SMS marketing has become crucial in nonprofit organizations’ various marketing strategies. It provides a quick and cost-efficient means of reaching and engaging a wider audience. These organizations can cultivate stronger relationships, raise awareness, improve donor communication, and streamline internal team coordination.
However, undertaking SMS marketing requires careful planning and consideration.
Organizational leaders must understand the costs associated with community text pricing. They must ensure that the benefits from the campaign outweigh the expenses.
Moreover, they must adhere to ethical and legal standards when sending messages, respecting the privacy of the recipients. With thoughtful execution, SMS marketing can play a transformative role in a nonprofit’s ability to achieve its mission.
Let us learn more about the use, benefits, and examples of SMS marketing for nonprofits.
How Important is SMS Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations?
SMS marketing is an effective means of communication for nonprofit organizations. Most people today use their phones to access information and communicate. SMS marketing provides a direct line to reach individuals with your organization’s message. You can connect with donors, volunteers, and supporters effortlessly and efficiently.
SMS marketing has proven highly effective in boosting fundraising efforts and raising awareness for an organization’s cause. A significant 15% of nonprofits worldwide regularly utilize text messages to engage with their audience. This powerful communication channel has enabled nonprofits to reach supporters and make a meaningful and convenient impact.
One notable example of the success of SMS marketing in a nonprofit organization is the American Red Cross. The organization has effectively utilized text messaging to mobilize aid during disasters. Their SMS campaign during the 2010 Haiti earthquake was a significant success, raising more than $5 million in just 48 hours.
Another example is UNICEF, which uses text campaigns to inform donors about where their contributions are being used, creating trust and encouraging further donations. PETA also has used SMS marketing to inspire activism and raise awareness about animal rights, resulting in a substantial increase in support and assistance. These examples illustrate the potential impact and reach of SMS marketing when used effectively by nonprofit organizations.
Why is SMS Marketing Best for Nonprofit Organizations?
SMS marketing is the best option for nonprofits because of its ability to reach a large audience quickly and cost-effectively. Unlike traditional marketing methods such as email campaigns, text messages have a higher open and response rate. It means that your message is more likely to be seen and acted upon by recipients, resulting in increased engagement and support for your organization.
Texting is a cost-effective and immediate method to deliver real-time information to your audience. Since most people have mobile phones capable of receiving text messages, leveraging this untapped market can significantly enhance engagement and streamline communication efforts.
Nonprofit organizations understand the importance of effectively and efficiently communicating with their audience. It is a crucial aspect of nonprofit public relations. While Facebook may be the right platform for some nonprofits, others may find texting more suitable.
How Does SMS Marketing Work For Nonprofit Organizations?
Nonprofit organizations use SMS marketing for various operational and communication needs. But what is SMS marketing? Virtually every nonprofit organization acknowledges the value of SMS Marketing in maintaining their engagement and providing timely updates on activities and events.
Let’s look at areas where SMS Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations was strongly felt and utilized:
1. Use SMS to Give Information About What Has Been Done
Sponsors, donors, and other stakeholders are interested in the progress of your organization’s mission and projects. Sending periodic texts on project updates, fundraising achievements, and campaign results is one way SMS marketing comes in handy.
Using SMS to provide regular updates is a cost-effective method of informing people of what is happening around them.
2. Use SMS to Collect Donations
Nonprofits rely on donations to support their cause and operations. SMS marketing has made collecting donations easier and more convenient for the organization and donors.
With text-to-donate campaigns, supporters can donate quickly by texting a predetermined keyword to a specific number.
Confirmation of donations and pledges is crucial in addressing donor concerns about the status of their contributions. It also allows us to express immediate gratitude for their generosity. Combining these confirmations with formal thank-you letters or emails can enhance community engagement and establish a meaningful connection with our valued supporters.
3. Use SMS to Inform People About Problems
Nonprofit organizations often need to inform the community about problems that require immediate attention, such as natural disasters or urgent calls for volunteers. SMS marketing can quickly spread this information and mobilize support.
Additionally, nonprofits can use text messaging to educate people on pressing issues related to their cause and raise awareness.
4. Use SMS to Manage Events
Utilizing SMS for nonprofits offers a valuable approach to engaging with community members and ensuring their participation in upcoming events. By proactively notifying and reminding individuals about your event, you can enhance turn-out rates significantly.
