Slides

Dave: Welcome, everyone. We must be close to the one-year anniversary of these client roundtables. What started as an experiment has turned into something truly valuable. I love seeing all your faces—or at least your names.

Today’s topic is SMS. I believe SMS has a bright future in how we communicate with members, but I also think it will be a slow roll. It’s not something you just turn on and see immediate widespread adoption. It requires patience and a strategic approach.

Show me a reaction if you’re currently using SMS and looking for ways to improve it, whether with PropFuel or another platform. Looks like a handful of you. And for those still determining whether SMS is right for your organization, that’s what we’re here to explore today. Ashley, Megan, and Melissa, who’s taking the lead?

Melissa: That’s me. First, can everyone see my screen? Great.

We’re talking about SMS today—not just with PropFuel, but in general. Whether you use SMS with us or another provider, this session will help you think strategically about how to integrate it into your communication efforts.

If you’re on the fence about using SMS, today’s session should provide clarity. We’ll hear from clients who have successfully implemented SMS and share some best practices.

SMS is ideal for notifying members immediately and driving quick action. It cuts through inbox clutter and meets members where they are—especially those who don’t sit at a desk all day or frequently check email.

It should be used sparingly. Unlike email, where you might send frequent check-ins, SMS should be reserved for the most timely and relevant messages. Texts should be short, with a single clear call to action.

Megan: Let’s start with a key use case—getting members to renew. APA uses SMS alongside their renewal campaigns to send reminders a few days before a member’s grace period ends and on the final day.

Latoya, can you share how this has worked for you?

Latoya: Sure! We started using SMS earlier this year as another touchpoint for renewals. We didn’t want to overdo it, but we wanted members to receive key reminders.

For this pilot, we sent texts shortly before members dropped, and we saw a great response. A large percentage of those we texted renewed, showing that the extra nudge really helped alongside our email reminders.

Dave: Latoya, did you have a significant number of members already opted into SMS, or did you collect opt-ins through PropFuel when launching?

Latoya: Before launching, we worked with our IT team to add an SMS opt-in checkbox to member profiles. Now, when members sign up or renew, they can opt in. We track opt-ins in our CMS and upload lists to PropFuel. So far, we have around 7,000 opt-ins, and that number is steadily growing.

Dave: That’s a great example of how SMS adoption takes time. More members will opt in as they see the value in receiving timely messages.

Megan: Thanks, Latoya! Next, let’s talk about win-back campaigns. PIHRA uses SMS alongside PropFuel to re-engage lapsed members. Ashley, can you walk us through this?

Ashley: Sure! PIHRA sends an SMS five days before a lapsed member officially loses benefits. This message comes after their membership has technically expired, making it a true last-chance reminder.

It’s friendly, brief, and includes a direct renewal link. It complements their email campaign, reinforcing the urgency to act.

PIHRA also collects opt-ins at their conference, which I’ll talk about later.

Megan: Any questions before we move on?

Jamie: I have a quick comment. In December 2022, we stopped faxing—yes, faxing—and in March 2023, we launched SMS.

Our first campaign promoted an event. Since we already had opt-ins, we could send texts immediately. Since then, we’ve run quarterly SMS campaigns, with one in June performing especially well.

We sent it to over 6,000 contacts, and 611 completed a check-in. On our end, we tracked 103 sessions and 54 unique users. It’s been a slow build, but we’re seeing positive engagement.

Megan: Jamie, was that a scheduled text or part of an automated sequence?

Jamie: All of ours are scheduled right now. We haven’t moved to automated sequences yet, but it’s something we may explore.

Melissa: Thanks, Jamie. Let’s talk about another use case—nominations and advocacy.

The Nebraska Pharmacists Association used SMS to notify members about a new state law that had just passed. There was no call to action, just a quick update to keep members informed. It was a great way to provide immediate value.

Megan: Now, onto one of the most unique use cases we’ve seen. Jim, can you talk about how Showplace Icon Theaters uses SMS?

Jim: Sure! Unlike most organizations here, our membership isn’t tied to an association—it’s for our cinema loyalty program.

We use SMS strategically. During our onboarding email sequence, we ask members about their favorite film genres. Later, we send personalized texts when movies in their preferred genres are released.

For example, when Mission Impossible was released, we sent a text to action movie fans, letting them know about an exclusive free popcorn offer.

Our first big SMS test was sending a free movie ticket to 12,500 members. We got a 4% redemption rate, which was fantastic.

Dave: One thing I love about your approach is that your messages aren’t suspicious. There are no links—just a clear, valuable message.

Jim: Exactly! And to make our texts feel more personal, we use local phone numbers for each of our six cities. That way, messages come from a familiar area code, reducing skepticism.

Ashley: That’s a great takeaway for associations—ask members what content they care about and text them when relevant events, benefits, or updates match their interests.

Megan: Another fun use case—conference engagement. Ashley, can you talk about how Sidecar used SMS for their event?

Ashley: Sure! We set up a pre-scheduled SMS campaign to engage attendees throughout the event.

Texts reminded attendees to download the event app, asked for session feedback, and provided key updates. Since attendees are on the move, SMS was the perfect way to reach them.

This can also be done in real-time. If a room changes or an urgent update is needed, you can send a one-off text.

Melissa: Now, let’s discuss opt-ins. Unlike email, SMS requires express consent. Members must explicitly agree to receive texts.

There are three ways to collect opt-ins:

1. Via email – Send a PropFuel check-in asking if they’d like to receive texts.
2. Import existing opt-ins – If your AMS tracks SMS opt-ins, you can import them.
3. QR codes at events – Attendees can scan a QR code that generates an opt-in text.

Ashley: PIHRA had great success with an opt-in email campaign. Their email explained the initiative and asked members if they wanted to opt in. Those who said yes provided their phone number. They had a 50% opt-in rate, which is fantastic.

Megan: A big takeaway is that SMS should be used intentionally. Make sure members know what to expect, and keep messages concise and actionable.

Dave: Thanks to everyone who shared their insights today. If you want help setting up SMS, reach out to Ashley, Megan, or Melissa.

Have a great day, everyone!

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