#102 - Better Text Marketing With AI | Aaron Dolton

What if the content your ministry already has — sitting untouched on a shelf — could reach more people, deepen engagement, and activate brand-new donors, all through a channel with a 98% open rate?In this DMC 2026 session, Aaron Dolton of Powered by Text shares a real-world case study with Jack Graham's PowerPoint Ministries that proves ministry-first strategy doesn't just honor the mission — it funds it.Key Takeaways"Money follows mission" is more than a ministry philosophy — it's a proven fundraising strategy. PowerPoint Ministries built their entire SMS strategy on a 90/10 rule: 90% ministry content, 10% fundraising. The results speak for themselves.Text has an open rate of approximately 98% compared to 20% for email. Aaron unpacks why SMS is one of the most underleveraged channels in ministry today and how delivering existing content through text dramatically changes engagement numbers.Repurposing content you already have is a game-changer for under-resourced teams. PowerPoint Ministries had 30 years of devotional content on the shelf. Powered by Text helped them repackage it for daily SMS delivery — no new content creation required.The results were remarkable. After launching a daily devotional text series, PowerPoint Ministries saw their monthly video views jump from approximately 4,000 to nearly 70,000 — driven solely by a change in delivery channel. Additionally, their average donation via text rose from approximately $80 to approximately $202, and they activated 89 brand-new first-time donors.Their subscriber file grew 27% organically. Without any paid acquisition, the file grew from 60,000 to 76,000 contacts — driven by subscribers sharing devotional content with others.AI-powered sentiment analysis is helping ministries respond to their audiences with greater care and stewardship. Powered by Text is using AI to surface prayer requests, flag urgent responses (including crisis situations), and cleanse subscriber lists — ensuring every dollar spent on outreach is stewarded wisely.Teaching your audience to text — especially older donors — is worth the effort. Aaron shares how a simple video tutorial for PowerPoint Ministries' "Last Seven Words from the Cross" Easter campaign helped even first-time texters engage with confidence.Your Content Is Already Written — Are You Sending It?If your ministry is sitting on years of great content while struggling to reach and retain donors, this episode will show you a better way forward. Aaron's session is a practical, data-grounded reminder that when you lead with mission, the resources follow. Listen now and start thinking differently about the channels you already have access to.RESOURCESConnect with Aaron — https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarondolton/Aaron Dolton — Powered by TextPowerPoint Ministries — jackgraham.orgText WISDOM to 59789 to experience a sample monthly devotional seriesFive Q Launch AI — Ready to turn AI experimentation into real ministry impact? Learn more at fiveq.com/launch