Effective communication is paramount for political campaigns, nonprofits, and businesses alike. One of the most powerful tools at your disposal is text messaging. Whether you're engaging volunteers, mobilizing voters, or fundraising for a cause, texting campaigns offer unparalleled reach, affordability, and immediacy. 

In this guide, we'll explore the reasons why you should consider integrating texting into your communication strategy, delve into the essential components of a successful texting campaign, and provide expert tips on monetizing your program for maximum impact.

Reasons to Add Texting to Your Budget

• Affordable: Texting is a cost-effective solution for reaching constituents.
• Targeted: You can send personalized messages resonate, fostering strong connections.
• High Reach: Texting reaches active phone users with high open rates.
• Quick Delivery: Get real-time, concise information with two-way communication. 

Texting use cases:

• Volunteer engagement
• Voter identification
• Fundraising
• Get out the vote
• Event management
• Education
• Polling and surveys

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How to Sell Texting Campaigns in 4 Steps

1. Choose a platform with high-value offerings

Not all platforms can perform in the same way. You can partner with platforms offering advanced functionalities and excellent support. When considering a platform, keep these priorities in mind.

Things to consider from your texting platform:

• Profitability: You want to ensure that you have a program that makes sense for you from a financial standpoint.
• Deliverability: There are a lot of platforms out there with competitive pricing, but they fall short in deliverability due to unregistered traffic or lackluster support.
• Ease of Use: You shouldn't have to be a computer science expert to send a message. Your platform should be easy to launch and quick to learn for staff and volunteers.
• Additional Functionalities: You want to be able to differentiate yourself from just the basic SMS features and give yourself opportunities for upselling.

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[Get the Guide: Download our expert guide for maximizing your texting program revenue]

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2. Create an Ideal Pricing Model for Texting Services

Before you can determine your pricing, you need to know the base rates for features such as: Inbound and Outbound texts, 10DLC registration, MMS pictures and videos, Tracking links, and Support tickets.

When deciding what to charge for a texting program, there are two main pricing models that can be used – the flat rate model or the mark-up model.

Flat-rate Model 

• Charges a flat rate for SMS and MMS 
• Creates transparent pricing
• Allows more planning for your clients and their budgets
• The consultant takes on any additional fees from a vendor

Mark-up model

• The consultant uses a low initial rate to attract clients, but then adds on additional costs later
• Add-on costs could include: Costs for segments, HD media, videos, cost to hit send, links, surveys, and responses.

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[Watch: The Price is Right: Expert Tips on How to Monetize Texting]

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3. Highlight Standout Features

As more vendors enter the texting space, upselling can be your opportunity to stand out from the pack. 

Upsell your services by highlighting features such as high-quality MMS pictures and videos, customized microsites and surveys, message testing options, trackable links, and comprehensive reporting. These tailored solutions enhance your clients' campaigns and demonstrate your expertise.

How to win clients with texting:

• Leverage 10DLC knowledge: Use the registration process as a selling point to help customers understand the importance of securing a 10DLC number before busy election times. 
• Lay out options: Help clients understand the difference between flat rate and markup pricing models. Explain exactly why you are charging what you charge, especially if a competitor is using a different model.
• Sell texting as more: Texting is a personal connection. Explain that texts are a broadcast to your audience, a smarter data collection tool, and a way to build relationships.

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4. Grow and advance your P2P texting program

Continuously innovate and expand your offerings to meet evolving client demands. Focus on engaging your audience and tailoring messages to their needs. 

Ways to expand your texting services:

• Use data analytics for insights
• Invest in team training
• Assess your strategies regularly
• Adapt to changing trends

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Integrating texting campaigns into your communication strategy and services can revolutionize your outreach efforts. By understanding the essentials of successful texting, offering transparent pricing models, and delivering exceptional value, you can create impactful campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive meaningful results. Stay informed, be innovative, and transform your messaging approach with the power of texting campaigns.

Reach out to us for any questions at sales@prompt.io.

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Resources

The Price is Right: Expert Tips on How to Monetize Texting

Hear from Bryan McPartlan, Sales Director at Prompt.io and former Vice President and Data Director at C3 Public Strategies, as he shares his insights on how to find your ideal target customer, price and sell on value, and maximize your revenue with texting.

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Talk to an Expert

If you have questions about getting started with a texting campaign, reach out to one of the experts at Prompt.io. We have a dedicated team of election and outreach specialists that can help find the right texting solutions for your organization or agency.

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