Success Story
How the Greenville Chamber of Commerce Boosts Event Attendance with Text Reminders
Overview
Company: A chamber of commerce in Greenville, Illinois, representing local businesses, nonprofits, and individual members.
Challenge: Reaching members and the community with announcements and event reminders as fewer people read email.
Results: Higher, steadier attendance at Business After Hours, networking, and annual events, plus increased community awareness.
The Greenville Chamber of Commerce in Greenville, Illinois, works to support the area’s businesses, nonprofits, and residents through member events, community celebrations, and local news. Mia Emken, Director of the Chamber, set out to find a faster, more convenient way to keep members and the community informed. She found it in text messaging.
The Challenge: Fewer People Were Reading Email
The Chamber sends announcements, public service messages, and event reminders throughout the year. Mia noticed that more and more people were straying from email, so she needed a channel that could:
- Reach members and the community quickly
- Let people opt in by subscribing to a list
- Handle announcements, PSAs, and event reminders in one place
As a chamber, we wanted to find a new way to communicate with our members and the community that’s very fast and convenient. We’ve noticed that a lot of people are straying away from emails for announcements and PSAs, so we wanted to move onto a platform where people could subscribe to a texting list, and we could just send mass texts out to people.
The Solution: A Subscriber Texting List
The Chamber uses SimpleTexting to build an opt-in texting list. Members and community residents can subscribe, and the team sends mass texts with member news, Chamber updates, and event reminders. Mia describes the platform as relevant, effective, and easy to use.
Three words I would use to describe SimpleTexting are relevant, effective, and easy to use.
The Results: Higher, Steadier Attendance
Members now stay up to date through short texts, and Mia says the effect is visible at the Chamber’s events.
- Higher, steadier attendance – Business After Hours, other networking events, and the Chamber’s annual events are seeing stronger turnout.
- More engaged members – Quick reminders keep members in the know about what’s happening during the year.
- Greater community awareness – Texting has helped the Chamber get in touch with the community and raise awareness of what it does in town
SimpleTexting has really helped our members stay in the know and stay up to date on what we have going on during the year. They like the quick reminders about upcoming events. And we’ve noticed that attendance has been higher and steadier for our Business After Hours, other networking events, and our yearly events. It’s a great way to get in touch with the community and see that awareness for what we do in town. It has increased a lot.
What’s Next for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce
With texting now part of its digital marketing mix, the Chamber has a direct line to members and the community. Mia’s advice to other organizations is simple: go for it.
If you are thinking about getting SimpleTexting, I’m going to tell you to go for it, because it has been the best investment we’ve made for our marketing this year as a chamber, and it’s very affordable as well. People are always on their phones, so they’re more likely to read a text than an email, or potentially even see something on social media. Definitely check it out, add it to your digital marketing strategies, and see what SimpleTexting can do for you.
