4 Ways Charitable Organisations Benefit from SMS

Running a charity is not easy. In addition to maintaining a high level of quality for each charitable endeavor your organization takes on, you must also manage employees, raise funds and promote awareness of the organisation itself.

In the past, direct mail marketing (brochures, fliers, donation requests, etc.) helped promote events, increase awareness and raise funds. With the addition of the Internet, charitable organisations could now do much more – they could keep people updated about upcoming events instantly, increase donation campaigns, accept payment online and ask for volunteers on a regular basis. Not only did this save precious time, but also money in printing and mailing costs.

Welcome to Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing takes it one step further by allowing instant contact even when people are on the move. For example, if an event is suddenly cancelled, rescheduled or moved to a new location, you can instantly send mass text messages to all attendees, volunteers, sponsors and others about these changes.

Here are 4 ways mobile marketing can help your charitable organisation:

  1. Determine how much you need for a specific project and start fund raising today. Use SMS software to send a quick message to those on your donation lists. Include a code (Send to ‘FUNDS’ to donate XXX) that subscribers can use to send an instant donation. You can also direct them to your website if they want to donate a different amount.
  2. Generate buzz about an upcoming event by sending invitations or reminders a day or two before the event. Include your web address and along with event information (date, time, location, etc.). You can also mention whether this is a fund raising event or just a social gathering to help increase awareness of the charity.
  3. Send SMS notifications when you need volunteers for events, fund raising or to handle day-to-day tasks such as office/administration work. If your charity provides community service activities for children or seniors, send a message asking for volunteers to work with others in the community. Mention where volunteers can sign up or how they can get in contact with you.
  4. Keep employees and volunteers up-to-date on any schedule changes, weather closing or other important information they need to know. Instead of calling each employee or volunteer and continuously updating your website in the hopes each employee and volunteer will check it, sending a quick text message is all that’s needed to get the word out there.

Use SMS technology to your advantage to build a solid charitable organisation that provides much needed help to your community. When used in conjunction with the Internet and direct mail marketing, bulk text messages can have a dramatic effect on the way you conduct business.