When nonprofits think mobile marketing, Text2Give is probably one of the first things that come to mind. Reports of Red Cross raising millions of dollars quickly from first-time donors is sort of attention-getting. However, not all Text2Give campaigns are the same. Be sure you know which one is right for you.
How it works:
You have a few basic options when it comes to Text2Give campaigns:
- Micro-donations using a cell phone carrier-billed system
- Mobile donations through a secured mobile website — with text engagements
- Text-to-Pledge
Each of these options has different pluses and minuses depending on what type of nonprofit organization you have.
Micro-donations
Made famous by places like the Red Cross with their disaster relief, organizations ask donors to contribute $5-$10 by texting a specific keyword. When they do that, they get another text asking them to confirm the donation; then, the cell phone company adds the amount to the donor’s cell-phone bill.
This method makes it very simple for donors to give, which is its primary advantage.
This method is most suitable for large, well-established organizations with high name recognition and a substantial budget. For micro-donation Text2Give campaigns to work, you need to reach a very large audience. You also need to work with a company who can act as a broker with the major phone companies. All that takes money. Because of the small donation amounts, it’s not always a viable option unless you have a lot of resources to put into the campaign.
Mobile donations via a secure mobile site
This method can be effective for nonprofits of any size. Again, donors text a keyword and receive a message from your organization with a link to a website. The link takes donors to a mobile-friendly website with information about your organization and the option to donate instantly. The donation page takes donors to a secure page where they can easily use a credit card to make their donation.
Unlike micro-donations, there is no limit to how much donors can give at one time. Another advantage of these campaigns is that you are able to build a database of donors, allowing you to reach out to them in the future. With micro-donations, you don’t always have the option to collect donor information.
Text2Pledge
With Text2Pledge campaigns, donors simply text how much they would like to donate. Once they send the text, they receive information on how to send that donation by traditional means. You can invoice donors, call them, ask them to mail a check to an address provided, whatever works best for processing donations.
A major advantage of Text2Pledge campaigns is that they can be launched quickly and simply by any size nonprofit.
Mobile marketing will be a marketing trend. Don’t let your nonprofit fall behind. Your donors have cell phones, maybe it’s time they heard from you on them.
Ready to get started? If you’re still feeling a bit daunted, we can help answer your questions and help you set up your own mobile donation campaign.
