Once upon a time, fundraising was limited. Nonprofits had to host events or pound the pavements to raise funds. It was not easy.
Today, technology has taken over and there are many ways to reach out to donors. You can solicit donations through emails, social media, and text.
Text to donate is especially successful because so many people interact with their phones. It leads to increased open rates. According to Textellent, marketing messages have a 98% open rate and are read in about three minutes. It also provides a link that takes users to a donation form so they can give from wherever they are.
If text to donate sounds good to you, read on to learn more about the process.
Table of Contents
- What is Text to Donate?
- Why Nonprofits Should Consider Text to Donate
- Key Benefits of Using Text to Donate
- Ways to Create Effective Donation Text Messages
- FAQs
- 100+ Fundraising Tools to Inspire Generosity
What is Text to Donate?
Here’s how the text-to-donate process works:
- Nonprofits register with a text-to-donate platform.
- The platform assigns them a number they can use to text donors.
- Organizations send out donor requests to their contact list. The messages contain links that take donors to donation pages.
Many text-to-donate platforms are free. However, they will charge a transaction fee. Others charge for the service.
Note, text to donate varies from text to give in that text to donate sends users a link that takes them to an online text donation form. Text to give requires users to respond to texts with a donation amount or a keyword that confirms they agree to a requested donation. The donation is then added to their phone bill.
Watch this video for more information on how to set up text-to-donate for your nonprofit.
Text to Donate vs Other Donation Systems
Text to donate is more effective than traditional and online methods. Here are some comparisons to consider.
- Text to Donate vs. Email: Text to donate is superior to email because it yields higher open rates. Statistics show text to donate has a 98% open rate while email has a 21.5% open rate.
- Text to Donate vs. Social Media: Social media allows you to reach out to a wide audience, but your messages aren’t as targeted so they are easy to ignore. You can use paid ads for a somewhat more targeted approach, but you must hope you achieve an ROI.
- Text to Donate vs. Traditional Methods: Traditional fundraising methods, like hosting events and pounding the pavements, require a money and time investment. Even something casual, like a bake sale, can require hours of planning and resource expenses. With text to donate, you just sign up for a plan, create your message, and start collecting money. Many platforms only charge a transaction fee guaranteeing you won’t spend more than you make.
Why Nonprofits Should Consider Text to Donate
- It’s Convenient: Text to donate is convenient for nonprofits and donors. For nonprofits, fundraising is as easy as sending out a text. It also allows donors to donate money from wherever they are in a few easy steps.
- Better Reach: The system may not be as visible as social media, but it provides a targeted messaging system ensuring you reach people who are likely to support your cause.
- Increased Donations: Text to donate offers increased engagement as almost everyone is active on their phones. It also offers a simple and convenient process that makes it easy to give. Nonprofits that use this method are likely to see increased donations. According to GiveSmart, the average donation from a text-to-give campaign is $107. Although success rates vary, some campaigns have seen an 84% fulfillment rate.
Key Benefits of Using Text to Donate
Here are some other texts to donate benefits to consider:
Instant Accessibility
With text to donate, forms are instantly accessible. Donors can simply tap on the link in the message and go to the donation page. They can donate from wherever they are, so they don’t need to be reminded to donate later.
Wider Reach
Text to donate is not limited to your contacts. You can advertise it through social media, your website, banner ads, and even marketing fliers. Use these tools to collect contact information and target new donors in your next campaign.
Here are some examples of how to grow your text to donate reach:
- Email: Send emails to donors making them aware of your text to donate campaign. Explain the benefits of text to donate and how it works.
- Your Website: Create a designated page on your website explaining how a prospective donor can use text to donate to support your cause. If you accept year-round giving, explain that they can support your cause through mobile at any time.
- Social Media: Create engaging videos that walk followers through the text-to-donate process. Post images and videos that show donors signing up for your text-to-donate program.
