Do you long for a way to increase monthly donations without overwhelming your supporters with a complicated or time-consuming donation process? Do you wish monthly donation income was easier to predict and forecast?
Great news! Text2Donate can simplify your giving programs and the donation process for your valued supporters.
In this article, we’ll explore the challenges of traditional donation processes, the advantages of mobile giving, and how Text2Donate can streamline your fundraising efforts and make it easier for donors to sign up for monthly giving with a simple text message. We’ll also share success stories from Canadian charities and offer practical tips for implementing Text2Donate into your fundraising strategy.
Did you know?
Not utilizing this budget-friendly tool may leave thousands of dollars on the table for each potential supporter who would have eagerly enrolled. This article will cover the core benefits of seizing this opportunity and avoiding missing out on untapped contributions.
“Set the stage for long-term success and get set up with Text2Donate so you, like hundreds of other Canadian charities, can convert upwards of 9% of one-time donors to recurring, monthly supporters.” Caitlin O’Neill, MGFC, Senior Manager
If you’re ready to take your fundraising to the next level, read on!
The Challenge of Traditional Donation Processes
One of the biggest challenges with traditional donation processes boils down to the time and effort required and the willingness of the donor to see the transaction through. By today’s standards, if it isn’t instantaneous and somewhat automated, the user experience suffers.
The most common example of this is when a donor is directed to a website or mobile application via email, social media post, QR code, etc. and must fill out a lengthy form of their personal details and enter payment information, all while hoping their data is kept private and secure. This process can quickly transform a donor from feeling generous, warm, and compassionate to overwhelmed, confused, and frustrated. In some cases, the process is enough to stop them in their tracks from supporting the organization or recommending that a friend or family donate, too.
This is where mobile giving offers a game-changing advantage. By allowing donors to give with only a few taps, mobile giving drastically reduces the time and effort required to donate and is safe and secure. Partnerships with most Canadian mobile carriers like Bell, Rogers, and TELUS, to name a few, allow donors to give by charging small amounts to their monthly cell phone bill.
Text2Donate takes this one step further by offering charities the ability to enable a monthly giving feature, allowing donors to seamlessly opt-in to monthly donations by responding to a single text message after their initial donation. With convenience like this, supporters are more likely to donate regularly, helping nonprofits build a sustainable funding source.
TLDR: What are the challenges?
- Donors have to visit a website and fill out a lengthy form.
- Donors have to enter payment information and worry about data security.
- Donors may get overwhelmed or frustrated and give up on donating altogether.
The Advantages of Text2Donate for Donors
The Mobile Giving Foundation Canada’s Text2Donate solution offers several advantages compared to more traditional donation processes, both to the donor and the charity being supported.
First, it provides convenience, reducing the time and effort required to donate. This can help nonprofits increase their donations and build a sustainable funding source. Nonprofits don’t have to be physically present to sign up donors, take down payment information, or issue receipts since everything is managed through their mobile phone plan. Don’t have cash? Forgot your credit card? These issues are eliminated with a Text2Donate campaign.
Did you know? With a simple text message, donors can “set it and forget it” by subscribing to monthly giving.
Text2Donate takes mobile giving one step further by allowing donors to set up monthly donations with just a single text message. The ease of making a monthly donation can encourage supporters to give regularly, providing nonprofits with a more reliable and sustainable funding source.
How does Text-to-Donate and Monthly Giving for Donors?
Donors open a new text message on your mobile device.
- Enter the 5-digit Short Code number of the charity (e.g., 45678) in the “Recipient” field.
- Type the charity’s promoted keyword in the message body and send.
- Reply “YES” to the confirmation message.
- Click the link in the “Thank you” message to claim your tax receipt.
- Donors are then given the option to subscribe to Monthly Giving.
- Donors simply respond YES and commit to giving a set amount every month.
- Cancel anytime by responding STOP
Second, its accessibility. Most Canadians can access a mobile phone and send a text message. Needing access to a computer and your credit card and scrolling through endless forms and fine print make traditional methods of donating burdensome. By offering Text2Donate options, nonprofits can tap into a broader donor base and make donating more accessible. Plus, since text messaging is built into almost every mobile phone, there’s no need to download a new app or create a new account to start donating.
TLDR – What are the benefits?
- Increase your donations with a simple and secure process.
- Connect with your donors on the device they use most.
- Build a loyal donor base with “set it and forget it” monthly text donations.
The Added Benefits of Text2Donate for Nonprofits
Text2Donate offers several benefits for nonprofits adopting this technology for fundraising.
Donors are happy to support your nonprofit on an ongoing basis.
Ensure a steady stream of monthly donor revenue for your nonprofit operations with an impressive 9% opt-in rate and an average lifetime value of 55 months. Seize this opportunity to propel your organization towards success with steady cash flow.
