(from EAB's Enrollment Blog) Texting tends to be more effective than email in getting students' attention — studies show text open rates as high as 98 percent — but schools should be aware of five common pitfalls in how they use text messages to engage students and prospective students:
- Texting students too infrequently (or too frequently): Consider one mass text per week as a maximum.
- Irritating students with non-essential messages: Is the content high-priority, useful and timely?
- Limiting potential audience size: An opt-out policy can help you reach the widest possible audience, but check with legal counsel first.
- Not embracing texting as a two-way channel: Ending texts with a question can encourage greater engagement, but be sure you're prepared for incoming responses.
- Failing to share best practices across the team: Consider formalizing strategies that work into training for other relevant staff.
More at EAB's Enrollment Blog
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