Versions Compared

Version Old Version 9 New Version 10
Changes made by

Denise Delgado

Denise Delgado

Saved on

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.

...

Roll Out Considerations

  • User Authorization:

    • Discuss and clarify what teams will be authorized to use the SMS platform and receive a seat.

    • Establish a process for requesting additional seats if needed and who will cover the cost of extra seats.

    • Determine how seat usage will be tracked and managed. Each team is allocated two seats. 10 people can work out of one delegated email (seat).

  • Initial Rollout: Lindsey mentioned that Student Affairs will have access in addition to Recruitment. Can we limit initial access to Recruitment until we finalize the logistics?

    • Student Affairs and Recruitment can share a seat

    • Marketing will have its own additional capabilities.

    • Recruitment will have access in the first month, and then we can add Student Affairs a month later.

  • Content Guidelines: Define what types of messages are appropriate and who will approve outgoing SMS content.

    • Set up in-person training and support documents.

    • Marketing must create boundaries on what they can or cannot do, such as using workflows.

  • Training and Support: Discuss how to provide training and ongoing support for GateWay staff during the transition.

    • How to create and send a message 

    • How to set up a list to send an SMS

  • Communication Plan: Develop a communication plan to keep all stakeholders informed throughout the transition.

🥇 Best Practices:

...

Identify your SMS Use Case

Effective planning is the key to achieving success with SMS marketing. As you prepare to launch your first SMS campaign, it is essential to have a clear idea of your message's use case. This strategic approach enables you to ensure that every SMS you send serves a specific purpose in guiding your persona toward the desired outcome.

Consider these common SMS use cases

Informative

Promotional

  • Registration Updates: Inform students about their class registration status, including waitlist updates or changes to their schedule.

  • Important Dates: Remind students of key dates, like the start of the semester, drop/add deadlines, and tuition payment deadlines.

  • Financial Aid Notifications: Provide updates on the status of financial aid applications, deadlines, or disbursement details.

  • Enrollment Campaigns: Encourage students to register for classes during specific enrollment periods or highlight late-start classes.

  • Event Announcements: Promote campus events, workshops, job fairs, or graduation ceremonies for student engagement.

  • Program announcements: Share news about new academic programs, certificate courses, or degree pathways.

Student Services

Enrollment/Admissions

  • Advising Appointments: Remind students of their advising appointments or make it easy to schedule one via SMS.

  • Onboarding and Orientation: Guide new students through orientation and provide reminders about onboarding activities.

  • Campus Support Resources: Share information about support services, such as tutoring, career advising, or mental health resources.

  • Follow-up on Inquiries: Provide timely follow-ups for students who have inquired about programs, ensuring they feel supported throughout the enrollment process.

  • Re-enrollment Reminders: Encourage students who have paused their studies to re-enroll by highlighting upcoming deadlines and support options.

...

Use a compliant SMS consent process.

Utilize opt-in terminology. Contacts can opt-in using the three words START, UNSTOP, or SUBSCRIBE. Every SMS message must include a clear opt-out option. Prioritize giving your contacts the option to opt out of receiving messages.

...

Sending the SMS and Subscribers

Segment different groups: By strategically categorizing your audience into segments, you can tailor your SMS campaigns, ensure message relevancy, and optimize engagement with specific segments of your target market.

Manage your subscriber lists: Effective contact management is crucial for successful SMS marketing and ensures you send the right messages to engaged contacts at the right time.

Review your SMS scheduling options. By default, HubSpot has quiet hour restrictions on SMS sending. You can only send SMS messages from 8 AM to 7:59 PM in contacts' local time zones.

...

Write Actionable SMS Copy

  • Know your character count—HubSpot does allow a 300-character limit. However, SMS messages max out at 160 characters, so if you exceed the 160 count, your text message will be sent as two separate texts. Get to the point quickly, and use links (and link shorteners) to fill out the details of your message.

    • Say hello! Send a welcome message to any new contact. Clearly state who you are and why you're messaging to provide valuable context.

    • Get to the point: By keeping messages brief, recipients can easily read and act on the information on smartphones, watches, and digital assistants like Siri.

    • Don’t overdo it: SMS is a high-cost communication channel. Reserve SMS for use cases that are deeply personalized and/or express urgency.

    • Personalize your copy: Tailor SMS communication, recommendations, or offers to individuals and/or acknowledge their name, preferences, and past interactions to create a sense of relevance and make a meaningful connection with them

    • Be transparent: Consistently reintroduce your brand, purpose, and message frequency.

    • Opt out: Every message should include the option to opt-out.

...

📇 Manage and reply to marketing SMS messages

How to view/reply to SMS replies

  1. CRM > Inbox > Go to your college’s inbox (GWCC - SMS)

  2. Reply to the text messages through the inbox. When you reply, it will show who is replying.

  3. Once the conversation is completed, click close the conversation in the top right conversation. Please note that the SMS conversation will reopen if the person texts back, the SMS conversation will reopen.

There is a comment section next to the SMS reply box where you can tag people for support. Students can’t view this.

...

  • Sending

    • Sending to a list

    • You also have the option to send SMS messages to individuals

🤔 Questions for the Colleges:

...

What are the most common messages you send, and who are they going to?

...