Text-to-Give Tweet Chat Recap

Mobile phone ownership is reaching a critical mass worldwide. Moreover, text messages are reported to have an open rate of more than 90 percent. Taking this into consideration, it is not surprising that mobile giving has proven to be a highly effective form of fundraising.

TechSoup recently held a tweet chat to discuss how nonprofits can best take advantage of text-to-give campaigns, as well as to answer specific questions related to mobile giving.

Advantages to Mobile Giving Campaigns

To begin with, the aforementioned high open rate applies to donor bases that might be otherwise hard to reach, such as teens and seniors. And as mobile fundraising often relies on smaller amounts of money from larger amounts of people, these can be the perfect constituents to engage. Once newly engaged through the "quick and painless" giving process via short message service (SMS), also known as texting, these donors can potentially develop a long term investment in your cause.

But what makes mobile giving so quick and painless? Most people bring their phones with them everywhere, making it easy to tap into the potential impulse nature of giving. Also, a credit card is not needed to make the donation as payments are billed directly through the cell phone carrier.

What Works?

While text-to-give campaigns have proven successful, some causes seem better positioned to take advantage of this method than others. Causes with high urgency, such as disasters, have had the most success with mobile giving campaigns. This ties back to the emotional appeal mobile giving can tap into. This isn't to say, however, that successful SMS fundraising can't be done for a variety of causes. It is just important to have the right level of expectation (not every campaign will match the Red Cross's $32 million for earthquake relief in Haiti), and to convey a sense of urgency to prospective donors.

This brings up an important question regarding mobile giving. You've got your cause and campaign, but how do you get the word out? How do you convey that sense of urgency? One way is by branding your keyword as you do a logo, making sure to put it everywhere: your email signature, social media channels, website, and so on. Pick a keyword that is memorable and which captures the spirit of your cause. Another method is to launch the call-to-action at a large event and let it build momentum from there.

Questions and Concerns

Is mobile giving secure?

With transactions occurring through carriers and no credit card information exchanged, yes. But do check out this risk primer from MobileActive for safety tips.

How much does it cost to set up mobile giving?

A text giving platform is around $2,100 for the year. That's only 210 $10 donations to break even. (via @C2give)

How do I get started? (And is my organization eligible to create a campaign?)

• Mobile Giving Foundation has a step-by-step guide for beginners.
• A Beginner's Guide to Mobile Fundraising (via Socialbrite)
• Don't miss Give by Cell's free weekly text-to-give webinars which cover
  • How it works
  • How much it costs
  • How long it takes to get started
  • How much you can raise

What are some case studies of successful mobile giving campaigns?

• ASPCA converts subscribers to donors
• Keep a Child Alive uses mobile giving at celebrity events
• American Disabled Veterans uses mobile giving at televised events

How can I give today?

Check out Mobile Giving Foundation's list of organizations you can donate to using your mobile phone.

Keep the Conversation Going

Ask more questions or share more thoughts and resources in our forums.

Check out the full transcript to read every tweet!