Church Bulk Texting: Is There a Best Time to SMS your People?

Using a BulkText Messaging Service such as PastorsLine means you are probably sending quite a few texts to quite a few people. So when is the best time to SMS?

Option 1: During general business hours

A recent blog suggested that the optimal time is between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Advantages

The range of hours is neither too early nor too late. Chances are your text is not a rude wakeup call or a sleep disturber.

Disadvantages

Whose ‘business hours’? The Lord works 24/7. Perhaps you need to send an SMS reminder with your Bulk Text Messaging Service early in the morning about an important church event that same day?

Option 2: A specific timetable

Another current idea is specific hours on weekdays and weekends. The advice for weekdays is 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. (on the theory that people will check their messages at the start of their workday) and 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. (since people have finished work and are on their phones). The weekend time slot is 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Saturday & Sunday), with an additional slot between 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Advantages

Again, your text arrives neither too early or too late to disturb most people’s sleep pattern. Also, you are not bothering people during their workday or most of their weekend.

Disadvantages

Much of the advice on the internet is connected to commercial business. PastorsLine always reminds you that churches can benefit a lot from seeing themselves as a ‘business’. However, we both know that the Lord’s business is a bit different, and your church culture must part of the equation.

Example: In your congregation, part of honoring your Sabbath day is staying off digital devices. Then, for that period, your church should only send emergency messages.

More advice: When not to send

The big no-nos appear to be holidays and Saturdays.

Advantages

This respects people’s time off and time with their families.

Disadvantages

Which holidays are we speaking about? Are they national holidays? If so (and your ministry is not having a related event such as an Independence Day picnic), then perhaps do not use your Bulk Text Messaging Service to SMS your people. However, if it is Christmas and you want to get them out of the house and into the pews, then by all means - text away!

So what’s the conclusion?

PastorsLine likes the following four points found in a recent internet article:

• Consider the type of message

• Take into account your people’s schedules

• Think about their online habits

• Respect your congregations’ privacy

The way we see it, these points are part of a simultaneous calculation rather than a step-by-step, so let’s look at two examples.

Changes to the ‘during service’ childcare hours

This week, there will be no childcare during the Sabbath morning service. Unfortunately, the carer is sick, and no replacement was found.

It is Friday afternoon, and your Sabbath is Sunday. When do you send the text?

The message is an important one. It may affect whether or not a family with young children will attend the service. 

When is a very busy time for these families? Answer: now – the afternoon-evening. The children are home from school and/or daycare. They are usually tired and need feeding, bathing, nighttime routine, and then bed. 

This is NOT the time to be sending potentially bad news. First, many parents are already busy during this hectic time and don’t need more distractions. Second, if it is bad news for them, they don’t need the added stress just then. Better when they are calmer, the home is quieter, and they can consider the news in a better frame of mind.

Suggestion: send your SMS some time between 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

A reminder about the upcoming church family fun day

It is Tuesday. The fun day is this Saturday. You REALLY want people to come.

During your recent Sabbath service, the pastor reminded everyone about the fun day. Then, you sent them a text poll with your Bulk Text Messaging Service. You asked who is coming, who might attend, and who is not. Now, you want to send an SMS reminder. When do you send the text?

Often, when things are important to us, we want to keep reminding people about them. Unfortunately, we might go overboard and bug them. They may react by turning off, and, in this case, not showing up.

Your congregation just heard a reminder and answered a poll during the weekend. It is only Tuesday. We suggest waiting until Thursday to text. We would SMS at 8:30 p.m. - after young children are in bed but before people start powering down.