Personalized SMS Marketing 101: How to Capture Attention

You've just perfected your latest marketing message, and it's finally time to send it out to your audience. But sometimes, it can feel like you're sending message after message out into the void. In today's noisy, distraction-filled world, it takes a lot of effort and creativity to stand out, whether you're raising money for a nonprofit or running a political campaign.

Effective marketing is no longer about broadcasting to a crowd but rather connecting with each individual in that crowd — and personalized SMS marketing is the perfect way to do so.

In this guide, we'll walk through everything you need to start engaging your audience with personalized text messaging, including:

• Personalized SMS Marketing: FAQs
• How to Get Started with Personalized Text Messaging
• Personalized SMS Marketing for Nonprofits: 3 Tips
• Top Personalized Text Messaging Examples

With the average American spending 4 hours and 37 minutes a day — or about 70 days a year — looking at their phone screens, it's time to adjust your marketing strategy to meet your audience members where they already are.

How to Get Started with Personalized Text Messaging

To prepare your team for a successful personalized SMS marketing campaign, follow these basic steps.

1. Select a text messaging partner

Equip your team with all the tools you need to send engaging text messages by investing in a dedicated SMS platform. Keep an eye out for these essential features:

• Personalization. Open up authentic, one-on-one communications by segmenting recipients based on their interests, preferences, and giving history.
• Automation. Stay at the top of supporters' minds by creating an automated welcome message series or automating donation thank-you messages.
• MMS Messaging. With a 5,000-character limit and the ability to use emojis, GIFs, videos, audio, and images, your messages are sure to stand out!
• Secure Sending. Security is top of mind when holding private donation data. Ensure that the platform you choose to partner with is SOC 2 certified and follows important security measures.
• Reporting. Your text messaging partner should have robust reporting capabilities. Learn how your campaign is working in real time and adjust your approach as needed.

Read online reviews, ask for recommendations from your peers, and request demos of your top picks to find a text messaging solution that fits your specific needs. Compare the best nonprofit texting services to start narrowing your options.

2. Choose a relevant keyword

Your SMS marketing provider should provide your organization with a five-digit short code or a ten-digit long code. Supporters will message a certain keyword to this number to opt in to receive your texts.

When coming up with your keyword, ensure that it is:

• Short and simple to type.
• Specific to your organization.
• Easy to remember.

For example, let's say that you're trying to connect with potential donors for your nonprofit food bank. You might pick a keyword like "DOLLARS4DINNERS," which makes it clear what donors can expect when they text your nonprofit and opt in to receive your communications.

3. Build your text messaging contact list

Before you can start engaging your audience with personalized SMS marketing messages, you first need to assemble a contact list. Encourage your supporters to opt in to receive your texts by promoting your number and keyword via the following channels:

• Website. Create a banner or popup on your mobile-responsive site or donation landing page that encourages supporters to subscribe to your text messaging list.
• Email. Cross-promote your texting campaigns and communications via email, elaborating on the impactful stories you share with your audience.
• Social Media. Include your keyword and short code across all your social media channels and in individual posts to encourage supporters to opt in to your text campaign.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) protects consumers from receiving unwanted or unsolicited messages and phone calls. Nonprofits have specific rules and regulations they must follow within the TCPA to avoid legal fines. Read our TCPA nonprofit exemption guide for the full breakdown.

For more ideas on building your subscriber base, see 20 proven ways to grow your nonprofit text messaging list.

4. Segment your audience members

To send personalized text messages that appeal to each recipient, segment your contact list based on relevant characteristics, such as:

• Location
• Occupation
• Income level
• Engagement history
• Interests

From there, craft relevant messages that you can schedule to send out to the appropriate segments. If your SMS marketing platform has A/B testing functionality, you can use it to experiment with message variations and improve the effectiveness of personalized texts over time. momoGood Messaging includes built-in A/B testing and AI-driven segmentation to make this process faster and more data-driven.

Personalized SMS Marketing for Nonprofits: 3 Tips

Text messaging has become an increasingly popular tool for nonprofits to connect with donors and raise funds through text-to-give. According to M+R's nonprofit benchmarks, fundraising mobile messages generated $92 in revenue for every 1,000 messages sent, compared to $76 for every 1,000 emails.

To tap into the full potential of personalized SMS marketing for your nonprofit, keep these tips in mind:

• Encourage two-way communication. Create a dialogue with your supporters and encourage engagement by sending polls, surveys, and more.
• Communicate at the right times. Find the right frequency and cadence for your organization. Monitor opt-outs, open rates, and click-through rates to ensure that you send your communications at optimal times. Smart Send Times can automate this, delivering each message when a supporter is most likely to engage.
• Include a clear call to action. Compelling calls to action make it easy for supporters to understand the action you want them to take. Use bold text or eye-catching buttons to catch their attention.

Additionally, ensure that your donor database is organized and up to date at all times. With accurate data you can count on, you can continually personalize your text messages to supporters in the ways that matter most.

Top Personalized Text Messaging Examples to Inspire You

To inspire your organization's approach to personalized SMS marketing, check out the following examples:

• Fundraising Appeal: "Hi [Name], we have exciting news! We've just launched a new campaign to [Campaign Goal]. Can you help us make it happen with a donation of $25? Click here to give: [Link]."
• Donation Follow-Up: "Hi [Name], thank you for your generous donation of $75! Because of your support, we'll be able to [Impact Statement]. For more detailed updates on your impact, please visit our blog: [Link]."
• Feedback Request: "Hi [Name], we want to hear from you! Please take a moment to fill out our survey and let us know how we can improve your experience with [Organization Name]: [Link]."
• Birthday Greeting: "Happy Birthday, [Name]! We're so grateful to have you as part of our community. If you'd like to learn about our current initiatives, please visit our website: [Link]. Here's to another year of impact together!"

Incorporate a mixture of compelling images, video clips, and emojis to make your text messages even more eye-catching and engaging. For more ideas, explore our full list of 21 text donation message templates.

Make Every Text Message Count

As you continue to use personalized SMS marketing to support your organization's goals, keep track of metrics such as your open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates to assess your performance over time.

With a comprehensive text messaging platform like momoGood Messaging, you can continually evaluate and improve your SMS strategy with detailed reporting, A/B testing, and AI-powered tools that help you segment smarter and send at the right time. Talk to our team to learn how momoGood helps nonprofits raise more with personalized texting.