From edca721f5bc885928fcf8b2900a0b5ba5d1c91ff Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Beverly Nguyen
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+
+ {{item.p_text|safe}}
- When the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities studied WIC, they found key learnings about the quantity of messages
+ When the Center
+ on Budget and Policy Priorities studied WIC, they found key learnings about the quantity of messages
delivered, how people engage with messages, and how they take action.
Benchmark: 80% of texts are successfully delivered Benchmark: 80% of texts are successfully delivered
+
You may discover that some numbers are temporarily or permanently unavailable due to service being discontinued,
numbers changing, or being a landline.
Benchmark: Engagement rates with texts ranged from 17%
+ Benchmark: Engagement rates with texts ranged from 17%
to 26%
The highest rate of engagement with a text comes within hours of sending. Engagement rates include any kind of
@@ -50,18 +55,18 @@
document submission, and maintenance reminders.
Benchmark: Clients were 79% more likely to keep their
- appointment after receiving a text reminder. Benchmark: Clients were 79% more likely to keep
+ their appointment after receiving a text reminder. You will likely see more completed appointments. Benchmark: Clients were 55% more likely to complete an
- interview after receiving an interview reminder Benchmark: Clients were 55% more likely to complete
+ an interview after receiving an interview reminder You will likely see more completed interviews.
- Benchmark: Clients were 6% more likely to complete document submission after receiving
- a customized list of required documents via text
+ Benchmark: Clients were 6% more likely to complete document submission after
+ receiving a customized list of required documents via text
To encourage response, provide a custom list of the needed documents and information about how to submit them. For example, we’ve seen SNAP programs text – Dept. of Human Services: We believe your EBT card may have been used by someone else. Please call the number on the
- back of your card (888-123-5555) to cancel and get a new one. If you need a new card immediately, please visit your
- local office.{{card_header}}
+
+ {% if card_header %}
+ {{card_header}}
+ {% endif %}
+
{% for item in card_contents %}
{{item.card_heading}}
+ {% if item.card_heading %}
+
+ {{item.card_heading}}
+
What other texting studies have found
Message delivery
- Engagement
- Appointment reminders
- Document submission
+
+ Add new header here
Examples:
{% set list_item_donts = [ - { - "list_content": "Your rights and responsibilities", - }, - { - "list_content": "How to complete your application", - }, - { - "list_content": "Weekly reminder not to share your account information", - }, + { + "list_content": "Your rights and responsibilities", + }, + { + "list_content": "How to complete your application", + }, + { + "list_content": "Weekly reminder not to share your account information", + }, ] %}Your program may already be communicating with your audience through methods like mailed notices and phone calls. Think of text messages as complementary to your existing communications. Review how well you are currently reaching your audience. Are there methods or gaps that could be supplemented with a text message? +
Your program may already be communicating with your audience through methods like mailed notices and phone calls. + Think of text messages as complementary to your existing communications. Review how well you are currently reaching + your audience. Are there methods or gaps that could be supplemented with a text message?
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides a helpful - flow-chart that can help you decide if a text message is needed + target="_blank">helpful flow-chart that can help you decide if a text message is needed for the communication problem you are trying to solve.
Think of your texting campaign as a scientific experiment, and try to articulate what you hope to improve as a - result - of implementing text messaging at your agency. For example: + result of implementing text messaging at your agency. For example:
-We believe that texting [specific group of people] when [this happens or on this - cadence] to - inform/alert them about [subject] will result in [desired action].
++ We believe that texting [specific group of people] when [this happens or on this + cadence] to inform/alert them about [subject] will result in [desired action]. +
+Review your drafted hypothesis with your team to make sure everyone is aligned on your desired goals. A clear and concise hypothesis can help you decide how to write text message content that provokes action.
-To help you decide how much to invest in text messaging over time, we highly recommend starting small and testing - your - message campaigns to refine based on feedback and evidence. + your message campaigns to refine based on feedback and evidence.
Starting small has less risk and more flexibility. It can help you gather data and decide if and how to send @@ -154,13 +175,14 @@
- Building and operationalizing a texting initiative requires time and effort, and you want to be able to demonstrate - the results of that effort. To understand if your texting program is successful, ask: + To understand if your texting program is successful, ask:
To reinforce legitimacy, include these key messages in your outreach:
To reinforce legitimacy, include these key messages in your outreach:
Write an introductory text before you start sending messages:
-For example, we’ve seen Medicaid programs use trust-markers in renewal - texts
@@ -112,6 +106,9 @@If you're sending one-way notifications, phone carriers allow a single auto-response message that will be + generated if a recipient tries to text a response to your message. Use the auto-response to reaffirm your key + messages around legitimacy and communicate to recipients that texts are coming from an automated system.
Don’t forget about using auto-response text
-Understand what is required when texting the public.
- Providing consent and opting out are key ways for text recipients to express their text communication preferences. Discuss your obligation to obtain consent with your legal counsel. + Providing consent and opting out are key ways for text recipients to express their text communication preferences. + Discuss your obligation to obtain consent with your legal counsel.
- If you do need expressed consent, consider including a pre-checked plain language opt-in (i.e. “It’s OK to text me.”) on + If you do need expressed consent, consider including a pre-checked plain language opt-in (i.e. “It’s OK to text + me.”) on digital forms. Be sure to ask for an up-to-date phone number and include a question about the recipient’s preferred - language for text messages if you expect to translate your text messages in + language for text messages if you expect to translate your text + messages in languages other than English.
