Use GC Texting as part of your fundraising strategy.
Texting is a powerful tool that we are excited to bring into your suite of GiveCampus solutions.
1. Getting Started:
Once texting has been purchased and enabled for your institution, you will be able to access it from within the Online Giving Dashboard's Texting tab. If you have yet to adjust your settings, be sure to reference our GCU article "Getting Started with GC Texting" to sending any texts, as there are important initial steps outlined in that article that ensure compliance and the best experience for you and your donors.
2. What can we do with Texting?
- Admins can send text messages to any/all constituents.
- Admins can text constituents 1:1, in a group chat or bulk text delivered 1:1.
- Admins can create text message templates.
3. Adding and Updating Cell Phone Numbers:
In order to text constituents, you must upload cell phone data. If you utilize GC Volunteer Management, there will already be constituent data available to you - but you may want to augment that.
In order to add constituents and numbers to be texted, click the "Upload Cell Phone Data" tab at the top of the page. This will take you to the Data Importer where you will be able to upload the data needed for texting.
4. Text Templates:
Navigate to the templates page by clicking the "Templates" button in the top right.
From here, click "New Template" - you'll be required to provide a unique name for your template and add text in the Content section in order to create the template. Note that there are merge fields available from the dropdown for your use. You can also toggle between "Template Type" to choose between Admin and Volunteer. This determines which type of user will see which templates (volunteers must be within GC Volunteer Management).
To update an existing template, click on the template's name to navigate to the update page.
To remove the template as an option for volunteers or admins, simply uncheck the active checkbox. When this is unchecked, we will not display the template within the texting interface.
To use a template, head back to the Conversations page and click into a conversation. You'll see gray template tokens above the "Type reply here" section. Click on a template token to add the template's text into the message box.
5. Text Conversations:
What is a text conversation? This functionality allows admins to create either a 1-1 conversation or a group conversation with up to 9 other people (10 total). This is different from Text Campaigns, which allows you to send a 'mass' message to a defined segments, initiating a 1-1 conversation with each recipient.
Great! I want to create a text conversation. To create a text conversation either 1-1 or with up to 9 participants, follow these steps:
- Navigate to the texting page by starting at your Online Giving Dashboard, then clicking on the Texting tab.
- Click on "New Conversation" to head to the New Conversation page. You can choose a nickname for the conversation. This is an optional step, and if a nickname is provided, it will appear in the sidebar on the conversations page.
- Set your first message to be sent. Note: If an Opt-out message is required, it will be automatically included, using the Opt-out message you created in "Settings". The Opt-out message cannot be adjusted from this conversation tab.
- Select your participants (up to 9 constituents) and click the "Create conversation" button to send the text.
- Note: if you've selected multiple participants, you'll see an option to Create Group Conversation with all selected constituents in a single text, or to Create Individual Conversations to send a message to each recipient individually.
Once your text conversation is started, your new conversation(s) will appear on the right window, and a list of your previous text conversations will appear in the left window.
6. Text Campaigns:
What is a text campaign? A text campaign gives admins the ability to text many people at once based on a segment of who should receive the text. When a text campaign is sent, it creates 1:1 conversations between the admin and the recipient.
This functionality is different from text conversations (described above), which allow users to create either a 1-1 conversation or a group conversation with up to 9 other people (10 total).
Great! I want to create a text campaign. To create a new text campaign, start from the Texting tab and click on “New Campaign” in the top right of the "Conversations" page.
Set a nickname, then use the query builder to determine which group of constituents should receive this text campaign. Be sure to click "Save Condition" and then you can use the "Continue" button to move on to the sending page:
On the left side of the next page, you'll see a list of eligible constituents based on the query you provided.
Use the "Message" section to customize the message you would like your constituents to receive. The gray buttons to the right of the message are merge tokens and templates for your use.
Use the "Opt-Out Message" section to customize the message that any constituents in the list who have NOT yet received the opt-out/identification compliance message from your school phone number will now receive. Within the constituent list on the left, the “Opt Out will be sent” message will display next to volunteer's name in the Volunteers list for whom this applies.
Click the "Send text messages" button at the bottom of the page to begin sending your 1-1 text campaign messages.
7. Admin Notifications:
We currently have two notifications that can be sent to admins in relation to the text messaging feature. An admin must enable the option to receive text message notifications in order to receive either type of notification when the relevant action takes place.
You can enable notifications for any admin by navigating to the "Administrators" tab from the Online Giving Dashboard. On this page, you should see a column for “New Text Message Notifications.” Toggle to Yes for admins who should receive notifications for new text messages received.
Admins who have been selected to receive text message notifications will receive two notification types:
New Text Notification - When a new text comes in, we set a timer to notify school admins in 5 minutes. If any admin reads the new text within that 5 minute window, we will not send the notification. If a notification is sent, it will look like the screenshot below, and the link included in the notification will direct the admin to the conversation that contains the new text message.
New Opt-Out Notification - When a constituent uses the STOP message to Opt-out of additional text messages, we set a timer to notify school admins in 5 minutes. If the user accidentally opted out and decides to opt back in before that 5 minute window passes, we will not send the notification. If a notification is sent, it will look like the screenshot below, and the link included in the notification will direct the admin to the conversation that contains the opt-out request.
8. Questions?
Visit our Texting FAQs article here to explore some of the most common texting questions! Email us in support@givecampus.com if your question isn't covered!