Sending TXT messages to your campaign supporters

It's a brave new world, all right. The latest hip thing is using TXT messaging (or SMS, in Europe) to cell phones -- either outbound to your supporters, or asking them to send you a message inbound.

Sports fans and reality TV watchers know all about this -- they've been voting people off the island, or picking game MVPs, for a few years already.

How might it work for campaigns? First, the obvious: an outbound broadcast message with a news alert or important reminder. Keep in mind that email is vastly cheaper, so it has to be a message that makes sense to deliver while your supporter is away from the computer.

Second, the less-obvious survey or pledge inbound message. These can work especially well if you've got a large crowd of people (a presidential campaign rally? a rock concert?) and you don't know who they are. If you want to capture some of them, ask 'em to send you a text message. (That's why the sports MVP voting is going on.)

Head on over to EchoDitto's blog for a short list of Do's and Don'ts for mobile messaging. They've got a great list and have been a bit mobile-obsessed lately. (No offense, guys.)