Use Two Way Texting to Have Personalized Conversations

Two problems most organizations face when sending text messages to contacts:

• They don’t have the capacity to reply individually to contacts due to the sheer number of responses they get.
• The tool they are using does not allow them to have 1-on-1 conversations with contacts.

Overcome these issues by using two-way texting software.

CallHub’s two-way texting platform allows you to send out automated replies to contacts, or engage them in scalable personal conversations with the help of texting agents.

What is two-way texting?

Two-way texting involves being able to send, receive, and reply to messages. Why is two-way communication important?

Two reasons:

SMS has a 45% response rate. (Marketing Profs)

90 seconds is the average response time for a text. (CTIA)

People are highly likely to respond to the text messages they receive. Having the option available means you can make the most out of the opportunity that comes with being able to reach contacts through text.

Two-way conversations help you better engage your prospects, take them through a journey and finally, inspire them to act.

What can you do with two way texting?

Among other things, organizations can use two-way texting to:

• Invite contacts to an event
• Collect RSVPs
• Recruit volunteers
• Solicit donations

Here’s an example of how you can use two-way text messaging—in this case, to get attendees for a ticketed event:

Let’s talk about how you can use automated and manual two-way texting:

Automated two-way texting

Send automated text messages to engage contacts who respond to your mass texting campaigns.

What is mass texting? Mass texting software lets you broadcast a text message to all the people in your contact list at once. With the help of custom fields, you can personalize these messages.

When should you use mass texting?

Use automated replies when you are reaching out to large groups of people and the responses you are asking of them are limited to a few options.

For example

• Sending an automated text to acknowledge an RSVP
• Automated donation link if a contact agrees to make a donation

How to set up a two-way mass texting campaign

Here’s how you can set up a two-way mass texting campaign in CallHub:

Step 1

Choose Text Broadcast from the CallHub dashboard

Once in campaign setup, you can name your campaign, choose the contact list you want to engage, and set a caller ID (shortcode/long code).

Step 2

Enter the initial message you want to broadcast to your contact list

Step 3

In addition, you will need to enable automated replies within the campaign.

You can set a keyword that will trigger your reply to go out.

Step 4

Once you schedule your campaign, your initial mass texts will go out. Any automated replies that were set up will only be sent within the start and end date.

Start using mass texts to have two-way conversations with contacts.

Manual two-way texting

You can have manual two-way text conversations through peer-to-peer texting. You can expect your texting agents to initiate 3500 conversations an hour with the help of a texting service.

What is peer-to-peer texting? Peer-to-peer texting allows agents and volunteers to send out personalized text messages and replies, either with the help of templates or by typing them out themselves.

When should you use peer to peer texting?

Two-way texting through peer-to-peer texts is a good idea if you want to have personal conversations with contacts.

For example:

• To help them make a plan to vote in an election
• Answer contact specific questions

How to set up a peer to peer texting campaign

Here’s how you can set up a two-way peer-to-peer texting campaign in CallHub:

Step 1

Choose peer-to-peer texting in the CallHub dashboard:

Once you’re in campaign setup, you can name your campaign, choose the contact list you want to engage, and set a caller ID (shortcode/long code).

Step 2

Add templates for your initial message and questions agents need to ask.

In addition, you can add saved replies. Your Agents/volunteers can choose and send these standard replies to contacts. 

Step 3

Assign agents to your campaign:

Step 4

Schedule your campaign by setting a start and end date and specifying operating hours.

Once you hit finish, your agents can start having two-way conversations with contacts.

Set up your peer-to-peer texting campaign today.

How do industries use two-way texting?

Two-way texting is used by any industry that wants to engage contacts in conversations:

Churches

Churches can use two-way texting to engage their followers.

They send texts to:

• Communicate prayer updates
• Collect donations
• Send event invites

Learn more about how churches use texting.