We manage all tax receipting for donors.
The Mobile Giving Foundation Canada provides donors with a link to claim their tax receipt online immediately after a complete donation. This makes it easy for donors to claim and saves the charity any additional administrative lift.
Monthly Giving
With a 9% opt-in rate and a 55-month average lifetime value, you can easily start to capture monthly donation revenue that is reliable for growing your nonprofit’s operations.
By streamlining the giving process, Text2Donate helps nonprofits increase their monthly donations and support their mission more efficiently. Next, we’ll explore the specific benefits of Text2Donate for nonprofits and how they can leverage this technology to enhance their fundraising efforts. Read here to see how the 10,000 Snowsuit Challenge converts one-time donors into life-long supporters.
By adopting Text2Donate, nonprofits can improve their fundraising efforts and increase monthly donations. This technology allows them to provide a more convenient and streamlined donation process while also offering donors greater control and flexibility over their giving.
Text2Donate Calls-to-Action
Text2Donate is a simple and efficient way for charities to set up recurring donations. Here are two simple options to get started:
Keyword or Emoji
A donor must text a designated keyword to a specific number to get started. From there, the donor will receive a reply message asking them to confirm the donation amount. Once the initial donation is made, the donor will receive a confirmation message along with the option to set up recurring monthly giving.
QR code
A donor must scan a QR code to get started, triggering a text message asking for a reply message to confirm the donation amount. Once the initial donation is made, the donor will receive a confirmation message along with the option to set up recurring monthly giving.
This technology saves the donor from needing to:
- Go to a website they’ve never visited
- Creating a profile takes time and can be tricky
- Provide personal information they don’t want to share
- Input their credit card information which is probably not handy
- Check their email for confirmation that everything worked out
Speed and ease are one of the main benefits of Text2Donate. You avoid five stumbling points where the donor could decide the donation isn’t worth the trouble.
Implementing Text2Donate into Your Fundraising Strategy
Now that we’ve seen how Text2Donate can benefit your fundraising efforts let’s consider how to implement it into your strategy. First, contact the Mobile Giving Foundation Canada to confirm your certification status and your first steps to get started.
Once the initial administrative pieces are complete, you’ll work with either MGFC directly or with an approved Application Service Provider to choose all of the fun details such as your preferred 5-digit Short Code number, keyword or emoji, donation amount(s), and follow-up features such as monthly recurring giving.
Once the campaign details are confirmed, it’s time to start promoting your Text2Donate campaign to your supporters. This can be done through various channels, such as email, social media, events, and direct mail.
Be sure to highlight the convenience and ease of donating via text and remind your donors of the impact their contributions will make. If you want to learn how to integrate text-to-donate into existing channels and tips on promoting your Call-to-Action, check out our latest blog here: The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Compelling Call-to-Action for Your Text2Donate Campaign.
Here are some examples of how you can implement Text2donate within your existing campaigns:
Telethon | TV | Paid Media
Text2Donate is a simple and effective way to raise funds in real-time. You just need to display your keyword, emoji, or QR code on the screen and ask viewers to text in or scan. This will prompt them to donate a specific amount.
Radio | Podcasts
Radio and podcasts can inspire listeners to donate by text. You just need to say your keyword and Short Code number in your ad. You can also use emojis that relate to your cause.
Social Media
Text2Donate lets you turn followers into donors easily. You just need to add your call-to-action to your ad or post with a thoughtful story about your cause.
Direct Mail
Text2Donate links your print and digital donations. You need to print your QR code or text call-to-action on your materials next to emotional triggers to inspire their generosity.
Implementing Text2Donate can be a valuable addition to your nonprofit’s fundraising strategy. By leveraging this technology, you can make it easier for donors to contribute and ultimately increase your monthly giving.
In Conclusion
Donors want to give quickly and easily in today’s fast-paced world. Text2Donate is the ideal solution for nonprofits looking to simplify the donation process and increase monthly giving. By leveraging Text2Donate, you can make giving effortless and reach a broader audience, raising more funds. There’s no reason to wait – contact us to set up a campaign and see the results for yourself!
MGFC’s Amazing Partners
MGFC can only provide Canada’s only carrier-billed Text-to-donate platform due to its incredible partner network—a special thanks to all our delivery, technology, and strategic partners that make what we do possible.
Carrier Partners: BCE Inc. (Bell Mobility, Bell MTS, PC Mobile, Virgin Plus, Lucky Mobile), Eastlink, Shaw Communications (Freedom Mobile, Shaw Mobile), Rogers (Chatr, Fido), Tbaytel, TELUS (Koodo), Videotron (Fizz).
Technology Partners: ICF Next, Bandsintown, AWS, and Dirox.
Strategy Partners: designACE This blog was written in partnership with Andrew Edwards and Christine Reynolds, designACE.
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