Help your audience anticipate and welcome your texts.
People are wary of texts they’re not expecting to receive. Before you send your first text, consider how you will gain trust with your audience and address any concerns of spam. Seize specific moments to reinforce what your audience should expect from your messages.
Before you launch, let your audience know you are adding texting as a communication method. People are more likely to trust your text once they get it if they know that your program is sending texts.
How you currently communicate with your audience will determine the best approaches to announce your new initiative. Harness channels you’re already using like social media, public websites, mailing inserts, or fliers at key service locations as well as partnering with community organizations to get the word out about your new texting program.
To reinforce legitimacy, include these key messages in your outreach:
Write an introductory text before you start sending messages:
Department of Social Services: Welcome to text updates from the {{ circle_number(1) }}
State Department of Social Services.{{ circle_number(2) }}We’ll always text you from this
number, save us to your contact list. Our goal is to {{ circle_number(3) }} keep you up to date on
your account status. {{ circle_number(4) }} We will never ask for personal details in a text.
{{ circle_number(5) }} If you have questions about how we protect your privacy, see
state.gov/privacy.
{{circle_number(6) }}Reply STOP to stop.
When a person has questions or needs assistance, reaching out for support may be natural for them. Give direction in your texts so your audience understands what to do with the information you provide. Remember, it’s important to repeat consistent and standardized language across texts and programs.
{{circle_number(7) }}Dept of Social Services: Hi {{circle_number(8) }}Julie, Your Medicaid renewal is closing December 31, 2023. You can renew online at {{circle_number(9) }}https://www.application.yourstate.gov or {{circle_number(10) }} call the number on the back of your Medicaid card.
For example, we’ve seen Medicaid programs use trust-markers in renewal texts
Don’t forget about using auto-response text
Dept of Social Services: This number is unmonitored. To {{circle_number(11) }} contact us, call 888-123-4567. We will never ask for personal details in a text. If you have questions about how to protect your privacy, see state.gov/privacy {{circle_number(12) }} Reply “STOP” to this phone number to opt out of receiving texts, and “START” to opt back in.
Your texting program will only be perceived as legitimate if you get the word out in many different ways. It's also important that agency employees who support text recipients (for example, the call center) are familiar with the texting program. They can accurately respond to recipient questions about them, so make sure you’re priming your delivery staff, especially those who interact directly with your intended audience.
{% set card_header = "Harness trusted communication channels" %} {% set card_contents = [ { "image_src": asset_url('images/world-wide-web.svg'), "card_heading": "Websites", "p_text": "Post banner alerts about texting on your agency website, and link to a press release for more information. Publish apublic texting privacy policy.", }, { "image_src": asset_url('images/community-2.svg'), "card_heading": "Community organizations", "p_text": "Alert trusted community-based organizations that texts are coming and what they look like. Equip them with fliers, posters, and talking points to spread the word", }, { "image_src": asset_url('images/headset.svg'), "card_heading": "IVR / Call Centers", "p_text": "Consider adding hold message announcements about your texting initiative to further get the word out.", }, ] %} {% with card_header=card_header, card_contents=card_contents %}{% include "components/guidance/cards.html" %}{% endwith %} {% set card_header = "Prepare your team" %} {% set card_contents = [ { "image_src": asset_url('images/grouping.svg'), "card_heading": "Staff", "p_text": "Give all staff a heads-up about texts before and when they are sent. Share talking points on what texts you’re sending, when you’ll start to send them, the phone number they are coming from, and where staff can escalate any issues.", }, { "image_src": asset_url('images/project-management.svg'), "card_heading": "Case management systems", "p_text": "When it makes sense, include information about texts being sent to specific clients on individual splash pages or within case management notes.", }, ] %} {% with card_header=card_header, card_contents=card_contents %}{% include "components/guidance/cards.html" %}{% endwith %}