Texting is one of the most personal and immediate forms of communication. It's also one of the most effective. If you're responsible for communicating with employees at your company, you might consider using text messaging. This presentation details how you can get started. In it, you'll find the three simple steps that will have on your way to maximize the impact of your text communication.

1. POWER Texting: Engaging Your
Employees via Text Messaging

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9:14 AM Phone call from vendor
9:16 AM Email from supervisor
9:18 AM Email from co-worker
9:21 AM Email from key client
9:30 AM Meeting with team
10:01 AM Phone call from co-worker in London
The life of a typical
corporate
employee on a daily
basis...
The life of a typical
corporate
employee on a daily
basis...

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And that’s just
deskbound
employees!
Consider jobs in retail,
manufacturing, sales
and other fields and
you’ll see even more
messages for
employees to process
mentally!

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So how do you break
through the noise?

5. Consider text messaging!
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6. CLICK HERE TO
DOWNLOAD
INFOGRAPHIC!
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Quick
facts
on
SMS

7. Here are the steps
smart organizations
use to start text
messaging employees:
1. Find an SMS Provider
2. Gather Employee Data
3. Integrate SMS into your
communication strategy
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8. First, choose a
tool or vendor
partner.
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First, choose a
tool or vendor
partner.

9. 1. Find an SMS
Provider
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10. 1. Find an SMS
Provider
Because the requirements of
the partner you choose may
vary, first consider how you
will deploy (send) text
messages.
Some popular options include...
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11. Twitter Fast
Follow
Sharing non-
confidential
information
Organizations
without IT support
Desire to integrate
with employees’
personal social media
Description
Most
Suitable For
Estimated Cost
1. Find an SMS
Provider
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A creative way to use
the social network
Twitter via text
message -- even for
people who do not
have a Twitter
account
Free

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The social media platform Twitter has another use beyond
tweeting.

13. Trumpia
1. Find an SMS
Provider
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FREE
Description
Most
Suitable For Approx. Cost
Specializes in mass &
targeted messaging
and audience
segmentation
Offers picture
messages, email to
SMS, keywords, SMS
surveys, and many
other features
Mid-to-large
organizations
Sending large
volume of text
messages at once
Targeting messages
based on behavior
Advanced features
and reporting
Starts at
$689
monthly
trumpia.com
Visit Trumpia.com to learn more.

14. Mozeo
1. Find an SMS
Provider
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FREE
Description
Most
Suitable For Approx. Cost
Simple, dashboard
based system for
sending and reports
on SMS
Providing to multiple
communicators with
no training or
strategy required
One-off text
message campaigns
$.03
mozeo.com
Visit mozeo.com to learn more.
per outbound
message

15. After you determine the technology you
will use...
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Decide where to store
your employee’s
information.

16. 2. Gather
Employee Data
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2. Gather
Employee
Data

18. You must have the employee's:
● Cell phone number
● Consent to send text
messages
Data
Requirements
An employee providing
his/her mobile number
in the company system
is NOT consent to use it
for texting.
Corporate-owned
devices are NOT
exempt from this
requirement.
2. Gather
Employee
Data
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19. Do you already have
employee mobile phone
numbers?
2. Gather
Employee
Data
19
● If YES, skip to slide 23.
● If NO, see next slide.

20. 2. Gather
Employee
Data
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Collecting
employee
phone
numbers

21. Where will you store
employees’ mobile
phone numbers?
● Text messaging provider’s system
● HRIS system
● Employee profiles/directory
● Benefits portal
● Other system you may already use
2. Gather
Employee
Data
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22. Can employees
update information on
their own?
If your legal department
is nervous about this
communication method,
create an electronic
record for affirmative
consent.
● Employees need to update
periodically, so the
information is accurate
● Avoid administrative
burden: offer employee
self-service
2. Gather
Employee
Data
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23. Do you have consent
to send SMS to their
mobile?
● If YES, you are all set!
● If NO, see next slide.
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2. Gather
Employee
Data

24. Creative
approaches
to obtaining
consent
2. Gather
Employee
Data
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25. Have
employees
text to sign
up
Provide a short
code and have
employees send a
text to that short
code to sign up.
2. Gather
Employee
Data
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26. People might not be
motivated to take action just
to sign up for text messages
from the company.
Consider doing a campaign
on another topic and as a
part of that process, obtain
the consent to text.
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2. Gather
Employee
Data
Run a communication
campaign

27. Include in another
process
Make providing consent
appear (“pop-up”) as a part
of another mandatory
system process.
NOTE: If you provide
smartphones to employees,
include a request for consent
prior to receiving the device.
2. Gather
Employee
Data
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28. Now, you’re ready to
text employees! 28

29. 3. Integrate SMS
into your
communication
strategy
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30. 3. Integrate
SMS into your
communication
strategy
Tell them what
Disclose upfront:
● What you plan to
send — the types of
messages
● How often
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you’re going to send

31. Don’t send sensitive, privileged,
confidential or inflammatory
information via text.
Practice discretion 3. Integrate
SMS into your
communication
strategy
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32. Keep it simple,
simple, simple...
Have you ever gotten into
an argument with your
spouse, partner or friend
via text? If so you know
how things can escalate
quickly!
Tone is hard to gauge on
text. Keep your messages
easy to interpret.
3. Integrate
SMS into your
communication
strategy
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Aim for twice a year
to remind
employees to
review and update
their information.
Remind employees
3. Integrate
SMS into your
communication
strategy
to keep info updated

34. Don’t go
● Texts can’t take the place of
regular business
communication
● They are a supplement
● Ideal for:
○ Urgent messages (office closings,
natural disasters, etc.)
○ Deadline reminders
○ Announcements (new business wins,
company press mentions, etc.)
○ Short blurbs that lead to a web page
or email with more detailed
information
3. Integrate
SMS into your
communication
strategy
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overboard

35. You Ready?
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36. We hope you found this
helpful to get you on
your way to using SMS
for employee
communication!
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37. Hop over and join the conversation with
other internal communicators about how
they’re using text messaging!
Strategic Internal Communication Network,
(SIC)n on LinkedIn
Visit our blog
Breaking Through Via SMS
If you need consulting support, don’t hesitate
to reach out to our Chief Employee
Communication Enthusiast, Tina Hawkins!
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