TEXT MARKETING FOR NON-PROFITS: THE FUTURE IS NOW!
Work in the non-profit world is hard! There…. I said it. Do I hear any arguments? I didn’t think so.
From daily operations, marketing, community outreach, event planning, event execution, fundraising, strict and ever-changing guidelines and regulations … the list can go on forever. So YES we all know the massive effort it takes to accomplish your organization’s mission. As an outside vendor and partner, we cannot begin to comprehend the day-to-day stress and activity that goes into end results. BUT we CAN help make it easier and more convenient.
As a proud member of ADO, I’ve sat in on the luncheon presentations. I’ve attended the networking and ‘get to know you’ events. I’ve even had the opportunity to speak with some members individually about their organization’s specific goals and efforts. After careful consideration, months of development and planning, I feel that it’s time for me to get involved and lend a helping hand.
I’m writing this article not in a sales effort to try to bring anyone on as a client. OK, that’s only partially a lie because yes, of course, I’d like to work with as many of your organizations as possible. After all, I too have a business to run and real-world financial obligations. But like the majority of non-profits, I too am more focused on the cause than the financial gains. A very close family member is suffering from an incurable disease. So YES I can relate and it’s for that reason I’m writing this article to let you know you’re not alone. We at ConnectionText are here to HELP!
Who is ConnectionText and how can we help non-profits better achieve their goals? ConnectionText is a locally owned small business headquartered in White Plains, NY. We are a mobile marketing agency that provides marketing directly on mobile phones to end users. However, our service and technology go far beyond what most are familiar with. We leverage software to provide high quality engagement, communication, and advertising through our automated SMS texting platform. But what makes that mumbo-jumbo important is the conversion and open rates our SMS texting platform produces and how it increases customer satisfaction and donations.
Non-profits have many missions and provide different services. However, the main focus for all non-profits is customer experience, engagement and satisfaction - whether they are donors or volunteers or those simply looking for more information. These are your customers and you want to engage with them in the most efficient and meaningful way possible. That’s where the power of text messaging comes in!
Did you know that only about 20% of the emails you send out get opened? That leads to roughly a 2-3% response rate and a conversion rate of 1%.
Did you know that only about 25% of Tweets get seen? That leads to roughly a 2-3% response rate as well.
Did you know that 99% of ALL text messages get opened and read, which leads to upwards of a 45% response rate and conversion rates of 15-25%!?
We all know that 50% of the marketing and communication battle is cutting through all the clutter and getting your message in front of the right people at the right time. The solution… SMS Text. Our text marketing and communications tool leads to higher engagement. And it leads to more people seeing your efforts. And it leads to more donation dollars. And so on and so on…
OK, the boring percentages are out of the way. But that’s some powerful information, right?
Now… Try something for me…
on your phone - text the word Donation to 4 2 6 7 1 (5 digit phone number)
Go ahead, I’ll wait…
Pretty cool, right?
You get an immediate text! The call to action is easy, convenient and cool from the end user’s point-of-view. This is an example of how quickly and easily you can get your message in front of your donors, volunteers, or anyone looking for more information about your organization. Messages can include links to your individual donation page for easy access, they are fully customizable, and they can be created and scheduled as far as a year in advance! Of course, more immediate messaging can be created and scheduled at a moment’s notice as well, such as fund-raise on demand. There are multiple options for how you can use the program.
Now, a lot of people say…. “Our customer base is too old”. Or “This is great for the younger generation but…”.
I’m going to share some more stats. There are roughly 270 million people texting in the US. Those aged 45-64 are the fastest growing demographic among smart phone users. And 94% of users age 70+ are texting WEEKLY!
We know a lot of people are slow to change when it comes to technology. But look all around the country… stiff and continuous changes in regulations are tightening government and state funding. On top of that, traditional fundraising methods are going stale. So YES it’s a tough conversation but we’re not afraid of the discussion because we are here to help. Non-profits are looking for new strategies to reach a younger audience while attempting not to neglect their most loyal, older base. Mass texting is the unexpected, yet perfect medium for both demographics.
ConnectionText provides you the easiest way to connect with your target audience by helping you create perfectly timed text messages. Here are some of the benefits your organization will see:
Instantly reach your target audience 99% of the time!
Get your message out IMMEDIATELY!
Fund-raise ON DEMAND!
Send messages out for your audience to RSVP to events and FILL THOSE SEATS!
Send last minute reminders the day before and the DAY OF the event!
Maximize exposure and response rates over 5x that of emailing!
Send URGENT information instantly to your community: links to newsletters, donation requests, volunteer efforts, etc…
Allow your audience to avoid the daily clutter and easily read & RESPOND to your most important & urgent messages WITHIN MINUTES!
On behalf of ConnectionText, I am presenting the opportunity for you to look under the hood and see how powerful the SMS medium can be for your organization. Thank you for reading and I look forward to working with many of you in the near future!
Sincerely,
Frank Cipolla
CEO
Call/Text: 914-672-2433
Email: frank@connectiontext.com