Using SMS for Fundraising
SMS is a cheap and ethical way for charities and organisations to communicate with their supporters, notifying them of upcoming events or keeping them informed of what work they have been doing ‐ this makes the supporters feel more connected to the cause and more likely to contribute in the form of volunteering and donating.
Some of the sectors already benefiting from using SMS text messaging for fundraising include the following: Schools, Clubs & Societies, Political Parties but the most common sector using SMS this way is Charities…
Charities
Charities all over the world are already aware of how effective SMS can be in raising awareness as well as funds. These days almost everyone carries their mobile phone with them at all times, it is because of this that SMS text messaging offers an instant form of communication and response between charities and their supporters.
Raising Awareness
The support of like-minded individuals is essential for an organised charity to be able to aid its chosen cause. As a charity these like-minded people need to know that you exist before they can actively offer their support in your endeavours. A great way to do this is to identify groups of people who are likely to want to help and then send them a message to see if they’re interested. Profession and location are a great way to find supporters or perhaps people who have expressed interest in a similar cause in the past.
Organising Events
Once you have established yourself as a charity you will be running fund-raising events and programmes, many of which will rely on the volunteers who support you. SMS is a cheap and efficient means of contacting would be volunteers and updating those who have already signed up to help.
Gathering Donations
When your event is drawing near and your workforce of volunteers is in place you need to let everyone else the where and the when so they can participate in raising money for your cause, again SMS is a great way to do this – it is unintrusive and gets the message directly into their hands. You can even use a premium rate Shortcode to gather donations directly from their mobile phone bill.
Giving Thanks
Once and event is over and the donations have been counted up it is a great idea to let your followers know how much they managed to raise, you can even tell them how it will be spent to help the cause and in appropriate cases send them updates for ongoing schemes. All this is designed to increase the chance that they will donate again, and even persuade some who didn’t before of the good work that is going on.
For more information on how you could be utilising SMS text messaging within your business call us on 0800 954 5305 or email helpdesk@fastsms.co.uk
Related Articles
Reasons Why SMS Marketing is a Vital Tool for Charities and NPOs
Most of us are familiar with SMS marketing in a commercial context. Many organisations use text messaging as a powerful means of creating brand awareness, enticing people to buy, and as a way of promoting special deals and new products. The charity sector can also benefit hugely from regular SMS campaigns.
5 SMS Marketing Ideas For Volunteers Week [Infographic]
5 SMS Marketing Ideas for Volunteers Week
Using SMS for Fundraising
Pagers vs. SMS Messaging for Emergency Services
For decades, all kinds of emergency personnel relied on pagers to communicate with each other and their organisations. The system was created long before the days of mobile phones or even text messaging. But now things are changing, as we explain in this blog post.
5 SMS or Mobile Facts You Need to Know
So many of us are used to having our mobiles around nearly 24 hours a day that it’s easy to forget it’s still a growing industry. And though SMS has been around for over two decades, the ways we use it and people’s willingness to use it continues to grow. So for this blog I picked out five facts about mobile and SMS that really make the case that SMS for business has come of age. Let’s see if you agree.
5 Tips for Charities Using SMS Marketing
It's sometimes a challenge for charities to get people's attention. But once you get it, SMS messaging is a great way to keep it. Why? People freely give their emails, but their mobile number is often closely guarded. So when someone opts in to your charity campaign with their mobile number, it means they are invested in your cause.
SMS Marketing: Don’t Forget About Print!
The focus for advertising campaigns today is often mobile, web, or digital. It’s certainly true that more and more people are using technology for just about everything. But with all that technology, it’s easy to overlook another, more traditional form: Print!
SMS Marketing for Charities – How it’s Changing, and How to Stay on Trend
There are just shy of 200,000 registered charities in the United Kingdom. Between them, they spend around £80 billion per annum. SMS marketing for charities is coming of age as an important tool for reaching supporters and benefactors alike, and there are a few important things that charities should be bearing in mind if they are to make the most out of this fact.
Planning Your SMS Marketing Campaign: Back to Basics
SMS messaging is one of the most cost-effective forms of marketing available. Like any marketing, though, it is vital to plan your campaign effectively to ensure maximum success. So let's look at a few basic principles that will help you make the most of your online SMS marketing.
Related Articles
SMS Marketing: An Essential Guide to PECR
The PECR Regulations, better known as the Privacy and Electronics Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 are one of the most important pieces of legislation affecting those involved in SMS Marketing. They exist to safeguard the privacy and use of personal information when used for direct marketing through electronic means, including communications by SMS. Parts of it crossover with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and where it does so, both pieces of legislation should be complied with. Unlike the DPA, the PECR is obligatory whether or not you process personal data in the course of your business. Read this essential guide to PECR for SMS Marketing to ensure you know everything you need to know.
How to Use SMS for Patient Engagement and Better Healthcare
There is something of a revolution occurring in the UK, and worldwide, where healthcare is concerned. Gone are the days of patients idly sitting and waiting for doctors to dole out advice. With 93% of the population holding a tool in their hands, anybody can use a mobile phone to access a wealth of information, just at our fingertips. SMS can maintain that feeling of instant information without causing the confusion, panic and misunderstanding so often associated with self-diagnosis.
5 SMS Myths You Shouldn’t Believe
SMS messaging is a popular topic. The growth of mobile has everyone jumping on board the SMS waggon and they all have something to say. I've compiled a list of five topics that I've seen written about that just aren't true, or at the very least are potentially misleading enough to be called myths. I'm going to try and offer some insight into why these myths exist and what the truth is, as I see it anyway!
How the Travel Industry can use A2P Messaging
The travel industry has made some inroads into using SMS messaging, but hasn’t yet taken real advantage of the potential of A2P messaging. Find out how it can be used to save time and provide the high-quality service today’s mobile travellers expect.
America set to send a text message to every US mobile phone
Are Recruiters “really, really bad” at Texting?
We work with many recruiters who use our SMS messaging to communicate with their candidates. In today’s world, text messaging is one of the best ways to ensure you can reach people with information, especially when it’s time critical. But are recruiters using SMS in the correct way?
How SMS Messaging Can Help Get Buyers Back
E-commerce businesses have a huge problem. Consumers fill up their shopping carts, then rudely abandon them before completing a purchase. Of course, they don't mean to be rude, they have their reasons for leaving a full cart behind. But what if it were possible to get some of those sales back?
An A-Z of SMS Marketing – E is for Email to SMS [Infographic]
24 Key Research Statistics that Prove You Should be Using SMS Marketing
If you find yourself needing to justify putting budget towards SMS marketing or convincing your manager that it's the right decision for you, here are some key research statistics to keep in mind for why you should pursue an SMS campaign...
