No matter the purpose behind your organization, it is essential that you promote and encourage people to attend your events. There are many different potential routes for promotion, and one that should be added to your arsenal is group texting. 

A group texting program is a versatile tool for promoting your event. The following are just a few ways in which you can use your texting program to increase awareness about and attendance for your events.

Marketing

A group texting program provides an excellent way to market your event to your current members and others in your community. For one, you can simply send out a text message about your event to those who currently subscribe to your texting program. However, texting's role in marketing goes further: it is an excellent call-to-action. 

For truly impactful marketing messages, whether online, in social media, on print ads or in other mediums, it is essential to have a strong call-to-action (CTA). Asking potential group members to take action via text works well thanks to a few main factors: 

• Ubiquity of cell phone usage
• Easy action to complete
• Simple to include a call-to-action on existing marketing and advertisement collateral 

Include your keyword and short code or long code on your advertisements to provide a simple yet effective call-to-action. Most people carry their phones with them at all times, so they can easily grab their phones and opt-in for more information about your event, even if they see your ad when they are on the go. 

Generate Interest 

Group texting also provides an avenue for generating interest and excitement about your event among your current members and other subscribers to your texting program. In the weeks or months leading up to your event, occasionally send out a message with event details. Include exciting information that sparks their curiosity and gets them talking about it. 

You can also create text message polls to help you make decisions so that your members feel they have more of an investment in the event, even if they are not technically helping to plan it. There are many other ways to use your regular texting program to keep the event fresh in people's minds and to encourage them to attend: 

• Offer incentives for signing up early 
• Give your text subscribers a deal on registration 
• Motivate people to share the event with friends 
• Text out teasers about the event content and agenda 

Easy Registration or RSVP 

Your group texting program can also be used as a registration tool. Simply text your group asking them if they plan to come to your event. They can then respond with a YES, NO or MAYBE. Then, you can mark it in your files so that you have a headcount. This can work for any type of event, including a meeting or last-minute activity. As an added bonus, it provides accountability, even for events where it is not necessary for participants to register ahead of time.

Events that require more complex registration can also be handled through text messages. Start with a similar type of text message. Then, include a link to the full registration page to those who text YES or MAYBE to you. If online registration is not an option, then you can have your event organizers contact the members who have shown interest in the event to handle their full registration in the appropriate manner.

Event Reminders  

Promoting your event is not just about getting the word out or making it easy to register; it is just as important to ensure that your members actually attend. Group texting provides a great way to remind your members about the event. People read text messages, typically opening them within a few minutes. Therefore, it is the perfect way to feel confident that people have seen the message and will remember to attend your event. Simply send out an event reminder about 24 hours in advance to increase your attendance.

Receive Feedback 

Once your event is over, your work has not finished. You want to continually learn and grow, and as such, you want to receive feedback from your organization's members about past events. An easy way to do this is to simply send out a text message after an event asking for people's opinions. It can start with a simple poll where people respond with a keyword based on a scale of their satisfaction of the event. Start it off with gratitude for the attendance. For example: 

• "Thank you for attending our event. Text back GREAT, GOOD, OK or BAD to tell us about your experience." 

Then, you will have a general idea of whether the event was a success or not. Those who text a response can get a follow-up text with a link to a longer survey so that you have the opportunity to learn more. 

At every step of the way, group texting provides a way to promote your event and encourage people to attend. Whether you host events that are months in the making or last-minute informal meetings, you can utilize texting to get the word out and increase your event attendance.

Contact us to learn more about how to implement a texting program for your community organization.