The more engaged your union members are, the stronger the community and success of the union. Whether it’s to share member updates, bargaining updates, calls to mobilization, or to build relationships and rapport, texting is the most effective way to do it. Email open rates are around fifteen to twenty percent. Direct mail is slow and not appropriate for time-sensitive messages. Live calling is interactive with an answer rate of fifty percent but requires volunteers to carry it out, which is labor intensive and takes more organization. Below are seven primary reasons texting makes excellent sense for all your communication needs:

• SET UP IS EASY - Setting up text message lists is expedient, simple and cheap. It is also handy for integral last-minute communications with members.
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• READ RATE IS HIGHER THAN 95 PERCENT - People are more engaged with their phones than ever. Screen time spent per day is at an all-time high. While we may not always respond, we’ve never received a text we haven’t at least glanced at.

• IT ENABLES AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE - If you need to take a quick pulse from your members or ask them to update information or opt into an upcoming event or action, texting allows them to communicate with you on the spot.
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• TEXTING IS INEXPENSIVE - Nowadays, there are so many unlimited texting plans for companies and organizations that you can reach all union members, no matter the size of your community.
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• EASY TRANSITION FROM BROADCAST MESSAGES TO PEER TO PEER - Texting is adaptable, palatable and highly personal. It allows members to feel that union leaders are talking directly to them, which builds connection, community and trust.
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• YOUR VOLUNTEERS WILL LIKE IT - Volunteers, like the rest of us, would prefer to disperse and collect information this way, and will happily help you in your texting campaigns. 
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• CAN SEND COMPLEX AND LENGTHY INFORMATION THIS WAY - Links can be imbedded into messages, meaning members can receive lengthy information easily. This format means they are more likely to click on a link versus seeing a large file size attachment in email form. 

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