As the school year winds down and summer approaches, parents across the community are looking for ways to keep their children entertained and having fun. While kids look forward to time away from school, parents are busy planning summer activities to keep their children busy. Fortunately, local communities offer several options – from sports camps and art classes to STEM workshops and outdoor adventures. There’s something for every interest and age group!
CloseBy® Text Marketing can help businesses like park districts and libraries quickly engage and communicate with members of the community. These businesses can promote their summer activities and camps by quickly sending out text messages to inform their members about upcoming events including sign-up dates and times. By keeping everyone in the loop, these businesses can maximize attendance and participation in their summer programs, enriching the community experience for everyone.
Is an activity or outdoor event at risk of cancellation due to an unexpected storm? CloseBy® can quickly inform members if an event is cancelled or rescheduled for a later date, keeping the community informed and connected. If a business owner is on the go, they can use CloseBy® on their mobile device to send messages, ensuring that everyone stays updated, even in urgent situations.
Below are messages that businesses are sending to their members to build excitement and inform them of upcoming activities:
Lemont Park District in Lemont, IL
- Lemont Park District: Arbor Day 4/26 12-1 PM activities moved indoors. Keepataw room. See you there!
- Register for Day Camp in April to receive discounted pricing! Participants will enjoy a variety of summer FUN! Sign up today!
- Centennial Outdoor Pool Passes on sale at The CORE & Centennial Community Center. Purchase by April 30 for early bird pricing.
Ericson Public Library in Boone, IA
- FREE technology class! Learn about mobile device basics and security. Seats limited. Registration required 4/25 10-11 AM http://a-m-p.us/cztnrh-54
- SUMMER READING KICKOFF CARNIVAL at Ericson Library Monday June 5, 4-7 PM – Activities for all ages!
- Join us at the Iowa Arboretum as they welcome our Library patrons for FREE, a beautiful morning walk. Meet @ front entrance @ 9AM.
Town of Dyer in Dyer, IN
- Tonight: Central Park! Annual Bike Parade; Registration at 6pm. Movie in the Park; Minions: Rise of Gru, begins at dusk.
- Town of Dyer: Summer Fest and Fireworks are still on! Come on out for some live entertainment, food, beer garden, rides, dress warm for FIREWORKS!
- All Town offices will be closed July 4th. Garbage and recycling will be picked up 1 day later this week. Have a safe and happy July 4th!
Learn why businesses are utilizing CloseBy® Text Marketing by hearing straight from business owners:
Katie Garber of Metamora Park District in Metamora, IL
“We started to use CloseBy® Text Marketing for the Park District after we saw the great success the Village of Metamora was having with their text program. We were always looking for an easy way to connect and reach our patrons efficiently and non-obtrusively. On top of that, we also wanted to make sure that our patrons would ALWAYS have the most up to date information that was pertaining to the Metamora Park District. We have found that with CloseBy® Text Marketing.
I LOVE how user-friendly the online system is; it is truly remarkable how quickly I am able to send, schedule or even draft a text message. I also really like that I have an account manager every time we connect she is filled with brilliant ideas for text messages and I always learn something new. Today I learned that I when I send a link in a text message I am able to see how many people clicked on the link; I personally love numbers so this was exciting for me. I was thrilled to see the last text I sent that contained a link 33% of my list clicked on the link and went where I wanted them to go! I am truly just scraping the surface of all the amazing possibilities the CloseBy® Text Marketing program can do for the Metamora Park District – I am excited to see the growth and success of the text program for years to come.”
Tammy Blackwell of Marshall County Public Library in Benton, KY
“Over the summer, we have been doing take-home programming kits. We put different activities together, advertise them to patrons, and then allow them to sign up to receive one. During July, most of our kits were completely claimed in a matter of a few days. This month, we decided to push those kits out to our text list first to (1) encourage people to sign up for the text list, and (2) see how well the text program works. The results? Last week our Family Card Kit (50 total kits) were gone in 9 minutes. Today our genealogy kit (25 total kits) were all claimed in 10 minutes.
We also had a loss of water in one of our towns over the weekend and had to shut that branch down. I was able to log onto our account from home and send out a message in a matter of minutes. So convenient!”
Jessica Chick of Town of Dyer in Dyer, IN
“Text Marketing is not only for coupons and discounts. It is an amazing form of communication! We have been utilizing CloseBy® Text Marketing since 2014 and cannot imagine not having this form of alert system for our town! I say alert system because we send out very important and time sensitive information. Even sometimes emergency information for the town! I love the ability that the online scheduling platform gives me when it comes to text message creation and sending. I can access the online platform from home, the office, or even my car! In an emergency situation you need something that is dependable, easy to use, and accessible anywhere. We receive such amazing feedback from our residents who love that we communicate with them via text! Because of CloseBy® Text Marketing, we have alleviated having a lot of residents calling in with questions about things happening around town. They now receive a text and are automatically in the know of what, when, or where something is happening. The great thing about texting our residents is that our messages are right on the front screen of their cell phone. They do not have to search for us on social media or look for an email.”
