Introduction

Communicating directly with one’s electorate is probably the most important thing a politician can do. People want to know that you are there for them and will fight their corner, that is why they vote for you in the first place. There are numerous channels available to communicate with your constituents, email, social media, TV, Radio, newspapers but you’ll be surprised to know what has been voted the best of the lot. SMS Messaging.

By far the most effective way for politicians to communicate directly and instantly with the electorate is via SMS messaging. Political SMS marketing offers a direct, cost-effective, and immediate way to reach constituents. SMS has an unrivalled read rate with 98% of recipients reading the SMS, (90% within 3 minutes) and is delivered instantly into the hands of your constituents. This is why so many politicians use it globally.

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Why SMS Marketing is Effective for Political Campaigns

There are numerous reasons why SMS marketing is super effective for political campaigns.

• High Open Rates. Industry statistics have shown that 98% open rate of SMS messages are read (90% within 3 minutes of receipt) ensuring that your message is seen and read by constituents. No other channel can match this.
• Instant Reach. SMS service providers send millions of messages per month and their IT infrastructure is such that they can handle huge volumes of messages. Therefore, no matter how large your SMS Marketing campaign is, the messages will be sent out and immediately delivered.
• Personalization. SMS messages can be personalized to each recipient with name, voter demographics or region. Personalization has been proven to further increase the engagement rates and should be a part of your campaign texting strategies.

It is worth noting again; 90% of SMS messages are read within three minutes, making it ideal for time-sensitive political messages.

Key SMS Strategies for Political Campaigns

There are several key strategies to use SMS Marketing for your Political Campaigns. SMS is very versatile and can be used for any information or event you wish to promote quickly, efficiently and be sure that voters will read the message

• Voter Registration Drives: Very effective in getting people to register to vote. A simple message with a weblink encouraging people to vote such as ‘Register to vote today! Visit [Link] or reply YES for more info.’
• Event Invitations: As we know SMS have global coverage to every mobile phone on the planet. Therefore, SMS is an excellent way to reach all your constituents and invite them to rallies, town halls, debates and fundraisers. For example, ‘Join us at our rally this Saturday at 3 PM. RSVP here: [Link].’
• Fundraising Appeals: Add a weblink to your SMS to invite donations to your cause. For example, ‘Help us get our message out to as many voters as possible. We need your help. Donate what you can to support [Candidate’s Name]: Click here to donate [Link].’
• Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) Reminders: SMS service providers delivery messages instantly making them perfect for GOTV reminders. Send reminders on voting day, including polling locations early in the morning and then later in the afternoon to the voters yet to turn up and vote. For Example, ‘Today’s the day! Make your voice heard—vote now at [Location].’

These are just a few of the strategies you can use to mobilise voters via SMS Marketing.

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Compliance and Legal Considerations for Political SMS

This bit is important!! SMS is a very powerful tool and when used correctly will be a huge addition to your communications strategy. However, there are a number of compliance and legal considerations which must be taken into account in order to

• GDPR Compliance: GDPR and Data Protection regulations are there to protect consumers against unsolicited communications. It is imperative you you have consent from people before sending messages and you have given them a free and easy way to opt out of receiving them from your office. Most SMS service providers will have ways to keep you GDPR compliant. Sendmode have automatic tools to keep you compliant, so you don’t need to worry. For more about GDPR SMS Marketing please visit https://www.sendmode.co.uk/gdpr-compliant-sms-marketing
• Opt-Out Mechanisms: A main of GDPR regulations you must provide a free and easy way for voters to unsubscribe from your communications. Sendmode provides several ways to do this, all free and GDPR compliant.
• Content Restrictions: Keep your messages short, concise and on point. People are busy and they only need the important information from you. Time, Date, Venue is plenty when arranging events. Try to avoid non vital information or people may start to unsubscribe from your communications.

Best Practices for Political SMS Campaigns

Try to follow some of these best practices to make the most of your political campaign texting strategies.

• Personalise Where Possible: Personalization is proven to further increase the response rate from SMS Marketing. If you use voter names and localised information in your messages you will show voters that you are personally engaging with them, for example, ‘Hi [Name], I’ll be in your area of [Location] on [Date] to debate policies. Would be great if you can join us, your vote is vital, Thanks, [Candidate]’.
• Timing Matters: If your events are in the evening, send your political messages 24 hours before and then in the same afternoon as the event. Avoid sending messages before 11 a.m. and after 8 p.m. for political messages.
• Frequency Control: Limit the number of messages to avoid voter fatigue. Two messages are plenty. For rallies, one the day before and one in the afternoon of the event. On voting day, the same applies, one the day before and then one in the late afternoon to people who have not voted yet’.
• Clear Call-to-Action: Voting is important. Make sure you have a call to action to voters. Be direct and clear about what you want recipients to do next.

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Conclusion

Politicians have been using SMS Marketing to great effect in the run up to and post elections for years to keep their constituents informed of latest events. In a recent survey of the politicians using Sendmode, we found they were extremely happy with both the response from SMS and also the service provided by Sendmode. As stated above, we believe that SMS is the perfect channel as it is delivers the message instantly, the message is guaranteed to be read and it is very cost effective. It far exceeds the response rate from email, social media and other channels including TV, Radio and print.

Sendmode has been in the SMS business for 18 years and have a super easy-to-use online platform which will deliver your message instantly AND keep you GDPR complaint at all times.

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FAQ Recommendations

1. What is political SMS marketing?
   Political SMS marketing uses text messages to communicate with voters, mobilise supporters, and drive campaign goals like fundraising and voter registration and most importantly of all, voter turnout on polling day.
2. Is SMS marketing effective for political campaigns?
   Yes SMS is super effective, with a 98% open rate (90% opened with 3 minutes of receipt), SMS marketing ensures your campaign messages reach voters instantly and are read.
3. Do I need voter consent for political SMS?
   Yes. GDPR regulations state that you must have consent before sending messages to voters. Unsolicited messages are illegal and quite simply will only harm your brand. You must obtain explicit consent under GDPR regulations in the UK before sending political messages.
4. Can SMS be used for fundraising in campaigns?
   Absolutely! You can send a Weblink in your SMS to accept donations to political campaigns. Most SMS service providers, including Sendmode have a way to add weblinks to their outgoing SMS campaigns.
5. What should be included in a GOTV SMS message?
   Go out to Vote messages are important but also too is the content. Make sure to include polling locations, voting hours, and finish with a motivational call-to-action to ensure high voter turnout, For example; ‘We need your vote to ensure your voice is heard!!’
6. How frequently should I send political SMS messages?
   Limit to essential updates or weekly messages to avoid overwhelming voters. For any event or on polling day, 2 messages per voter is enough. Anymore and you risk voter fatigue and people opting out of receiving any more SMS from you.
7. What’s the best time to send political SMS messages?
   Send during mid-morning or early evening when recipients are most likely to read messages. On polling day, send the night before and then in mid-afternoon to voters who have not turned up to vote yet.