P2P SMS & MMS Text Alerts
What are P2P Text Alerts?
Peer-to-Peer (P2P) texting allows Telephone Town Hall Meeting (TTHM) to send anywhere from a few hundred to tens of thousands of scripted text messages to your target audience. Use simple SMS (Short Message Service) texts or upgrade to MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) texts to send a more dynamic message.
Learn more about Branded Texting on our MMS Text Page.
P2P Text Alerts do not require recipients to opt-in because all texts are sent manually, one-at-a-time by members of the TTHM staff. We also manage replies to ensure a complete interaction. Read on to learn more about P2P SMS and MMS Text Alerts.
Who uses Text Alerts?
P2P texting has the highest read and response rates of any digital outreach. MMS text messages in particular enjoy an average 98.5% open rate because MMS is not character-limited and can include full native links to targeted web pages, and complete messaging that does not need to be truncated. MMS texts can also include a branded image that authenticates the message for recipients. Our focus on TCPA Compliance also helps us expect a higher delivery rate and open rate than our competitors.
TTHM Text Alerts start with an Initial Message sent manually by our operators, then continues with scripted Response Scripts that operators use to continue the conversation based on replies from text recipients. Managing replies ensures that each conversation with text recipients reaches a natural conclusion. This is just another step we take to create authentic, trustworthy text messaging.
TTHM has produced Text Alerts for municipalities, advocacy organizations, transit authorities, sitting legislators, labor unions, health care providers, businesses, utility cooperatives and professional associations. Visit the Who We Serve section to see how our Teletownhall and Text outreach is typically used in your market.
Our team tailors Text Alert campaigns to empower client communications. Messages can drive recipients to a website, promote events, encourage action, promote products and services, or ask for an opt-in to ongoing engagement. Reach out to us to discuss your outreach goals so that we can discuss customizing simple SMS or more elaborate MMS Text Alerts.
How do Text Alerts work?
We use an Initial Message plus scripted Reply messages to engage in a complete interaction with each respondent. Replies include a general More Info response and automated Do Not Contact (DNC) message. Additional responses for Yes and/or No can be added to facilitate specific conversations.
Simple interactions require only an Initial Message plus More Info and DNC replies. Your More Info reply should generally answer “Who/What/Why is this?” messages, and can be customized by TTHM staff as they respond to specific participant messages.
A more complex chain of messages can be used to engage in short ID exchanges such as; Initial Message) ‘Do you support X?’ a) ‘Yes’ then Reply 1)… or b) ‘No’ then Reply 2)…
What are SMS and MMS?
SMS (Short Message Service) – SMS is best suited to sending short messages. The Initial Message is limited to 160 total characters including spaces; up to a 140-character message plus a required 20-character opt-out segment. If you plan to send a message longer than 160 characters, MMS allows for virtually unlimited text.
Because written real estate is limited, SMS is the ideal protocol when your message is simple and does not require an extensive explanation to your audience. SMS works well when you want message recipients to take immediate action, when you are seeking an opt-in for an event, or when you want to register recipients for ongoing engagement.
Sample Event Notice Text Alert (SMS-Only)
SMS-Only Text Alert = $0.09/txt*
*SMS messages are limited to 160 characters including mandatory opt-out language.
you plan to send a longer message, P2P MMS allows for virtually unlimited characters and would be less expensive than sending multiple 160-character SMS texts.
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) – MMS is the preferable option when sending longer text messages such as surveys or educational outreach that require detailed explanation. Instead of a character limit, there is a 500kb size limit per attachment. So the message of your text is sent as a .txt file allowing for virtually unlimited message length.
MMS can include media files such as an image (jpg/png), slideshow (gif), audio clip (mp3), video (mp4) or longer text messages (txt). Remember that each attached file must be 500kb or smaller, so we recommend that media be limited to a custom-built image containing text or a banner image followed by text.
Multimedia Text Alerts help your message stand out and convey more information than can be contained in a single-segment SMS. Combine a .txt message with a .jpg image to create a discounted Double-MMS campaign that features an engaging, authenticating banner image followed by text that includes links and extensive copy to deliver your messaging.
Event Opt-In Text Alert Sample (MMS+MMS)
TTHM has economized our MMS Text Alerts so that clients can send a complete message with a branded image and extensive written copy at an affordable rate.
Single-MMS Text Alert = $0.10/txt*
*One attached jpg/png/gif/mp3/mp4/txt file.
Your text message is delivered as a P2P .txt file.
Double-MMS Text Alert = $0.10/txt**
**Two attached jpg/png/gif/mp3/mp4/txt files.
Your text message is delivered as a P2P .txt file.
Setup and Reply Management
TTHM manages responses to the Initial Message using scripted reply messages. TTHM can create virtually any workflow based on client needs and preferences.
We use a More Info reply to answer general questions or direct mobile users to a specific website/landing page to learn more. This response is also a catch-all for unique replies that can be customized by our staff.
Add Yes/No replies when using Text Alerts to ask for an opt-in to an upcoming event or to ongoing communications with your organization.
A Custom response option can be drafted and used for specific circumstances like a survey with a chain of replies, or to achieve any specific interaction goals.
Recipients can reply ‘STOP’ to be added to our internal Do Not Call List and receive a scripted DNC reply. DNC phones are removed from future outreach originating from your account in our system.
TTHM manages Sending, Replying and Scrubbing DNC’s from future Text Alerts, then we can deliver reporting showing the entire conversation from Initial Message to final reply so that you can follow up where necessary.
Text Alert Setup ($250) + Reply Management ($200*) = $450/text campaign
Congressional Updates via P2P Text Alert
Using managed P2P text outreach, we can help your office generate opt-ins for ongoing updates. Our experienced staff delivers the Initial Message Peer-to-Peer to ensure the best possible delivery rate. Then we manage all replies to conclude each interaction.
Peer-to-Peer SMS Text Alerts are low-cost but character-limited, so messaging needs to be brief. Texts are limited to 160 characters including mandatory opt-out language.
Upgrading to P2P MMS allows for virtually unlimited message length and messages are sent to recipient phones as a .txt file that is then unpackaged and viewed as a normal text.
SMS and MMS can also be combined to send an image authenticating the message followed by a short SMS text asking for an opt-in for outreach or promoting an upcoming event. See the SMS+MMS Sample below.
Sample Updates Text Alert
(SMS-Only)
Sample Updates Text Alert
(SMS+MMS)
We are always happy to provide a complimentary consultation with a TTHM virtual outreach specialist, then send you a sample text using your branding and copy. Visit our Contact Page to schedule a tech demo.
Visit our Branded MMS Text Alert Page
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