- Event Pages: When hosting a fundraising event, there may be some people who are unable to attend. Include text to donate instructions on your event pages and marketing materials so they can give even if they can’t make it to the event.
Improved Engagement
Text messages allow you to communicate with donors in real-time for increased engagement. You can send them thank you messages immediately after the donation. Text to donate can also work with SMS messaging, an automated solution that allows organizations to communicate with donors quickly and easily.
Here are some other ways you can improve engagement in your text to donate campaigns:
- Create an Inspiring Message: Donation messages are often brief but do your best to include an inspiring message that makes donors want to support your cause.
- Get Personal: Personalize your messages by using your donors’ names. You may also segment your donors to send messages that are suited to where they are in the donor funnel.
- Create Mobile-Responsive Donation Pages: Avoid losing donors with a difficult-to-navigate donation page. Limit prompts, include ample white space for an uncluttered design, include buttons that are easy to click on a small screen, and limit or eliminate pop-ups if possible.
Secure and Trustworthy
Text to Give uses secure donation forms to process payments. People know their sensitive information will be safe when they donate. This sense of security builds trust within your organization.
Here are some other security measures to keep in mind with text to give.
- Get Implied Consent: Donors should have the option to check off a box agreeing to receive text messages when they provide their contact information to your organization.
- Allow Donors to Opt Out Any Time: Provide clear instructions to allow donors to opt out of text messaging. For example, you may give them the option to type STOP so they no longer receive texts. This measure ensures your nonprofit remains compliant.
- Be Transparent About Data Usage: Share information with donors so they know what data is collected, how it is collected, and how it’s being used.
- Work with the Right Platform: Ensure the platform you use keeps donors safe through encryption, secure data storage, and regular audits.
Scalability
Your organization will likely grow over time. Choose a platform that scales with it. The platform should allow you to send messages to as many donors as you need to, even if it requires switching plans. If switching plans is necessary, the platform should provide an easy and instant upgrade process.
Here are some other features that indicate a scalable text-to-donate platform:
- API Integration: Choose a platform that will integrate with your CRM systems and payment gateways.
- Flexible Donation Options: Donors should have a choice to enter different donation amounts and sign up for recurring donations.
- Scalable SMS Infrastructure: Partner with an SMS provider that can handle high volumes of donation text messages without disruption and offers features like bulk messaging and an automated response sequence.
- Marketing Outreach: You can scale your text to donate efforts by advertising them via email, social media, and other platforms. Use a system that integrates with these platforms for easy shareability.
- Data Analytics and Reporting: Use a platform that offers data analytics and reporting so you can identify strengths and weaknesses in your campaign and implement the best solutions.
How to Create Effective Donation Text Messages
Text to donate is an effective fundraising solution, but it will be even more effective if you create engaging messages that encourage donors to give. Here are some pointers to keep in mind.
Personalize Subject Lines
“Text messages have subject lines?” you may ask. They do. You can click the “show subject” field in your settings to enter a subject.
Check out this video to learn more about the process.
However, the text-to-donate platform you use may allow you to set up a subject line using its unique system.
In any case, your subject line will be the first thing people see when they receive your text. It should captivate donors enticing them to learn more about your cause.
With just 40 characters, you need to make your subject line short and sweet. Some of these characters should make up action words and phrases like:
- Give
- Donate
- Support
- Join
- Make a difference
- Help
- Act/ Take Action
- Contribute
- Power/empower
- Impact
- Get involved
- Fund
- Share
- Pledge
- Get involved
- Be a part of
- Now
- Today
- Urgent
- Change lives
- Impact our community
If space allows, mention your cause in the subject of your text message to donate. Personalize your message to boost donor engagement by using their name.
Be Specific and Clear
Text-to-donate SMS messages have character limits of typically around 160 characters. You don’t have room to get overly descriptive. You must be clear and to the point.
Come right out and say what cause you are supporting. If you are asking for a monetary donation amount, mention it upfront. Briefly discuss how it will help you reach your fundraising goal.
