Reaching Audiences Through Mobile SMS Messaging Creating An

Creating an Awareness Campaign

Toolkit 6: Reaching Audiences Through Mobile SMS Messaging

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World Hepatitis Day: July 28 2012 www.worldhepatitisday.info This is hepatitis...

Toolkit 6: Reaching Audiences Through Mobile SMS Messaging

This toolkit will help you plan an SMS strategy to support your awareness campaigns around World Hepatitis Day and throughout the year. It includes:

• Section A - An overview of SMS for mobile devices

• Section B - SMS campaign strategy for World Hepatitis Day 2012

• Section C - How to set up an SMS campaign in your country

• Section D - An example letter from the World Hepatitis Alliance that you can send to encourage partnerships with local network operators

• Appendix 1 - Mobile Marketing Association’s global code of conduct

• Appendix 2 - List of Mobile Network Operators in Target Countries This is hepatitis...

Section A - An overview of SMS for mobile devices

SMS, or Short Message Service, is a text messaging service component of phone, web or mobile communication systems. A text message is usually limited to 160 characters (including spaces) per message, although larger content can be sent using multiple messages.

SMS text messaging can be a key resource in reaching out to patients and in raising awareness amongst the general public about viral hepatitis. In developing nations this is even more important as access to other communications channels such as the internet and SMART phones is limited.

The World Hepatitis Alliance is, therefore, encouraging participating members, particularly those in developing regions, to undertake SMS text messaging campaigns to support the awareness campaigns for World Hepatitis Day in 2012 and beyond.

Important considerations for SMS

• SMS is a best-effort service - around 5% of SMS messages are not delivered

• Messages passing between Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), particularly internationally, are the most likely to disappear; therefore SMS campaigns should be set up nationally

• Delivery reports, which can tell you whether the message has been received at the recipient’s handset, are sometimes available

• SMSs are sent in a plain text format and may also be stored in plain text in the operator’s records. Therefore, as with all other communications, no sensitive information should be included in SMS messages, as these will be stored by the operators

Section B - SMS campaign strategy for World Hepatitis Day 2012

This toolkit provides guidance on setting up bulk messaging SMS campaigns in your country. This involves a single message being sent to a group of users (much like a group email). This strategy will reach the most number of people in one go and is usually the most cost effective.

In 2012 the World Hepatitis Alliance will be focusing on 8 target countries to set up SMS bulk messaging campaigns. These countries are:

• Brazil

• China

• Ghana This is hepatitis...

• India

• Kenya

• Nigeria

• Peru

• South Africa

The Alliance will approach the largest MNOs covering each of these countries. This approach will consist of exploring Corporate Social Responsibility channels with the MNOs so that bulk messaging can be coordinated for free or at a charitable rate per SMS message sent.

Appendix 2 of this toolkit details all of the MNOs in each of the target regions and additionally provides details of those MNOs located in Peru, India, and China where Alliance members may like to investigate further campaigns. Those Operators that are highlighted in yellow will be contacted directly by the World Hepatitis Alliance, so please let the Alliance know if you have any existing contacts at these MNO companies.

As there are many MNOs operating in each country, local Alliance members are encouraged to contact the other MNOs contained in each list (those not highlighted in yellow). This toolkit provides step by step guidance on approaching other, smaller, MNOs along with tools to encourage MNOs to seek CSR and ‘in kind’ donations.

In other countries not being targeted by the Alliance in 2012, this toolkit offers guidance on how to setup SMS bulk messaging campaigns.

Section C - How to set up a bulk messaging SMS

The information below provides a simple step by step overview of how to set up a bulk messaging SMS campaign:

1) There are no reputable suppliers of SMS database lists in many regions of the world. Therefore, you should first contact several MNOs. Without collaboration from the local network operator it will be extremely difficult to set up a bulk message SMS campaign. Please note that not all network operators are able to load and send messages to their databases so you may need to speak to several MNOs to find one that has this capability.

2) Ask whether the provider has opt-in lists of mobile phone numbers so that they can coordinate a bulk SMS service on your behalf. Opt-in lists are databases where subscribers have said they are happy to receive SMSs and notifications from the Network Operator and / or third parties. It is important to check this is a legitimate opt-in list to ensure best practice. MNOs have opt-in lists to update their subscribers on the existing services and new services that they provide.

