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1. Target ON-the-GO users (Facebook: Stop by our
blood drive today and you may win a TV).

2. Keep it short. PPL are on the go. (There’s a reason
twitter chose 140 characters per tweet)

3. Make your promotion local.

4. Drive them to a MOBILE friendly site. (Thumb
friendly, minimal forms and/or check boxes.)

4. Drive them to a MOBILE friendly site. (Thumb
friendly, minimal forms and/or check boxes.)
5. Provide a link to your regular site.

The Internet can be a negative place

Some of the QR code-generating sites are Qurify,
Kaywa, Scanbuy, QR Stuff and Delivr. Google’s URL
Shortener can also create a QR code from a shortened
link.

For mobile phone users, iPhones offer a downloadable
app from the iTunes store. BlackBerry, Android and
other mobile phone platform users can download an
app from Scan Life.

Do you know how many apps have
been downloaded in the last 3 years?
2008

Today

Prior to July 2008
#of Apps: 0

Today: over
10,000,000,000
= 10 billion

What gets seven times the response
rate versus email (7% vs 1%) and
reaches twenty five times the number
of users as does Twitter. (MMA) ?

For a donor, the steps to give via text message are simple:

1: Decide to make a text-based donation. Donations in the United States are
possible at a $5 or $10 donation per text message at this time. The amount
is specific to a given campaign and determined by the organization, so the
user can only decide whether or not to make a donation, not which amount
to choose.

to choose.
2: Create and send a text message on a mobile phone. Typically this text
message is sent to a short code -- a five or six digit number. The message
consists of a keyword -- a single word such as AID, HAITI, GIVE or the like.
.

to choose.
3: An automated response consisting of a text message is sent back to the
userʼs phone. This message asks for a reply to confirm the donation--
usually a single word such as OK or YES.

to choose.
4: A confirmation text message is sent by the system, and received by the
user.
.

to choose.
4: A confirmation text message is sent by the system, and received by the
user.
5:On the donor's next mobile phone bill, a charge is shown for the amount of
the donation. Prepaid customers (those who buy airtime as they go) can, at
this time, typically not make a donation via text message.

1. The first thing for a nonprofit organization to do is to decide whether or not to explore the
possibilities of mobile giving. Here are some things to consider:
+First and foremost, ask yourself how mobile donations fit into your overall fundraising
strategies. What are your goals? Who is your audience? What are your current tactics? How
does mobile fit in? Consider more fine-grained questions such as this: Does reaching out to new
donors, maybe from a different demographic, make sense for your organization? Are your
current organizational programs conducive to mobile giving (for example, do you run large
events on a regular basis where building a mobile list and text donations make sense?)


+Can you cover the start-up and overhead costs for a mobile giving campaign (more on that
below “Don’t Worry About Breaking Even” section that follows).



+Is mobile giving becoming a factor in fundraising for comparable nonprofits in your field?



+Is mobile giving becoming a factor in fundraising for comparable nonprofits in your field?

+Can you afford not to at minimum explore the possibilities of mobile giving? This is not just a
matter of the money involved: it is a matter of demonstrating to your supporters that you are
aggressively pursuing your organization’s needs and goals, that you are savvy in the use of
technology (if that matters to your brand), etc.


+Although the TTP and ASP provide the technical support, nevertheless you need some support
for a new technology. How willing are your staff and volunteers to explore new ways of
working?


+Although the TTP and ASP provide the technical support, nevertheless you need some support
for a new technology. How willing are your staff and volunteers to explore new ways of
working?

+For some organizations, you may be helping your donors to make their first text message-
based donations. Will they need reassurance and support? Can you provide it?

2. Collect Mobile Numbers.
If you do not already collect mobile numbers, do so and make certain that you provide the
appropriate information about how you will and will not use that information. If you want to let
people know about a mobile giving campaign, sending messages to them (if permitted) or using
your existing lists can be a way to raise attention to the short code/text fundraising campaign. If
you have to start scrounging for mobile numbers at the point of wanting to raise money, you are
behind. Here are some easy ways to collect mobile numbers.

2. Collect Mobile Numbers.
If you do not already collect mobile numbers, do so and make certain that you provide the
appropriate information about how you will and will not use that information. If you want to let
people know about a mobile giving campaign, sending messages to them (if permitted) or using
your existing lists can be a way to raise attention to the short code/text fundraising campaign. If
you have to start scrounging for mobile numbers at the point of wanting to raise money, you are
behind. Here are some easy ways to collect mobile numbers.

•On your website when you have people sign up for your newsletter, etc
•From your existing email list/constituent list.
•At event registrations.
•On Facebook and other social media)
•On feedback you collect for mail donations, reservations, or any other communication to and
from your constituents.
•Through polls and games or competitions

3. Find the Right Provider
The easiest way to find the right ASP provider is exactly the same way you consider any other
vendor. Ask around, read articles, participate in discussions, and keep your eyes open. Just as
you might ask a colleague for recommendations to an event planner, ask for recommendations
to an ASP from an existing client.

4. Understand the Fees
The fee structures for ASPs include one-time costs (the set-up), fixed monthly costs (which often
include other services such as text message campaigns or extra keywords), and the transaction
costs for donations. This can make comparing ASPs difficult; it also can mean that it makes the
decision to actually go ahead with a mobile giving campaign harder. You have no way of knowing
how much money will be raised, but at the same time you must commit to the overhead of the
set-up and a year's worth of monthly fees.