If you are using MMS (multi-media messages) you may have a longer character limit of around 1600 words. You can take advantage of this longer-form text to engage readers with a storytelling element.
However, keep in mind that most people aren’t expecting long text messages and may not take the time to read them. It’s best to keep things brief and to the point.
As you might guess, multi-media messages also give you the option to include video and images in your fundraising text message. These tools can boost engagement and provide a succinct way to develop messages that tell a story.
Donor Messages Examples
Funraise provides the following donation message example:
“Dear (Donor Name), Today, I’m writing to ask you to support (cause). By donating just (amount) you can (specific impact). To donate (specific action). Thank you for joining (cause’s) efforts during this (adjective) time- it’s supporters like you that help us change the world every day.”
It’s ideal because it allows for personalization, it mentions a specific cause and amount, it’s optimistic, and it thanks the donor in advance.
This video offers other tips that will help you create text-to-donate messages that encourage giving:
Keep it Optimistic
Fundraising can be frustrating. While statistics vary depending on the cause and fundraising method, most people you ask to donate will say no. Fundraiser staff often get down in the dumps when they are unable to reach their goals.
However, despite obstacles, you must keep fundraising optimistic. Positivity will produce better response rates.
Additionally, if you hint that your cause is not successful, it will hinder giving. People want to know they are giving to a cause that’s thriving. If they give to an organization that closes the next day, their money may be wasted.
Be optimistic when asking for money so donors know they are giving to a reliable cause.
Gratify Your Donors in Advance
Another reason the example text is so effective is because it gratifies donors in advance. Take the line “It’s supporters like you that help us change the world every day”. The message almost assumes that the donor has already given- whether they’ve given to past campaigns or not.
Here is the psychological impact of that type of message.
- For Past Donors: Past donors realize the impact they have made in the past and want to continue supporting the cause.
- For Potential Donors: New donors understand how their help can lead to positive change. They may also want to be recognized as a contributor to the cause.
- All Donors: All donors will realize that your organization is thankful for any contribution. Continue that spirit by sending them a ‘thank you’ text immediately after receiving the donation.
Use Call to Action Phrases
A call to action (CTA) demonstrates what you want donors to do after receiving your text. Depending on how the CTA is used, it could encourage people to sign up for a newsletter, check out a website, or learn more about a cause.
But for donate via text, the CTA is very specific. You want the recipient to visit the link and donate money. State that clearly in your text with a message like ‘Donate Here’.
Make the link clickable so it takes them directly to the mobile donation form.
FAQs
Why is text-to-donate popular among nonprofits?
Text to donate is popular among nonprofits because it is highly engaging. With most people on their phones, it leads to higher open rates and more engagement. Some services also charge transaction fees only ensuring ROI.
Are text-to-donate transactions secure?
Yes, most text-to-donate transactions occur over a secure platform. Some platforms may be more secure than others, but they all offer some level of security.
What fees are involved with text-to-donate services?
Text-to-donate fees vary depending on the platform. GiveLively is free but charges a transaction fee. DonorBox charges an additional $19 to clients who use text to donate as an add-on service and $50 a month for a custom keyword. GiveWP charges $79 a year.
Vanco offers text to donate services for just $10 a month plus transaction fees. Our system is secure, flexible, and simple to use. It will produce significant returns for your organization.
Can smaller non-profits benefit from text-to-donate?
Yes, nonprofit organizations of all sizes can benefit from text-to-donate. The right platform will scale with your company as it grows offering optimal support.
What is the average increase in donations when using text to donate?
It is difficult to average an increased donation rate when using text to donate. It depends on the success of your current campaigns, the success of your text-to-donate campaign, and how many of your donors move to text to donate from other giving platforms. However, according to Nonprofit Source, 1 in 4 donors use mobile devices to discover nonprofits they were unaware of, 25% of donors complete donations on mobile devices, and mobile donations increased by 205% in the past year.
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