1 January 2019
Text Giving Is Now Available to Small and Medium Sized Charities
A five-step guide to launching a text giving campaign, from building your campaign and choosing a platform to picking the right keyword and marketing it effectively.
The average UK person spends more than 24 hours a week online. Mobile devices accounted for 24% of all online donations to charities in 2018, and UK text donations reached £37.5 million in 2017/18 - with 34% growth expected.
Modern fundraising strategies must prioritise mobile engagement. Donors increasingly use their smartphones for everything, and giving should be no different.
What Is Text Giving?
Text giving enables donors to contribute via text message, with charges applied to their phone bill. The platform requires minimal effort from donors and simplifies administrative tasks for charities while facilitating Gift Aid access.
Text giving has a proven track record - the Red Cross used it for Haiti Earthquake Relief, and Barack Obama's presidential campaign demonstrated its ability to mobilise large numbers of small donations quickly. My Name'5 Doddie Foundation achieved strong results using the DONATE™ platform.
Five Steps to a Successful Text Giving Campaign
Step 1 – Build Your Campaign
Define specific, emotionally resonant fundraising goals with tangible outcomes rather than broad objectives. "Help us buy new equipment" is less compelling than "£10 will provide a meal for a family this Christmas."
Setting a concrete fundraising target motivates both donors and organisations, and gives you a clear success metric to share with supporters.
Step 2 – Choose a Text Giving Platform
DONATE™ offers a flexible, self-administered platform with no setup or monthly fees. It supports monthly recurring donations and provides guidance for charities new to text fundraising.
Key things to look for in a platform: Gift Aid collection, real-time reporting, simple self-administration, and transparent pricing.
Step 3 – Pick the Right Keyword
Keywords serve as the campaign's call-to-action. Shorter, memorable keywords with numbers perform better. Examples:
- 54CLEAN for a water and sanitation charity
- KITTY999 for a cat rescue charity
Your keyword should be easy to remember, easy to type, and clearly associated with your cause.
Step 4 – Market Your Keyword
Multi-channel promotion is essential. Effective tactics include:
- Labelling collection materials and donation boxes
- Local radio announcements
- Social media posts with the keyword prominently displayed
- Newspaper advertisements
- One-on-one outreach with printed stickers and flyers
Put your text keyword everywhere a supporter might encounter your cause.
Step 5 – Gratitude and Tracking
Thank donors personally and share campaign results widely. Satisfied donors become repeat supporters. Analyse performance data after each campaign to understand what worked and identify areas for improvement.
DONATE™ makes it straightforward for charities of any size to get started with text giving. Contact our team to find out more.