Your mission is one of the most important aspects of your organization.

But are all of your members, followers, or donors aware of your mission? Do they understand it, embrace it, and share it with others?

When your organization clearly communicates its message, its followers become engaged and empowered. A motivated membership base is a more effective membership base when it comes to achieving your goals, whether it’s outreach, evangelism, fundraising, or recruitment.

What’s the best way to mobilize your mission, getting it into the hearts and minds of members?

By actually taking it mobile! Text messaging is today’s most effective and efficient communication tool. In case you needed convincing:

• The open rate of SMS is 98 percent compared with 22 percent for emails.
• Ninety-five to 98 percent of text messages are read within minutes of receipt.
• Millennials (born between 1980 and 2000) are more likely to donate to a nonprofit directly from a social networking site or through text than any other generation.

Follow these “Five I’s of Text Messaging” to use this highly-effective marketing medium to engage your audience and mobilize your mission:

1. Invite: For newcomers or those who want more information, use incentives such as free downloads to get people to join your text message list. Use text messaging to invite them to learn more through your website and by attending future events, services, or meetings.
2. Inspire: Send meaningful messages that reflect your mission while offering encouragement. Consider daily devotions, thoughts/Scripture for the day, or favorite quotations.
3. Inform: Informed supporters make better advocates. Use text messages to keep partners and members in the loop with organization updates, date reminders, and schedule changes.
4. Interact: Ask for supporters’ and members’ input using text messaging. Send out surveys or solicit feedback from members. Inviting members’ feedback and interacting with them helps members feel invested in your mission.
5. Increase: Grow your organization through mobile giving. Text-to-give is an easy and effective way to collect tithes, offerings, and donations.

Text messaging—through a service provider such as Textify Mobile—is a perfect vehicle for seeing your mission mobilized throughout your organization and beyond. Connecting your mission and members through mobile is sure to produce enthusiasm, which will undoubtedly result in long-term stability and growth.