Humane Society of the United States, Share Our Strength and Reform Immigration FOR America. With our easy-to-use platform and best-in-class features, Mobile Commons transforms the way society uses mobile to communicate. Whether you want to help mothers quit smoking, enroll students in college, protect the environment or engage with consumers, Mobile Commons helps you drive mobile engagement and see real results.