Research has shown that ninety percent of the world’s human population can communicate via text messages. Most of these text messages are immediately read as soon as they have been received. Today, the text-to-donate initiative is the easiest way to donate quickly and secure. It allows the church to interact well with donors who can give whatever they have from anywhere in the world. Once an individual has received the church-giving-number, he or she can easily donate directly from their phones. People do not have to be physically attending a church service to make their donations. Text-to-give does not apply to churches alone but also to other non-profit groups.
How Text-to-Give Works
There are different ways text-to-give works for both donors and non-profits. The first step is to select a reliable software provider. There are various text-to-give platforms worldwide such as a bot framework. You need to ensure that you choose a platform that focuses on what your non-profit needs are. The platform should also be able to keep donor information confidential and secure.
The second step is to get a phone number – The text-to-give provider should be able to give you a working phone line that is unique and tailored to your non-profit organization. This number will be useful since donors will use it to text in their donations. The third step is to promote your non-profit campaign. After linking up your non-profit organization with the text-to-give platform, it’s time to get the donors attention. You have to get the word out using the various communication strategies. Focus your efforts primarily on letting the donors know that they can give through a text message.
For the donors, there are three significant steps involved too. Step one includes messaging a phone number. Once the non-profit’s text-to-donate number is known, a donor sends a message with the amount to donate. For instance, if they need to give $100, then they text “100.”
In the second step, the donor receives a link attached in a confirmation message. The link when clicked redirects the donor to the next level. In the third step, the donor is redirected to a pre-written email. The donor will have to fill a minor form if it is the first time giving, outlining their credit card information. The subsequent donations do not need any form filling. They only have to send the amount and click the confirmation message. Different organizations can benefit from the text-to-give platforms. Some of these include churches and faith-based institutions, colleges and universities, animal rights organizations, international NGOs, K-12, arts and culture, disaster relief, and so forth.
Text-to-Give Best Practices
Help your donors understand the process. Helping your donors go through the process step-by-step gets them excited and motivated. You can use social media posts or live events to explain every step. Promote text to give across multiple channels. This practice will help get your message out very effectively. Accomplish this by employing professional marketing tactics such as promoter T-shirts, magazines, or televised ads. Finally remember always to thank the donors. Extending your appreciation arm is an overall show of good stewardship. This method also doubles your chances of retaining your donors.
