The Scale to Win Text Message Question Type allows your callers to send a prewritten text message during calls to the contact with whom they’re speaking. 

An example of the Text Message Question Type  in caller view.

Callers can utilize the Text Message Question Type feature to send a volunteer a sign up link for an event, more information about your campaign or organization, or a link with information about their ballot.

The Text Message Question Type sends a one directional text, meaning you cannot engage in a back-and-forth conversation with the contact. Consider this question type as a onetime broadcast message.

Set Up
Before using the text message question type, an account owner from your organization must first enable this feature in the Messaging section at the bottom of the Settings page. 

1. Complete and submit the "Enable Dialer Text Messaging" form linked in the Messaging section. Choose to either send texts from a local phone number (10DLC) or a Toll-Free number. Here you can list your top three preferred area codes for a local phone number.

2. If your organization has an active texting account or a recently submitted 10DLC and/or Toll-Free registration with Scale to Win, no further action is required to receive a texting number. 

If your organization does not have an active texting account or a recently submitted 10DLC and/or Toll-Free registration with Scale to Win, then you will receive an email from our Client Success Team prompting you to register for either a 10DLC or Toll-Free texting number. 

Keep in mind that wait times vary, but you can reach out to support@scaletowin.com to get updates on your registration status.

3. Once your texting number is available, Scale to Win Support will email you confirming you can start texting from the Dialer. The Messaging section will also display your current phone number status as active.

Please Note: Submit a ticket to support@scaletowin.com if you want to change the area code of your 10DLC texting number.

If your organization has Scale to Win Text, you can check the status of your 10DLC and Toll-Free registration on the Phone Numbers page on the left hand menu. This page displays active or pending registrations for both 10DLC and/or Toll-Free.

Configure Your Message

Add the Text Message Question Type at the Write Questions stage (step 3) of building your campaign. Since the first question must be set to ‘Canvass Result’ to confirm the caller is speaking to the right person, you must add a new question to the campaign script. Click the down arrow next to Question 1 (Canvass Result) and click on the + Add New Question option.

Click the down arrow in the box under Question Type and select Text Message from the dropdown menu. Write the content of the text message in the box below. 

You can personalize your text message by including any available Contact Fields from your Question Script. For example, add the first name field to address each contact by name.  

The “Text Message” Question Type in the script-building interface. 

Callers cannot edit the text message script in a live call. However, they can edit the phone number if, for example, the contact was reached on a landline or prefers to receive texts on a different number.

Note: Only users at an admin level or above can edit the text message script while the calling campaign is ongoing.

Reporting 
In the View Results (Step 10) stage of your campaign, this Question Type will display how many messages have been sent across the campaign. 

Note: This count represents the total number of messages sent, not the number of contacts texted. If you have multiple text message question types within your script, this number may differ from the number of contacts messaged.

Text Message Question Type titled “Follow-up” displaying how many texts were sent through this campaign.

If you’ve included a Text Message Question Type in your calling campaign, the campaign’s CSV export will include columns showing the cell phone number that received the message in instances where your caller sent a message to a contact. 

In many cases, this will be identical to the number you contacted. However, if your caller reached a landline and needed to manually input a textable number, that new number will appear instead.

Note: Text message question type information is not synced back to NGP VAN.

How the Text Message Question Type Can Benefit Your Campaign

1. Streamlined Communication: Send prewritten text messages during calls to easily share important links or campaign information, such as event sign-ups, volunteer opportunities, or voting information. This saves time and ensures key details reach contacts quickly.

2. Personalized Outreach: Integrate customizable contact fields (e.g., first name) to personalize messages, creating a stronger connection with each recipient. Personalized outreach increases engagement and shows recipients that their individual needs are being considered. 

3. Non-Intrusive Follow-Up: Text messages are a one-way communication tool, allowing you to follow up with potential supporters without interrupting their day. They’re less intrusive than a phone call and allows contacts to respond at their convenience.

4. Enhanced Reporting and Tracking: Tracking the number of messages sent and who received them helps measure the effectiveness of your outreach efforts. You can use this data to optimize future campaigns and improve targeting for maximum impact.