How to Set up a Text-to-Donate Campaign: 5 Easy Steps
“Quick Summary” If you're thinking about setting up a text-to-donate campaign to raise money for your nonprofit, you are at the right place. You might also be concerned about your fundraising initiative's resources, time, effort, and expense.
As for someone involved with a nonprofit organization setting up a successful text-to-donate campaign doesn't have to be that complicated. You must follow a set of simple steps attributing to the success of your campaign.
However, there are ways to set up donation campaigns that are surprisingly affordable and easy to manage.
If this sounds interesting, here are 5 easy ways to help you start your nonprofit's successful text-to-donate campaign.
What is a text-to-donate campaign?
Text-to-donate campaigns are a mix of text messages & keywords to help people donate. People need to send a keyword and an amount to a certain number. The sender will receive a Thank-You response confirming the receipt of their message.
A successful text-to-give campaign can greatly increase donor engagement, reduce transaction costs and help attract new donors. There are a considerable amount of benefits to setting up a text-to-donate campaign. Besides being a major source of raising funds for your cause, text-based donations are a powerful extension of your marketing and communication strategies.
You can create, launch and promote your donation keyword in multiple ways. Text messaging is the simplest yet effective medium to communicate with your donors, especially when you have limited resources and unlimited tasks to fulfill. The cost is low compared to other options like websites, telephone calls, or emails. Hence, many organizations have diverted their efforts and resources to text-to-donate campaigns.
Know the benefits of text-to-donate campaigns
1. Ease of setting up Text-to-Donate
Besides simplifying the overall donation process, mobile service providers also make it easier for you to set up text-to-donate campaigns. The acceptance level of simple stuff is much higher in the general public. Hence, texting is equally popular among teenagers as well as elderly citizens. Simplicity is the USP for text-to-donate campaigns.
2. Consider Donor convenience
Your fundraising campaigns can significantly boost if your donors involve extensively. For this, you must ensure the convenience of your benefactors. Convenience in terms of receiving messages.
Your mobile service provider offers you the SMS facility as a part of its communication plan. You don’t need internet or a wi-fi connection to send an SMS making the SMS facility accessible everywhere. Text-to-Donate campaigns use this SMS facility to offer donors the convenience of donating from anywhere. Your donors expect “Convenience Without Barriers.”
3. Result-oriented approach for fundraisers
Text-to-donate connects your fundraising initiative with prospective sponsors. The donors can choose their preferred keyword from the list and text it to a five-digit phone number. They will receive a link to the fundraiser or nonprofit's donation page.
Upon reaching the fundraiser's donation page, supporters can choose an amount they wish to donate. They may also select their preferred payment method from the options available. Donors can use this method, which offers simplicity while ensuring that the campaign receives the due contributions without fail. “Results Guaranteed.”
Every fundraiser or nonprofit hires a team of experts who can track campaign results in real-time. This becomes possible because each unique text-to-donate link carries a tracking component. Your team can view and calculate the contributions received through this tracking component. A text-to-donate gives you real-time results.
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How to Set Up a Text-to-Donate Campaign?
Fundraisers need to follow these 5 steps to set up a Text-to-Donate campaign.
Step 1: Select an SMS Provider
This is the primary step you must follow. The first step in setting up your text-to-donate campaign is to choose an appropriate SMS provider. While you may have access to SMS messaging on your smartphone, sharing multiple templates with a large group of supporters is not easy. Associating with the right mobile platform will help you ensure your business's and fundraising initiative's success in the long run.
Step 2: Receive an SMS Phone Number
Once you finalize your SMS provider, you will receive a phone number. You can use this number to send text messages to your benefactors.
For standard business communication, you may go either with a short code phone number or a long code. A long code phone number consists of 10 digits, while a short code comprises 5 to 6 digits. You may decide upon either of them.
Step 3: Selecting a Keyword
This step comes after you receive the SMS phone number. Now you must finalize a keyword. Your keyword must be specific to your campaign. A keyword is a short, easy-to-remember word. It usually is made of seven characters or less. To initiate the donation process, donors need to use this keyword to initiate their donation process.
Step 4: Creating SMS Templates
SMS Templates are the most important element of your arsenal. SMS templates allow you to send bulk messages that dynamically include the name and other information of the recipient. SMS templates are the most effective way to save time and effort.
If you have multiple fundraising campaigns, you must create a dedicated SMS Template for each campaign. Moreover, you also need to create a “Thank You” SMS Template. You can use the Thank You SMS Template to appreciate your donor’s gesture.
Step 5: Use Social Channels to Spread the Word
Information is the power, and you can achieve this power by building a community of dedicated donors for all your causes. There is no better place to market your campaigns and spread the word than social platforms. The quantum of awareness that social media builds is impossible for traditional media to achieve.
You can easily promote your text-to-donate keywords and shortcodes on platforms like Meta (Facebook), Twitter, Google, and Instagram. These social platforms can spread your message far and wide. Emailing actionable Newsletters with all the necessary details will add to your marketing endeavors.
Special Tips to Make Your Text-to-Donate Campaign Successful
Here are 3 special tips that apply equally to all fundraising campaigns.
1. Simplicity spreads fast
Clarity of thoughts, clarity of vision, and clarity of purpose can prove miraculous. The main purpose behind promoting your keywords and campaigns must be to educate people about the cause, its purpose, and the outcome.
Let them know in the simplest possible manner the reason for raising funds, how you will use them, and what your nonprofit plans to achieve while serving the community and society at large.
2. Push Your SMS Campaign Through all the Platforms
Your efforts to market your fundraising campaign must focus on building maximum awareness.
The Press Release is a very good tool to generate a sense of urgency for your SMS Campaign. You can release a press note that briefs about your campaign and spreads a message denoting urgency. There is no better place than social media to make people aware of the campaign. You can engage your supporters and appeal to them to volunteer for the cause. Send out newsletters, blast emails, and display the press release on your website. These tools might appear minor, but they offer the maximum impact.
3. “Thank You” for a New Beginning
A small note of thanks creates a huge impact. Sending out a Thank-You note to your sponsors makes all the difference. Your donors feel special, valued, and cared for. Your donors are your best marketers and brand ambassadors. Word of mouth from your existing donor is good enough to generate the kind of awareness that no other media can do.
A Thank-You note is the best tool to maintain their interest and engage them in a common purpose and cause. The prescribed time limit is 24 to 48 hours, during which your support team must ensure to appreciate their involvement. Any delay might backfire, and you may lose a genuine donor.
Final Thoughts
Setting up a Text-to-Donate Campaign and making it successful are two different things. Setting up a campaign looks easy in the first go, but it takes effort, time, and technology collectively to hit the bull’s eye. If you represent a nonprofit or a church, you will always be concerned about your campaigns and upcoming initiatives.
Teams, support, and technology from DonateMo have been instrumental in the success of several campaigns. You can go ahead and talk to one of their experts or email your concerns to them. Partner with DonateMo today to ensure the success of your Text-to-Donate Campaign.