How to Optimize Non-Profit Fundraising With SMS (Text Messaging)

Mobile Commons, Inc. | www.mobilecommons.com | [email protected]

Text messaging for non-profit fundraising

Michael Sabat [email protected]

Mobile Commons, Inc. | www.mobilecommons.com | [email protected] 2

§  Text messaging for communica<ons and text messaging for dona<ons

§  Benefits of tex<ng as a channel §  Approach to text messaging for donors §  Case studies

What You Will Learn Today


Organiza<ons using text messaging


99% of text messages are read.

The average text is read in 90 seconds.

Text messaging is the #1 applica<on on phones.

*Sources: Conversa<onal Adver<sing 2010, SinglePoint; Cell Phone Ac<vi<es 2012, Pew Research ; How Americans Use Text Messaging 2011, Pew Research; CTIA

Key Statistics

Why Text Messaging

Mobile Use Text messaging is the most effec<ve method for reaching everyone – especially underserved popula<ons, young people, and minori<es.


The Solution §  Web applica<on for managing mobile communica<on: §  Text Messaging §  Phone Calls § Mobile Web § Mobile Transac<ons § MMS – Pics and videos

About Mobile Commons


Ask for email and expect an 80% conversion rate

Automated Conversa<ons


§ More Supporters § More Ac<on § Engagement § Phone Calls § Dona<ons

More Dona<ons

More Volunteers

More On-‐the-‐ground Ac<on

More Advocacy Phone calls

NPO + SMS = Fundraising Success


§  Print §  Radio §  TV §  Live Events §  Press §  Social Media

5 – 10x Increase in Response Rate


Q: When should you use text to give? A: We recommend text to give in emergencies or natural disasters when you have a celebrity endorser or the afen<on of the whole na<on. Why is text to give not good for engagement? 1.  Text to give limits the amount that your

users can donate at one <me, thereby undercugng your fundraising efforts.

2.  Text to give is a one-‐<me interac<on between your nonprofit and the donor.

3.  Not everyone can donate with his or her cell phone, and donors some<mes choose to cancel their dona<ons.

4.  Text to give dona<ons take <me to process.

Text to Give


SMS Amplifies Your Results

Email Social Media Print Digital TV Events

Adding text messaging amplifies your results from all your other

media channels

More dona<ons

More likes

More conversions

More clicks

More views

More engagement


Add a CTA to Exis<ng Media


Case Study: Shedd Aquarium

§  The Shedd Aquarium used an SMS call-‐to-‐ac<on in 25% of their TV ads to drive contest entries. §  Three sta<ons asked viewers to

go to a website to enter the contest.

§  The fourth sta<on asked viewers to text the word FOX to 69866.

§  The TV ad with an SMS call-‐to-‐ac<on generated 325% more contest entries than any other call-‐to-‐ac-on.

§  SMS entries made up 52% of the total contest entries, despite only running in 25% of the ads.


Mobile is part of a mul<-‐channel strategy. 1.  True opt-‐in. 2.  +Mobile supporters

perform much befer, than email-‐only supporters.

+ Mobile

SMS engagement = moving donors up the ladder of engagement

Observer and member

Donor and evangelist


§  A +mobile supporter is 250% more likely to donate, compared to supporters who are email-‐only subscribers.

§  The value of +mobile supporter was 309% higher than an email-‐only subscriber.

Case Study: Human Rights Campaign


§  The easiest way to <e in text messaging to your fundraising campaign is to send out a simple reminder to donate.

§  Cut through the clufer, grab their afen<on and focus it.

Send an SMS Reminder


Case Study: The Humane Society

§  Supporters that receive a text reminder are 77% more likely to donate – through the email ask.


§  Make it easier by asking your donors to respond with a pledge to donate a specific amount that they can finalize later.

§  You can then remind them of their pledge when they decide to make the dona<on online, over the phone, or in person.

Ask for a pledge over text


§  JFNA chose to use “Text to Pledge” over “Text to Donate” because “Text to Donate” dona<ons are limited to $10

§  Highest pledge being $1000 and the lowest $1

§  The average dona<on was $96 §  JFNA saw a 46% pledge-‐to-‐

dona<on conversion rate

Case Study: The Jewish Federa<on


Coming Next: Mobile Web Forms

§  The key to gegng supporters to give is minimizing the number of steps they need to take in order to make a dona<on.

§  By adding a link to a mobile web form that autofills their basic informa<on, such as name, email, and address, supporters simply have to fill out their credit card informa<on to make a contribu<on.


Mobile Op<mized Dona<on Form


§  High engagement – response rates ranged from 11% to 138%

§  25% more likely to run

§  SMS Subscribers raised 50% more money

List Growth, Engagement & Fundraising

Mobile Commons, Inc. | www.mobilecommons.com | [email protected]

Text NPO to 662266

to see how this works.

Michael Sabat [email protected]

How to Optimize Non-Profit Fundraising With SMS (Text Messaging)

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