{% set links = [ - { - "p_text": 'The Telephone Consumer - Protection Act (TCPA) (47 USC § 227) is the federal law that impacts how organizations are allowed to communicate - in bulk with the public via telephone (including text message or SMS).' - }, - { - "p_text": 'The FCC has ruled that Federal and State programs are exempt from the TCPA and can send - text messages to the public without consent if conducting official business. Without explicit mention in the ruling, - local governments, phone carriers, or any texting intermediaries might require it.' - }, - { - "url_link": - "https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q8shgH9ODs-aD3wiRolGge4kBSTJzMIebj29dNkqK9Q/edit#heading=h.ddk0bn7sfe86", - "url_text":"Download and share our overview of the TCPA with your legal counsel", - "p_text": 'It provides a baseline - interpretation to aid your legal counsel in getting up to speed with what might be needed for your program or use case. - For additional questions about the enforcement of the TCPA, you can watch a recorded training on public - benefits texting provided by the FCC.' - }, + { + "p_text": 'The Telephone Consumer + Protection Act (TCPA) (47 USC § 227) is the federal law that impacts how organizations are allowed to + communicate + in bulk with the public via telephone (including text message or SMS).' + }, + { + "p_text": 'The FCC has ruled that Federal and State programs are exempt from the TCPA and can + send + text messages to the public without consent if conducting official business. Without explicit mention in the ruling, + local governments, phone carriers, or any texting intermediaries might require it.' + }, + { + "url_link": + "https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q8shgH9ODs-aD3wiRolGge4kBSTJzMIebj29dNkqK9Q/edit#heading=h.ddk0bn7sfe86", + "url_text":"Download and share our overview of the TCPA with your legal counsel", + "p_text": 'It provides a baseline + interpretation to aid your legal counsel in getting up to speed with what might be needed for your program or use + case. + For additional questions about the enforcement of the TCPA, you can watch a recorded training on public + benefits texting provided by the FCC.' + }, ] %}{{item.p_text |safe}}
-- There is no policy requirement for senders to communicate opt-out options, but including instructions in introductory and/or auto-response texts on how to opt out and opt back in are effective ways to establish trust with your audience. + There is no policy requirement for senders to communicate opt-out options, but including instructions in introductory and/or + auto-response texts on how to opt out and opt back in are effective ways to establish trust with your + audience.
- In the US, no matter where texts are coming from, a recipient has the right to revoke consent at any time through any
+ In the US, no matter where texts are coming from, a recipient has the right to revoke consent at any time through
+ any
reasonable means. For example, a text recipient can always opt out of receiving text messages from a phone number by
responding “STOP”, “QUIT”, or
- Any subsequent messages sent to that number will be blocked by the phone carrier and not delivered. We recommend establishing an internal process to obtain and remove numbers that fail multiple times to avoid continuing to send messages to them.
+ Any subsequent messages sent to that number will be blocked by the phone carrier and not delivered. We recommend
+ establishing an internal process to obtain and remove numbers that fail multiple times to avoid continuing to send
+ messages to them.
- When putting together the data spreadsheet (or CSV) file containing text message data, follow relevant security processes for storing and transmitting the file that contains PII.
+ When putting together the data spreadsheet (or CSV) file containing text message data, follow relevant security
+ processes for storing and transmitting the file that contains PII.
- Sensitive information should be protected and secure. Social Security Numbers, driver’s license numbers, personal health information, and passwords are all sensitive PII that should not be shared via text message. Consult with your privacy office to understand what information you can and cannot include in a text message. Different programs and jurisdictions may have different rules and interpretations.
+ Sensitive information should be protected and secure. Social Security Numbers, driver’s license numbers, personal
+ health information, and passwords are all sensitive PII that should not be shared via text message. Consult with
+ your privacy office to understand what information you can and cannot include in a text message. Different programs
+ and jurisdictions may have different rules and interpretations.
- Consider the risks if someone who is not the intended recipient receives the text message. Establish an internal process
+ Consider the risks if someone who is not the intended recipient receives the text message. Establish an internal
+ process
to keep your phone number list up-to-date. The FCC offers a Reassigned
+ href="https://www.fcc.gov/reassigned-numbers-database" target="_blank"
+ rel="Reassigned Numbers Database">Reassigned
Numbers Database to identify phone numbers that may have been reassigned since your agency obtained them.
When writing a text, focus on the person who is going to receive the message and write it for them. Use plain
- language
- and provide easy to understand next steps.
+ language and provide easy to understand next steps.
When deciding what types of messages to draft for your campaign, think through the following questions: For example, getting a person to update their mailing address: For example, getting a person to update their mailing address: Write an introductory text before you start sending messages: Feeling a sense of ownership can influence behavior. Evidence shows that employing
+ behavioral science is an effective way to increase the
+ likelihood of a recipient
+ taking action upon receiving your text. Keep in mind these three foundational principles while drafting your text
+ message: Individuals are strongly influenced by others’ behaviors. Individuals perceive losses more powerfully than gains.Honoring privacy
Phone numbers are personally identifiable information (PII)
Don’t text sensitive information
Assess risk
-
+
+ When deciding what types of messages to draft for your campaign, think through the following questions:
+
+
+
+ Be clear and concise
Build conditions for action
-
-
-
-
-
What provoking action looks like
-
- Example – Don't miss this chance to get free internet or $30 per month off your internet bill.
Example – Thousands of residents already get an
- average of $113/month in money for food.
Example – Contact us for potentially unclaimed free
- internet services that belong to you.