With advances in
technology, the methods of fundraising have also changed. Text-to-donate is one
of the latest methods to be used by charitable organizations to connect with
donors and receive donations. It is largely based on mobile technology in which
the donor will send a keyword to a short code (a shortened 4-, 5-, or 6-digit
phone number) to send a donation to a non-profit or charity. In response, the
donor receives an automated response with a payment link. The donor clicks on
the link and follows instructions to complete payment. The system then sends a transaction
receipt to the donor via text message.
With the holiday
season here, many organizations may wish to implement a text-to-donate campaign
for their year-end (or anytime) fundraising efforts. Here are some tips to get
started:
1.
Decide on your keyword. What is the work people will text to you? Keep
it simple and easy to remember. For example, if you’re a charity for children,
something like “4KIDS” might work well. Keywords generally need to be 4-12
characters, but make sure yours is easy for prospective donors to spell and to type
on their mobile devices.,
2.
Select a service provider. Before you collect those donations you
need to select a third- party service provider who will provide a digital
platform to run the text giving campaign. The provider gives your organization a
unique phone number on which the transactions will be processed and provides
all the backend technical and software support so that the process can run
smoothly. Make sure you understand the features you need and whether the
provider offers them. Here’s a great post that compares two popular text-to-give providers in
terms of features and benefits.
3.
Market the campaign. Once the logistics are in place, it is
time to put out the word about your campaign to potential donors. Develop a
sound marketing strategy that consists of placing your keyword and short code
on your website, sending out a call to action to your email lists, and
publishing social media posts. Gnosis Media Group offers social media and text blasts
promotions with our premium packages.
4.
Gauge the results. Make sure you choose a provider that gives
you the metrics you need. Some important campaign metrics include subscriber
count, clicks (on donate links), and of course, donation tracking. Keep in mind
that some providers do not offer their own payment processing; therefore, they
may not be able to tell you when a donation is made or how much in donations
are collected. Also, be wary of companies that serve as a custodian of your
donated funds. Not all companies are credible in this regard, and generally
only another non-profit can serve as a fund custodian.
5.
Acknowledge donations and continue
engaging. Although the donor
receives a receipt of the donation he made to the organization, it is important
that you acknowledge each donor’s contribution and keep them aware of the
progress of your campaign. Remember, getting new donors is good, but getting repeat donors is the way to fuel growth. Though it goes without saying, thanking
and acknowledging donors is key to retention. A successful manager will strive
to make donors feel connected to the cause for better retention.
Getting started
with a text-to-donate campaign doesn’t have to be intimidating or super technical.
If you follow these simple steps, the donation campaign you run is sure to
succeed.
Eric Bryant started
Gnosis Media Group (www.gmg.cm) in 2008; it offers an award-winning text-to-donate service for nonprofits.