Nonprofits

Cause based organizations can use two-way texting to keep supporters and volunteers updated:

• Collect donations
• Send event invitations
• Recruit volunteers
• Mobilize supporters

Learn how nonprofits use text messaging.

Political campaigns

Political campaigns use text messages to talk to constituents by:

•  Sending GOTV texts
•  Collecting donations
•  Collecting event RSVPs

Learn how political campaigns use texting

Educational Institutions

Schools and universities can use two-way texts to send:

•  Link to tuition payment portals
•  Set up PTA meetings

Learn how schools use text messages.

Business

Businesses can use two-way texts to:

• Respond to customer queries
• Collect feedback

Learn how businesses use texting

Healthcare organizations

Healthcare organizations can use two-way texting to:

• Set up appointments and meetings
• Communicate between staff

Learn how hospitals use text messages.

Real estate agencies

Real estate agencies can use texting to:

•  Set up property visits
•  Gather prospect data

Here’s how real estate agencies use text messaging.

Restaurants

Restaurants can use two-way texts to:

• Collect feedback
• Confirm RSVPs

Here’s how automated responses to RSVPs work on CallHub.

Two-way texting service features

CallHub’s features allow you to get your two-way texting campaigns up and running in no time:

Sync data from your CRM

Personalize conversations by populating text messages with relevant contact details from your CRM. Recorded surveys are instantly synced to remove the hassle of data entry.

We offer integrations with the most popular CRMs for political campaigns, businesses and nonprofits.

Take a look at these support articles to find out how you can integrate your CRM with CallHub:

• How to integrate with Salesforce?
• How to integrate with NationBuilder?
• How to use NGP VAN Integration?
• How to integrate with Zapier?
• How to integrate with Action Network?
• How to integrate with Blue State Digital?
• How to integrate with CiviCRM?

Set up automatic replies

Avoid leaving your contacts hanging by sending automatic text replies for mass texting campaigns. 

Customize which reply goes out based on the keyword your contacts send in.

Display a local number

Send texts from a number with the same area code as your contacts. Having a local presence increases the chances of your message being read.

You can rent a local number for your campaign from the CallHub dashboard.

Add media with MMS

Add GIFs, PDFs and images to your text messages to make them more engaging. You can use MMS for your mass texting and peer-to-peer texting campaigns.

Learn more about the advantages of using MMS.

Segmentation and targeting

Send relevant follow-up messages based on audience responses.

You can segment the responses on the CallHub dashboard to send 1-to-1 replies, or download the responses as a spreadsheet to segment and upload a separate contact list you can follow up with.

Personalize your texts

Personalize your text messages using the contact’s first name and specific details with the help of merge tags.

Merge tags help you to customize your message by adding dynamic fields like the first name, email address, phone number, address or any details that are collected and added in the contacts for your campaign. 

Unlimited agents 

You are not charged for agents – only for the messages you send. So bring as many agents as you need on each campaign to help send out the texts.

You can even organise your volunteers into teams to easily manage large and distributed numbers of volunteers.

Send a nudge

Set up an automatic follow-up message to go out if your contact doesn’t reply to your previous one.

You can schedule this message to go out hours or even days after your last one.

Manage opt-outs

CallHub automatically unsubscribes people who respond with QUIT, STOP, CANCEL, END, and UNSUBSCRIBE.

That means you don’t have to worry about manually editing your contact lists. We do it for you.

350 uses two-way texting

Advocacy group 350.org used two-way texting in the 2019 climate strikes to mobilize 2919 young climate activists.

They used two-way texting to:

•  Gather supporter data to send out targeted messages.
•  Run efficient outreach campaigns.
•  Recruit organizers for their movement.
•  Get their supporters to come to rallies and other events.
•  Ask supporters to sign petitions.

Here’s how they used peer-to-peer text messages to recruit organizers for their protests:

Read their story.

Try it out

This post should equip you with everything you need to know to start a two-way texting campaign.

Ready to try it out?
Sign up with CallHub for free.