One of the more positive things to come out of the last 12 months is that the sense of community in the majority of local areas is now stronger than ever.
For over a year now, many local residents and related services have been pulling together to ensure that everyone has access to the support and essentials we all need.
Many of our customers have been using Textlocal’s Messenger to facilitate the delivery of such services. Here we explore just some of the examples of SMS campaigns from recent months, to highlight the many ways text messaging is able to connect people and services at a minimal cost.
The accessibility of SMS makes it especially appealing to facilities or businesses looking to communicate with a broad range of contacts. One of our customers, Northmoor Community Association based in Manchester, have found text messaging most useful in sharing the latest information on their many wonderful projects, services and groups.
Fiona Gallagher of Northmoor Community Association explained, “People get so many emails and don’t read them as often, everyone reads texts so it’s a no brainer. It’s so quick to use and the fact that you can have so many different groups is so useful and perfect for what we need”.
What we learned from speaking to Northmoor Association about their experience with SMS was its ability to connect service users with everything from socialisation opportunities to available courses and enrichment programs.
Another great example of how SMS is supporting communities is Derbyshire Council’s recent use case. The Council used text messaging to deliver thousands of food vouchers to those in need directly to the mobile phone of those eligible meaning they have instant access to the voucher.
Feedback from the team supporting the project at Derbyshire Council highlighted how easy it was to check the information was correct before sending using the useful preview screens in the Textlocal platform. This in particular was very reassuring for the Council due to the financial implications of sending out so many vouchers.
These are just two examples of real-world, community-focused SMS campaigns. There are so many possibilities text messaging offers to associations, religious services and councils including:
- Recruit volunteers and redirect unused resources such as taxis
- Share links to online group sessions
- Offer one-to-ones with those who are more vulnerable
- Support those who are more isolated with essential deliveries
- Provide those unable to get out and about with a sense of socialisation
- Use online forms for those in need to send in requests for support or deliveries
- Have two-way conversations in real-time
- Schedule daily sends
It’s clear that SMS has an unrivalled ability to reach your users whether it’s with crucial support, communicating service updates or to share availability. If you’re ready to start making the most of SMS, setting up an account is quick, easy and free. What’s more, our support team are always on hand to help with any questions you might have.
