Grow & Strengthen Church Membership Using Mobile Texting

Grow & Strengthen Membership
Using Mobile Texting
Presenter: Russ J. Link
Director | PledgeToken.com
Admin@PledgeToken.com

Guest: Janet Kornas
Senior Product Development Manager
Midwest Regional Carrier
Guest@PledgeToken.com

Support # 888-587-0010 © 2012 All rights reserved.

Grow & Strengthen Membership
Using Mobile Texting
Today’s Topics…

• Impact of Mobile Technology - Why it matters

• How to put it to use delivering YOUR message

• Texting Campaigns to Engage, Inform, & Interact

• Question & Answer Session


Mobile Texting Basics
• Technology that enables sending and receiving of
short typed messages to and from mobile phones
• A.K.A. Short Message Service (SMS)

• Message up to 160 characters (numbers & letters)

• Keeping it Short & Sweet

LOL = Laugh Out Loud

GR8 = Great

: ) = Happy Face


The Mobile Impact
• 8 trillion texts sent last year

• SMS is the most widely used data
application on the planet

• More than 72% of mobile phone
users send and receive texts

• Not just kids… 25-35 year-olds make
up a disproportionally larger amount
of total text message users

Information provided by: CellPhones.org


The Mobile Impact
Texting is HUGE and it’s only getting bigger!

Users Recruit & Train


The Mobile Impact

Socially Driven


The Mobile Impact

Cost & Availability

Photo Credit: Google Images


The Mobile Impact

Lifetime Habit


Is Your Medium As Powerful
As Your Message?
Text Messaging Is Personal.

Text Messaging Is Far Reaching.

Text Messaging Is Effective.

Text Messaging is Powerful.
Engage your congregation. Inform congregation of events and schedule
changes. Send daily bible verses or prayer requests. Interact with members
during a service. Connect with study groups and youth. Collect prayer
requests.


SMS Relationship Cycle
Reach & Inform

Participation

Engage

Fellowship

Explanation of Technology:
• Web-based platform makes it easy to manage
• Username / Password Protected
• Real-time or scheduled messages to individuals or groups
• Manage your messages and contacts

• Reporting Features


Keywords

Keyword: Combination of letters and numbers (up to 50
characters) that can be text to your SMS number and
receive a response.
Tip: Keep it short and easy to remember!

Campaign with Opt-In Keyword
1. User texts the Campaign Keyword
Example: CHURCH

2. User receives a response message
Example: Thank you for joining our mobile program.
Reply w/ YES to receive updates.

3. User replies with a Opt-In Keyword
Example: YES

4. User will be added to your contact list to receive
additional updates


Receive Daily Inspirational Quotes
GOAL: Collect contacts to receive daily inspirational
TO: 444888
messages from Church Pastor.
BIBLE
CALL TO ACTION: Text BIBLE to 444888 to receive daily
RE: inspirational messages from Pastor Dan.
Today’s message from
Pastor Dan “For I know
the plans I have for you,
declares the LORD…” Benefits: Provides inspiration and support to members
Jeremiah 9:11 . on a daily basis, while keeping your message in their
STOP2stop, msg&data
rates may apply
mind throughout the week. Reminds your audience
of the presence of their faith in their daily lives, and
encourages them to share with others.

Features Used: Keyword, Contact List, Reply Message,
Broadcast.


Build Contact List & Send Updates
Goal: Collect Contacts and sort them into groups to
TO: 444888
send updates, news, and alerts that pertain to church
CHURCHINFO events.

RE: Call to Action: Text CHURCHINFO to 444888 to receive
What events would you news, updates, and important alerts about church
like to receive updates
for? Reply
events.
A. Services
B. Choir
Benefits: Increase participation by reminding
C. Youth Group
members of upcoming events and instantly informing
D. All
STOP2stop, msg&data
them of schedule changes. Allows participants to
rates may apply receive messages that pertain to the events they’re
involved / interested in.

Features Used: Keyword, Polling, Contact List, Reply
Message, Broadcast.


