Using Technology: Texting & Tools

Using Technology: Texting & Tools

October 20, 2015 by

There’s a lot of opportunity to learn new things at the Certification Lab, including the latest technology. During a recent conversation our instructors recalled learning new technology from each other. But it really comes down to finding the most effective method, not necessarily the latest and greatest thing.

A lot of times we get caught up with methods, when the truth is methods change but message never changes.

Stephen Brewster talks about using the right methods to communicate your message:

“Text message open rates are about 98%. Text message click thru rates are about 60%. I challenge anyone in the world to match email open and click thru rates near the same volume. It just doesn’t happen. The world is changing. I think everyone comes into the church world with this concept or idea to do something better—I want to improve on what the last generation did and the amazing foundation and legacy they build. I want to learn how to take that to the next level. Well, follow the technology. If text messaging provides that opportunity, that’s great. But it’s just a tool. I think a lot of times we get caught up with methods, when the truth is methods change but message never changes. We have a responsibility to communicate the message and communicate it really well and use whatever method is available at that moment in time to do it as efficiently as possible.” -Stephen Brewster

More

  • This video is from a 2014 Google Hangout promoting our West Coast Certification Lab. You can watch that entire hangout, and while that particular Certification Lab is over, we’ve got plenty more coming up.
  • Check out our upcoming roster of Certification Lab events and consider attending to soak up this kind of insight and encouragement.
  • Get a taste of what you can expect at Certification Lab with our round-up of Certification Lab resources.

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Post By:

Kevin D. Hendricks


When Kevin isn't busy as the editor of Church Marketing Sucks, he runs his own writing and editing company, Monkey Outta Nowhere. Kevin has been blogging since 1998, runs the hyperlocal site West St. Paul Reader, and has published several books, including 137 Books in One Year: How to Fall in Love With Reading, The Stephanies and all of our church communication books.
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2 Responses to “Using Technology: Texting & Tools”

  • Andrew Fallows
    October 20, 2015

    This is a great argument for why to use texting!

    I would love recommendations from the CMSucks community on the How! I’ve gathered a handful of links for tools to help make texting more efficient, but I haven’t had a chance to dig into them.

    What do you use to text your congregation? What’s the cheap option, and what’s an option that’s really proven to be worth the money?

    (as an aside: I’d really love to be able to subscribe to replies by email so I know when someone replies to this)


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  • Eric
    October 20, 2015

    Getting people’s attention seems so difficult these days. I am offering free memberships to an online prayer journal site, and I can’t get even 5% to respond to my emails. I write every outreach email with tons of copywriting techniques applied… but still struggle.

    I love the idea of texting people, but am sensitive to not abusing that approach. I’d like to create a service that texts my members with valuable information on their schedule. Have you ever developed such a system before? If so, what did it look like?


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