This is quite similar to any fundraising initiative that you have not done before. The first time
you plan for a fundraising dinner, you have the same problems. Once you have one or two such
events under your belt, you have a good sense of the costs and benefits.

5. Integrate Mobile Giving with Your Other Fundraising Tactics
Do not make the mistake of making mobile giving a separate project apart from your other
fundraising operations. Remember that the donation process starts when a donor sends a text
message. That action happens as a result of the donor having an existing relationship with the
organization and/or some external prompt: a news article, an e-mail from you or a friend, an
announcement at an event, a news story, or a message on a blimp, for that matter. The
precipitating event for the donation uses exactly the same communication tools that you can
and have used in other circumstances. Although you integrate mobile giving with your other
fundraising activities, your donors may not do so.

5. Integrate Mobile Giving with Your Other Fundraising Tactics
Do not make the mistake of making mobile giving a separate project apart from your other
fundraising operations. Remember that the donation process starts when a donor sends a text
message. That action happens as a result of the donor having an existing relationship with the
organization and/or some external prompt: a news article, an e-mail from you or a friend, an
announcement at an event, a news story, or a message on a blimp, for that matter. The
precipitating event for the donation uses exactly the same communication tools that you can
and have used in other circumstances. Although you integrate mobile giving with your other
fundraising activities, your donors may not do so.

TRACK IT!!!
Keep track of who is using what medium and how well each technique is working. Track and
evaluate mobile giving the same way you track responses to direct mail, Web, and phone
solicitations. (This is another reason for integrating mobile numbers with your donor database
and should be a decision criteria when choosing a mobile application service provider.)

One unresolved issue for many organizations is how mobile giving affects their other donations.
Do people who would have sent $100 now feel they've done their part with a $10 mobile
donation? Do you want to try to convert $10 mobile donors into larger-amount donors and if so,
how? Or is it more likely to convert them from once-a-year donors to once-a-month donors?
(This is one reason why there is so much interest in recurring donations in the mobile world.
Currently they are not possible.)

Do people who would have sent $100 now feel they've done their part
with a $10 mobile donation? Do you want to try to convert $10 mobile donors into
larger-amount donors and if so, how? Or is it more likely to convert them from once-a-year
donors to once-a-month donors? (This is one reason why there is so much interest in recurring
donations in the mobile world. Currently they are not possible.)

Do people who would have sent $100 now feel they've done their part with a $10 mobile
donation? Do
you want to try to convert $10 mobile donors into larger-
amount donors and if so, how? Or is it more likely to convert them from once-a-year
donors to once-a-month donors? (This is one reason why there is so much interest in recurring
donations in the mobile world. Currently they are not possible.)

6. Don't Worry About Breaking Even
Here is one way to get your first mobile giving campaign off the ground without devoting half of
your waking hours to spreadsheet what-if games. For one or more of the ASPs you are
considering, calculate the fixed cost for the first year (some ASPs will offer a shorter contract).
The amount can be as low as $1,188 (Causecast), up to $5,288 (mgive.com) with various added
services available beyond those amounts.

Once you have calculated your financial commitment, consider approaching one or more of
your existing donors to cover that cost. This means that your break-even point for at least the
vendor is $0. As with all other fundraising techniques, you really do not know how it works until
you have done it, so removing some risk is a good way to position this as an experiment. After
the first year, you can continue the mobile giving process by including its costs and projected
revenues in your budget based on the first year's experience.

7. Start Early
For your first mobile giving campaign, work with your board, staff, volunteers, and other
supporters to set the scope of the project. (As noted, this is the time to minimize your risk and
financial exposure by trying to raise money to cover the first year’s cost.) As with any project,
the greater the support and commitment from all stakeholders, the greater the likelihood of
success.

Photo courtesy of RED CROSS

Most carriers waived their fees for
this promotion

Non-profits have to pay set up fees with wireless
partners like mGive and the Mobile Giving Foundation,
can range from $3,000-$10,000 in some cases.

With just a couple of texts a
month… the Humane Society,
supporters who received a text
message donated online with an
increased response rate of 77%.

Take a pulse

Start learning

Educate others, as you learn

Specific
Measureable
Actionable
Realistic
Time Bound

Income
List size
Conversions/Opens/Downloads
Phone calls
Buzz/Brand awareness

Exciting features
Statistics
Make sure they’re on
the list!

Use goals to set standards
Check with IT & legal
Communication is key
Build a Social & Media Plan
Set time-line

Multi-channel integration
Social Media
PR Machine
Grassroots
Track it

Keep it simple.
Create short text links in your copy so people can
easily access relevant information on other pages of the
site.
Include simple images that will be visible on a smaller
screen. For example, a headshot will be easier to view
than a group of people. NOTE: You can move these to
another page altogether.
Avoid cluttered pages by reducing the number of
elements on each page.
Make sure the call to action is easy to locate and
read.
Make it thumb friendly

Susan G. Komen
site claims that
50% of its user
access the
mobile site at
least once per
day, since
optimizing it.

Let your audience know about your mobile site on:
Your website and blog
Your e-newsletters
Press releases
Printed collateral
Printed advertising and marketing materials
Email signatures

Put your company/nonprofit on the map with a
Google Places listing
(www.google.com/placesforbusiness). Add details,
photos and coupons to make your listing stand out.

Add your business to local online listings, including
Yahoo!® Local (local.yahoo.com)

Bing™ Local Listing Center
(https://ssl.bing.com/listings/BusinessSearch.aspx),
so consumers can find your business.

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