Send Updates to Separate List

RE TO: 444888 RE TO: 444888 RE TO: 444888
Youth Services Choir

RE: RE: RE:
We’ll send you texts We’ll send you texts We’ll send you texts
about when the youth about Wednesday night about choir practice and
group meets, youth services including any events. STOP2stop,
group trips, or any cancellations or msg&data rates may
scheduled changes and changes. STOP2stop, aply
cancellations. STOP2stop, msg&data rates may
msg&data rates may aply
aply


Coordinate Fundraisers
& Drive Donations
Goal: Gather volunteers and donations for a
TO: 444888 fundraising event (Pancake & Sausage Breakfast).
PANCAKE Organize volunteers into separate contact list to
communicate with each group. Collect donations in
real-time.
RE:
Thanks for supporting
the Breakfast. Reply Call to Action: Text PANCAKE to 444888 and find out
KITCHEN to help in how you can help with our annual Pancake &
kitchen. Reply SERVE Sausage Breakfast. Volunteers & Donations Needed!
to help serve food.
Reply GIVE to make a Benefits: Increase participation and financial
financial donation. donations for church events. Quickly and easily
STOP2stop, msg&data
communicate times, dates, and other information to
appropriate volunteers.

Features Used: Keyword, Opt-In Keyword, Contact
List, Reply Message, Broadcast.


Coordinate Fundraisers
& Drive Donations
Example
RE TO: 444888 Automatic Reply FROM: 444888
KITCHEN Message sent to
volunteers who Thanks again for
RE: signed up to work volunteering in the
Thank You for in the kitchen kitchen during our
volunteering in the (based on their Pancake Breakfast.
kitchen. We will need reply of KITCHEN). Meet in church
your help cooking kitchen @ 6:00am on
and washing dishes. Sat., Sept 9th. We R
Example counting on U.
More info to follow by
Broadcast STOP2stop, msg&data
text. STOP2stop, rate
msg&data rates may Messages sent to
all volunteers who
signed up to work
in the Kitchen.


Organize Volunteers
& Drive Donations
RE TO: 444888 Custom Mobile Donation / Tithing Page
GIVE
Pledge Token can create a custom designed Mobile
RE: Donation page to allow donors to give directly from
To donate to the their mobile phones or your website. The custom
Pancake & Sausage design reflects the look and feel of your church or
Breakfast please visit special event.
www.v-post.com/give
Any size donation is
greatly appreciate!
STOP2stop, msg&data Mobile Donation Pages can be setup for special
rates may apply events, or made available for ongoing use to collect
tithes and donations.


Collect Prayer Request
GOAL: Collect Prayer Requests and Forward to Pastor
TO: 444888
PRAY CALL TO ACTION: Text ‘PRAY’ followed by a space
and your prayer request to 444888
RE:
Your prayer request has
been received by Pastor
REPORTING: Can forward requests to Pastor Dan’s
Dan. Reply YES to have cell, email, or both.
your request shared w/
members. STOP2stop,
msg&datd rates may Send Prayer Alert: Request may be send by SMS
apply
Broadcast to members on the prayer contact list.


Other Ways to Utilize SMS:
• Birth, baptismal, death or new member announcements

• School announcements, including special events
• Student or parent reminders, such as trips, picture day, etc.

• Emergency alerts that affect members and community

• Childcare notification (during worship service)

• Communicate with board members and/or staff

• Get feedback from members (keep your message relevant)

Challenge: Think of ways to use this in own organization.


Considerations:
• Does it fit the message style and ministry practiced at
your church, or could it?

• Does your congregation use mobile phones and do
they know how to use texting?

• Would a texting program fit within a special area of
your ministry (Youth Group, Special Events, etc.)

• View mobile text messages as a way to enhance
personal communication, not replace it.


To Learn More:
• Visit our website @ www.PledgeToken.com/mobile-text

• Toll Free: 1-888-587-0010


Grow & Strengthen Church Membership Using Mobile Texting

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Grow & Strengthen Church Membership Using Mobile Texting

Similar to Grow & Strengthen Church Membership Using Mobile Texting (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Grow & Strengthen Church Membership Using Mobile Texting