5 Ways Churches Can Reach People Where They Are With Text Messaging

Effective marketing reaches people where they are. And where are people today? On their mobile phones. 

Seriously: 97% of people are within 3 feet of their mobile devices 24 hours a day. We’re on the phone at work and home, when we’re commuting and socializing—we’re even on the phone in the bathroom and the bedroom. 

That might speak to a problematic addiction, but it’s the reality we live in. If you want to connect with people, it’s a good bet you can find them on their cell phones. (And you can speak to that addiction problem by modeling a more responsible way to use mobile devices.)

So what’s the best way to connect with someone on their phone? 

• Apps? They’re a ton of work to create and face a huge barrier to entry to install.
• Social media? You can pay to reach your own audience or roll the dice with the algorithms.
• Email? Inboxes are overflowing and not getting results like they used to.
• Text messaging. With 98% open rates, 48% response rate, and reading texts within 90 seconds, texting connects.

OK, so text messaging seems to work. How can churches actually use it?

5 Ways Churches Can Use Text Messaging

Here are five simple ways your church can reach people where they are—on their phones—using text messaging.

1. Welcome guests: Go digital with your first-time visitor welcome packet. Forget paper, you can use text messaging to extend a welcome and share more info. Just ask guests to text a keyword to a shortcode—such as “text GUEST to 24365,” something you can put in the bulletin and on screens. You can include a welcome video from your pastor, answer basic questions, and point to your website for more details.
2. Follow up: Text messaging is an opt-in medium, which means people agree to receive more messages. That makes it easy to follow up. You can invite a guest back, answer questions, send encouragement, and more. Texts can also be personalized, so your follow up can be warm and inviting instead of bland and impersonal.
3. Share the Bible: Use text messaging to share an inspiring verse of the day or week. This is a simple way for churches to make contact and stay in touch, whether it’s members, guests, or others. 
4. Alerts: Churches can send alerts, reminders, and updates to keep their community informed. You could have a weather-related closure, emergency, or important prayer request and text messaging is more likely to reach people quickly.
5. Text-to-give: Texting is another way to make your offering digital while still engaging people in person. Churches can use a keyword and shortcode that are easily shared from the platform or on a screen, as well as QR code in the bulletin. A reply text will include a link to your existing donation page, making it easy to donate right from their pew.

Reach Your Community

Churches have always explored the leading edge of technology as a way to reach people, from the printing press to radio. Text messaging is just another opportunity. And it works.

Explore how text messaging can help you reach people where they are.

James Martin

James Martin is a three-time tech founder and servant leader with over two decades of experience. As the founder of Rally Corp, he helps charities and churches rally people with a human-centered text messaging platform built exclusively for nonprofits and communities.