A texting program needs people, but how many, and in what roles, depends on the program's size and sophistication. A small campaign might run texting with one person and some volunteers; a large one has a dedicated team. Understanding the roles a program needs, and how volunteers scale it, helps a campaign staff texting right, neither overbuilding nor leaving it under-resourced. Here's how to staff a political texting program.
What roles does a texting program need?
The core functions, which one person may cover on a small campaign and several on a big one, mirror the team structure any program needs:
- A lead, who owns strategy, the calendar, goals, and compliance sign-off.
- Writers, who draft on-message, on-voice content.
- Senders and responders, who run P2P queues and the two-way inbox, usually volunteers.
- A data person, who manages the list, segments, and reporting.
The point is that strategy, writing, sending, and data are distinct jobs, and separating them keeps quality up as the program grows.
How do volunteers scale the team?
Volunteers are the multiplier for the send-and-respond roles. P2P and the inbox are volunteer-powered work: trained supporters send messages and handle replies at volume, while paid staff plan, write, and approve. This is what lets a small paid team run a large operation, a handful of staff for strategy, writing, and data, plus volunteers for the labor-intensive sending. A campaign that tries to run P2P with paid staff alone can't scale it affordably; one that mobilizes volunteers can reach a large universe on a modest budget. See running a text bank for the volunteer side.
How does staffing scale with the program?
It grows with the program's maturity and size. A small campaign at the broadcast stage might need one person part-time plus volunteers for occasional P2P. A larger, more mature program running segmented broadcasts, ongoing P2P, and integrated data needs a dedicated lead, writers, a data person, and a volunteer operation. The right staffing is proportional: don't overbuild a small program, and don't under-staff a large one, especially the inbox, which must be staffed to match send volume or replies pile up. Match the team to the program's stage and volume, lean with volunteers where you can, dedicated where the scale requires it, and the program runs without either wasting resources or breaking under its own weight.
Frequently asked questions
What roles does a texting program need?
A lead (strategy, calendar, compliance sign-off), writers (on-message, on-voice content), senders and responders (P2P and the inbox, usually volunteers), and a data person (list, segments, reporting). One person may cover several on a small campaign.
How do volunteers scale a texting team?
They're the multiplier for the labor-intensive send-and-respond roles. Volunteers run P2P and the inbox at volume while paid staff plan, write, and approve, which lets a small paid team run a large operation affordably.
How much staff does a texting program need?
It's proportional to the program's size and maturity. A small broadcast program needs one part-time person plus volunteers; a large, mature program needs a dedicated lead, writers, a data person, and a volunteer operation, with the inbox staffed to match send volume.
Keep reading: managing a texting team and why small campaigns win with texting. For carrier registration, see The Campaign Registry.