3) Next you need to check whether the MNO can distribute the single message to recipients at a lower cost or for free as part of their work with non-profit organisations (See World Hepatitis Alliance letter in Section D below). A charitable rate is usually around 50% lower than the standard price per SMS message sent but will vary between different MNOs. This is hepatitis...

4) Some MNOs will send messages to their subscribers to alert them to new services or to alert them to remaining credit on their cell phone. This is an additional opportunity to include messaging for World Hepatitis Day if they are not happy to send a dedicated bulk message on your behalf.

5) After you have agreed a rate that is within your local activity budget you will need to agree the copy for the text message that will be distributed – suggestions provided below

6) The SMS message should be agreed to be sent to all recipients in the opt-in list on World Hepatitis Day, 28th July, between 9am and 6pm local time

7) It is strongly recommended that you try to agree with the provider that the message appears to have been sent by either 1) the Network Operator themselves (this is the most recommended approach) or 2) from yourselves as the local Alliance member. This will encourage recipients to open the SMS text message and not think it is spam.

8) Remember to offer the MNO the opportunity to feature their logo on the WHD posters, websites, and any other campaign materials you are developing. This will help negotiating the best possible rate.

9) Remember to ask the MNO to track the number of messages they send. Additionally the number of recipients (as not all messages are received) should be asked for. This will help evaluate the success of the activity.

Please note

If you are experiencing difficulties in setting up an SMS campaign or in identifying a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) in your country who can send out bulk messages, our global communications agency Red Door Communications is able to provide further assistance. Requests from individual countries can be made to [email protected] or by calling +44 208 392 8040. Please note that this research will incur a pass through cost of approximately £360 (or equivalent) for each country.

Examples of information to communicate via SMS:

It is estimated that 1 in 3 people globally have been exposed to viral hepatitis. Know it. Confront it. Call for advice

You can’t ignore it. Hepatitis does not discriminate against age, race, or background. Know it. Confront it. . Call for advice

Today is World Hepatitis Day - over 1 million people a year die from viral hepatitis. Know it. Confront it. Call for advice

Hepatitis is closer than you think, affecting 1 in 12 people worldwide. With better awareness we can beat it. Call for advice This is hepatitis...

Section D - An example letter from the World Hepatitis Alliance that you can send to encourage partnerships with local network operators

Dear Sir / Madam, We , as a member of the World Hepatitis Alliance in are working alongside the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a partner in raising awareness about viral hepatitis, which affects 1 in 12 people worldwide. We are writing to you to seek your support in helping us to reach our ambition of raising awareness and improving prevention, care, support and access to treatment. 500 million people around the world are currently infected with chronic hepatitis B or C, and one in three of the entire global population has been exposed to one or both viruses. Between them, Hepatitis B and C kill more than a million people every year, yet awareness is almost non-existent. So concerned were the 193 members States of WHO about this lack of awareness that they made World Hepatitis Day only the fourth official WHO disease specific health day; the other days are for tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS. The first such World Hepatitis Day was held on 28th July 2011. We would like to ask for your support in working with us to raise awareness on World Hepatitis Day this year, July 28th 2012, by asking to partner with you to send the following message to all of your subscribers who are prepared to receive unsolicited text messages: If possible, we would also like to encourage that this SMS is seen to have been sent by yourselves, the Mobile Network Operator, or, failing that, from us the or alternatively the World Hepatitis Alliance, to encourage people to open the SMS and read the content of the text message. We appreciate any support that you can provide us and the WHO to help us raise awareness of viral hepatitis and ultimately save lives. We will be delighted to offer you space for your logo to appear on our website and our World Hepatitis Day materials to recognise any support that are able to provide. We believe that in the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to information and essential care, and it is through the help of partners such as you that this will be realised. With best regards,

This is hepatitis...

Appendix 1 - Mobile Marketing Association’s global code of conduct

A link to the Mobile Marketing Associations Global Code of Conduct 2008 can be found here: http://mmaglobal.com/codeofconduct.pdf

Appendix 2 - List of Mobile Network Operators in Target Countries

A list of all Mobile Network Operators in each of the eight target countries targeted by the World Hepatitis Alliance is provided below. As mentioned before, those highlighted in yellow will be approached by the World Hepatitis Alliance directly. Local member organisations are encouraged to approach all other MNOs in each list.

Ghana