On the eve of the EU referendum, Zensend head of marketing Hannah Giles asks why she hasnt been receiving any pro-Remain texts from David Camerons government.

The outcome of the EU referendum will not only be the defining act of Cameron’s time in office, but also the defining moment of a generation, so why on earth isn’t the Government using every channel possible to engage and motivate us to turn out and vote?

I know I’m preaching to the converted here, but mobile messaging is without a doubt the most effective engagement tool in terms of its reach, cost effectiveness and impact/open rates. I now get texts from my dentist when I need to make an appointment. My bank texts me if I go overdrawn, I receive texts from my airline confirming my booking and my delivery company texts me to let me know when my parcel will arrive. So why is Cameron’s engagement strategy centred around a £9.3m-a-leaflet campaign?

Millennials really matter
Recent polls have suggested that 70 per cent of millennials would vote to remain, as they value the freedom of movement and work opportunities that EU membership affords. However, only 24 per cent of 18-24 year olds actually voted in last year’s general election, so it’s clear that getting millennials engaged and to the polling stations is both absolutely vital and hugely difficult.

Leaflets probably aren’t the best way to reach this audience. If only there was a channel that almost every millennial was plugged into, virtually 24/7, that Cameron could use…

In the UK, 91 per cent of millennials own a smartphone so there is no channel more effective for reaching this constantly connected demographic. In fact, the according to an IAB report, those who consume their political information on mobile and other digital devices are much more likely to vote.

Look across the pond, David
Using SMS to engage voters isn’t something new. In the US, mobile messaging has been used in politics for a number of years – in fact, Obama has been using mobile in his campaigns since 2008.

US politicians use mobile in a number of ways. For example, last year during a speech at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, Senator Ted Cruz invited the college students the audience, as well as the viewers watching via a live ABC News stream, to text the words “constitution” or “imagine” to a shortcode if they believed in his campaign. Those who engaged during the speech were sent a thank you message for opting in to campaign updates, plus a link directing them to Cruz’ mobile-optimised campaign website. In a similar televised speech, Senator Bernie Sanders added 50,000 new subscribers to his campaign in one hit, by displaying a keyword and shortcode on screen, demonstrating how popular mobile messaging can be with voters. Hilary Clinton and Rand Paul have also been integrating mobile messaging into their campaigns, as SMS comes of age as a political messenger in the US.

In the UK, we’ve been using SMS to frequently engage with the brands, broadcasters and businesses in our lives for over a decade, so why can’t we engage with our politicians? The government already uses SMS – when your passport application has been processed you now receive a text message to let you know – but when it comes to using it for political messaging, perhaps it just needs some pointer?

Here are five ways David Cameron could/should be using mobile to keep the EU together:

SMS reminders
We saw with the online registration deadline earlier this month that there are a lot of people still in dark about some pretty important information regarding the referendum. Simple text reminders would ensure that voters are given all the information they need, which can only result in a higher turnover on the 23rd June. These reminders could also be personalised, with geographically relevant information like directions to the nearest polling station.

Signpost online content
The government should be using SMS to direct voters to information, articles and poll data hosted on mobile optimised websites, so that there is a constant stream of information to help voters make their decision. By segmenting the distribution, the government can ensure that the right content gets to the right audience, as different demographics will no doubt respond to different triggers.

Polling station location look-ups
If you don’t know where your local polling station is, it’s recommended that you call an elections helpline. Not only will the elections helpline cost a fortune to man and run, it’s hardly the most convenient way to find out this information. Implementing a simple shortcode service for people to text for more information could save a lot of time and money, for example, “Text VOTE and your postcode to 88688 for the address of your local polling station”.

Live audience engagement
The government is letting people know when their passport is being processed, so why not let voters know when their polling card has been dispatched and when it should have been received? Not only does this keep voters engaged but it also gives them the chance to chase the whereabouts of their polling cards if they haven’t arrived.

Finally, as we’ve seen in the US, keywords and shortcodes can be used to great effect during live broadcasts and political debates to sign-up voters at the point when they are completely engaged in what is being spoken. David Cameron should therefore take a leaf and provide a mobile call to action whenever hes addressing a large television audience.

Hannah Giles is head of marketing at Zensend