Kaitlyn Orred
In the fast-paced world of education, effective communication is key to keeping students, parents, and staff informed and engaged. Luckily, mass messaging offers an easy way to connect with large groups of people while providing extra benefits such as personalization and automation.
In this guide, we’ll explore the various options available for mass messaging in education and dive into how schools and universities can leverage these tools for efficient communication.
3 Options for Mass Messaging
Schools and universities have a few different communication methods at their disposal. Each should be used at the appropriate time and in the right capacity to have the greatest impact.
1. Mass Text Messaging
Bulk SMS is the best way to deliver short, specific messages. It provides instant communication and has a high reach since most individuals always carry their phones. However, it's not suitable for long or confidential messages.
2. Mass Calling
Voice calls add a personal touch to mass messaging, allowing you more time to explain information in detail. Many people will send a combo broadcast, sending a short mass text message to inform their contacts of a situation, followed by a voice broadcast to explain the situation in greater detail. Voice calls are also more likely to reach older recipients, making them ideal for parents and staff.
3. Email
Emails remain a classic choice for sending detailed information and documents, but beware that emails have a very low open rate due to spam overtaking inboxes. To ensure your email isn't overlooked, consider sending a text alert prompting contacts to check their inbox.
How Schools and Universities Can Use Mass Messaging
There are various applications for mass text messaging and automated calling when it comes to connecting with students, parents, and school staff. We’ll break down a few specific instances where SMS is most effective.
Communication with Students
If your students are old enough to own a phone, they will probably respond well to text messages–and communicating with them on a platform they frequently use could enhance their engagement. Here are some ways you can use SMS to reach out to your students:
- Tuition updates: Keep students informed about tuition changes and payment deadlines.
- Upcoming deadlines: Remind students of important deadlines like enrollment dates.
- Connect with prospective students: Engage with potential students by providing them with information about the school, its programs, and student life.
- Test schedules: Share exam schedules and important dates.
- Announcements: Send school announcements and updates.
- Holidays and schedule changes: Share holiday schedules and closure dates.
- Grade postings: Inform students when their grades are available for review.
- Event notifications: Promote school events and activities.
- Emergency alerts: Quickly share vital information during crises in real-time.
- Feedback collection: Conduct SMS polls or surveys to gather feedback on teaching methods, school policies, facilities, etc.
- Alumni engagement: Maintain strong relationships with former students to foster networking, mentorship programs, fundraising, and more.
- Financial Aid Opportunities: Update students about the availability of scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and loans.
Communication with Parents and Guardians
While many of the above-mentioned points can be broadly shared, a few types of messages tend to be more relevant to parents. Here are some examples of when you would send school text messages to parents:
- Progress Reports: Share updates on their child's academic performance and behavior.
- Parent-Teacher Meetings: Notify or remind parents about upcoming meetings.
- School Policies: Keep parents informed about changes in school policies or rules.
- Attendance Alerts: Notify parents if their child is absent or frequently late.
- Health and Safety Updates: Share updates related to health and safety protocols.
- Opinion Gathering: Use surveys to gauge opinions on proposed changes or initiatives.
Communication with Staff
Messaging staffing to keep them informed and on target is a great way to help the school year run smoothly. Here are a few ways you could message staff:
- Grade submission deadlines: Ensure teachers are aware of important grading deadlines.
- Staff meetings: Send notifications and text reminders about staff meetings.
- Volunteer sign-ups: Encourage staff to participate in school activities and initiatives.
- Substitute Requests: Automate the process of requesting a substitute.
- Emergency Notifications: Rapidly share crucial information during emergencies.
- Scheduling Changes: Share changes to the school schedule or event calendar.
- Feedback Collection: Conduct polls or surveys to gather feedback from staff.
As with any type of mass communication, ensure you follow the proper text messaging etiquette, rules, and regulations. Schools also have specific privacy laws that apply to text messaging, so anyone sending out text messages should review these rules before sending out messages.
How to Use Text-Em-All for Primary and Higher Education Texting
At Text-Em-All, our goal is to provide our customers with an easy-to-use application that meets their communication needs. We created our platform with informational messaging in mind, and we serve hundreds of schools and universities’ needs daily.
The process of sending your first message is simple, with no catches and no hidden fees.
- Sign up for your free account
- Decide which type of broadcast you’d like to send (text, voice, or combo)
- Add your contacts
- Create your message
- Send
One of the benefits of using Text-Em-All includes extended message length. While each message segment is typically only 160 characters long, we offer 960 characters (6 message segments) in each message on our Credits plan. This allows you to include all the important details you need in your message.
Another benefit of using Text-Em-All is that we don’t limit your group size, meaning you can message any number of contacts you please, whether five people or 50,000. You can feel confident knowing that your texts will be delivered quickly, no matter the size.
If you’re ready to upgrade your school’s communication and boost student engagement, give us a try by creating your free account today and exploring all we have to offer!