Finding the fine line between calling, emailing and texting parents gets pretty tricky. Don’t know how to best utilize texting as an outreach option? Check out these Frequently Asked Questions!
What is SMS?
SMS stands for Short Messaging Service, aka “Texting”. It’s a 160 character message sent over cell phone towers as opposed to the internet, so if a parent doesn’t have a data plan, they can still receive SMS messages.
Can I really just text parents? Aren’t there laws against that?
This is a good mindset to have. There are a couple of layers of compliance that Schola will help you navigate with this guide. But, just so you get a general idea, when a parent provides their phone number for information they’re allowing us to text them. The school, though, has to provide a way for the parent to opt out of communications (same with emails and phone calls).
When should I text parents?
Text messaging should be the third option after email and phone calls. Texts can be a double-edged sword as parents will surely see it, but they might be annoyed if you do it at the wrong times. A good rule of thumb would be to follow up on a missed call with a text. Texts can also be used as a reminder of upcoming tours and to complete an online application.
What if they ask me to stop?
We’ll go over regulations in another blog post, however, the general rule of thumb to follow is STOP means STOP.