Enhancing Community Engagement in Norwalk with Ascendant's SMS Solution
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Introduction
The City of Norwalk needed an efficient and cost-effective way to reach its residents promptly. The existing communication strategies were either too expensive or ineffective. The reliance on social media did not yield satisfactory results, as not all residents were active users. This lack of effective communication prevented the city from informing a large segment of its population about important events and services, ultimately impacting community engagement and participation.
The Solution
To address this challenge, the City of Norwalk implemented Ascendant App’s GovText solution. This innovative platform enabled the city to contact residents quickly and efficiently via text messages. GovText’s ability to procure mobile numbers of residents for its clients significantly expanded the City of Norwalk’s contact database. Key features of the GovText platform included:
- Two-way engagement: This feature allowed residents to respond to messages and connect directly with government staff, fostering interactive communication.
- Local area code: Text messages were sent from a local area code, which helped residents feel comfortable and assured when receiving messages from the city.
Implementation
The first campaign using GovText was strategically targeted at residents living within half a mile of Glazier Park. Ascendant App procured 5,394 mobile numbers for this initiative. The city’s Parks & Recreations Services sent a text message inviting residents to a city sponsored event at the park.
The Results
The results of the Ascendant campaign were remarkable:
Engagement
Out of the 5,394 text messages sent, almost 5 percent of the recipients responded positively and attended the event and increased the attendance of the city sponsored event by over 22 percent.
Increased Participation
The high response rate demonstrated the effectiveness of the text message campaign in reaching and engaging residents.
Enhanced Communication
The two-way engagement feature allowed residents to interact directly with city staff, enhancing the overall communication process.
Conclusion
The successful implementation of Ascendant’s solution in the City of Norwalk highlights the power of modern communication tools in urban management. By leveraging Ascendant SMS, the City of Norwalk overcame its communication challenges, effectively engaging its residents and promoting city events and services.