Whether or not you are a nonprofit that just lately began utilizing textual content messaging or a seasoned group with years of expertise, year-end giving is a vital fundraising alternative. Textual content messaging’s 99% open fee permits nonprofits to chop by means of busy, cluttered channels through the vacation season to succeed in donors at important moments.
Listed below are 4 keys to elevating more cash out of your GivingTuesday and year-end textual content message campaigns primarily based on insights and suggestions from nonprofits.
1. Combine Your Message Varieties
Textual content messaging is a really rapid and private channel. In the event you’re solely sending fundraising texts, like every channel, the engagement is probably going going to lower over time. I’ve seen that usually about half of the texts nonprofits ship are fundraising-related, whereas the opposite half concentrate on cultivation and engagement.
It is necessary to deal with textual content messaging as an ongoing communication channel. As you ramp up fundraising texts from GivingTuesday to Dec. 31, bear in mind to incorporate non-fundraising messages that steward donor relationships and add worth. Interact your viewers with messages that invite them to take surveys, take part in petitions or be taught concerning the progress made in 2024. Domesticate with donor affect experiences and tales. This helps heat up donors and ensures texting is a two-way road the place you’re not solely asking for help, but in addition offering worth.
2. Ship the Proper Quantity on the Proper Dates
Timing could make an enormous distinction to optimize textual content campaigns. I’ve seen many nonprofits ship a couple of texts every month from January to October, however this typically will increase to about 5 messages per 30 days in November and December.
A typical query I typically obtain is what are one of the best days to ship texts round GivingTuesday and late December. Whereas textual content conversion charges are increased on GivingTuesday and Dec. 31, the day after GivingTuesday can also have sturdy conversion charges. Conversely, asking for donations too far upfront of a Giving Day or deadline might decrease conversion charges.
Contemplate backloading your fundraising texts by scheduling them towards the tip of your key campaigns and near deadlines. For instance, you may ship a number of texts on GivingTuesday after which one other the day after GivingTuesday to increase a match deadline or thank supporters and nudge those that haven’t given but. In late December, you may backload your fundraising messages on Dec. 30 and 31.
3. Ship on the Finest Time
Ninety % of texts are opened inside minutes of receipt, so timing is essential. In the event you may attain your donors at any time on GivingTuesday or Dec. 31, what time would it not be? I’ve seen engagement and conversion charges for nonprofit texts are inclined to rise within the night, seemingly as a result of supporters have extra free time then. Supporters are sometimes busy with work through the day, however within the evenings, they usually have extra free time and maintain their telephones shut by.
As you’ve most likely seen, total on-line giving typically spikes within the night on GivingTuesday and Dec. 31 because it will get nearer to the midnight deadline. Equally nonprofit textual content conversion charges are sometimes highest within the evenings — particularly between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. — on the final day of deadline-focused campaigns.
4. Use MMS & SMS to Enhance ROI
SMS messages are restricted to 160 characters, whereas MMS messages permit for photographs, movies, GIFs and as much as 5,000 characters with formatting choices. I see many nonprofits successfully use MMS for about half of their fundraising messages and round two-thirds of their cultivation texts. Whereas MMS usually has a barely increased value, a balanced mixture of SMS and MMS can enhance your ROI throughout year-end campaigns.
Utilizing MMS and SMS may also assist fluctuate the content material your supporters are receiving so there’s a pleasant mixture of longer and shorter content material. I encourage nonprofits to start out a marketing campaign with an interesting MMS textual content after which observe up with fast SMS reminders. As an illustration, on GivingTuesday, ship a late morning MMS fundraising message, adopted by SMS reminders within the night and the following day.
Specializing in these 4 methods — mixing message sorts, optimizing timing, sending on the proper moments, and utilizing a mixture of MMS and SMS — can assist enhance your year-end textual content messaging giving. Make the most of the immediacy and private nature of textual content messaging to chop by means of the muddle, attain supporters and drive fundraising outcomes because the 12 months involves a detailed.
The previous publish was offered by a person unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed inside don’t straight replicate the ideas or opinions of NonProfit PRO.