To make it convenient for community members to respond positively, include the event’s time and date directly in your text message. If applicable, consider adding a ticket purchase link so recipients can quickly secure their tickets using their mobile devices upon receiving the text.
This strategic use of SMS empowers nonprofits to connect with their target audience and maximize event attendance effectively.
Nonprofits can also utilize SMS to convey last-minute information effectively. It includes updates on venue changes, details about inclement weather, or confirmations regarding new speakers. By leveraging the power of text messaging to communicate these eleventh-hour details, you ensure that everyone is well-informed and minimize the risk of misinformation.
5. Use SMS to Communicate Between Teams
Recruiting and managing volunteers effectively is a significant challenge nonprofits face. Utilizing SMS for nonprofits can significantly enhance volunteer engagement. With this approach, you can quickly and swiftly communicate with volunteers to confirm their schedules, arrange replacements, and recruit new members from your community.
Text messaging can also serve as a means to send emergency communications to volunteers and staff. It has critical updates such as office closures due to weather conditions, requests for additional assistance if someone cannot attend, reminders about upcoming events, and essential supply updates that require everyone’s attention.
In addition to sending alerts via text, you should ensure that all volunteers and staff members have your contact number readily available. It facilitates timely communication in case volunteers need to inform you about their availability and enables you to find suitable replacements, if necessary, quickly.
What are the Advantages of Using SMS for Nonprofits?
There are several compelling reasons why nonprofit organizations should utilize text messaging. SMS campaigns offer higher response, open, and click-through rates, making them highly effective. Additionally, they are cost-effective and provide a more personalized means of connecting with donors. Here are some of the best benefits of SMS marketing for nonprofits.
1. SMS Can Reduce the Costs.
Nonprofit organizations need to utilize their resources to accomplish their goals effectively. SMS marketing is more cost-effective than other outreach strategies like direct mail or telemarketing. Although subscribing to an SMS platform is necessary, text message campaigns are highly economical, particularly when compared to direct mail.
Some text marketing platforms offer discounted pricing specifically for nonprofit organizations. At JookSMS, pricing averages around two cents per text message, making it a cost-effective solution for nonprofits.
2. SMS Can Build Good Relationships Between Organizations and People
Text messaging is a powerful means of connecting with donors more personally. With text messages, nonprofits can convey their gratitude and appreciation for donations, provide updates on the organization’s progress, and engage with community members by asking them for input or feedback.
Text messages facilitate personal conversations, creating an illusion of genuine human interaction. Research indicates that 60% of donors prioritize a personalized experience when engaging with nonprofits, yet only 44% express satisfaction with the current level of personalization they receive. When executing your SMS campaigns, crafting relevant and tailored messages to the individual recipient is imperative.
3. SMS is the Better Way to Faster Communication
Nonprofits often find themselves in situations with an urgent message requiring an immediate response. Whether it’s rallying up with an urgent message requiring genuine support, essential messages from nonprofits can easily get lost in the shuffle. Text messaging is the most effective option to ensure prompt responses from your supporters.
Research shows that texts typically receive a response within 90 seconds. On the other hand, emails take up to 90 minutes to be read and replied to. Ensure your crucial messages are noticed. Leverage the benefits of text messaging to engage and mobilize your supporters swiftly.
4. SMS Can Reach Millions
SMS messaging is an effective means of reaching a large audience. In the United States alone, over 80% of adults own smartphones and utilize text messaging regularly. This accessibility allows nonprofits to engage with millions of people at once.
Additionally, SMS campaigns allow for automatic opt-ins, making it easy for individuals to join your mailing list without any barriers or complications. With the right messaging and targeting, nonprofits can reach millions of individuals who are passionate about their cause and eager to support their mission.
What are Examples of SMS Marketing for Nonprofit Organisations?
When it comes to SMS campaigns, it’s essential to think creatively. While fundraising is a common objective, text message campaigns have the potential to achieve much more for your cause. Here are some innovative and practical ways top nonprofits have leveraged SMS to its fullest potential.
- The Humane Society of the United States – This nonprofit organization in the United States is dedicated to promoting animal welfare and fighting against acts of cruelty towards animals nationally. Through SMS marketing, they engage individuals interested in taking action to protect animals by providing timely updates, invitations to significant events, and much more.
- Vote.org – Vote.org is the largest 501(c)(3) nonprofit, non-partisan platform in America for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts. With over 3.3 million new voters registered and 8.2 million voter registrations verified, Vote.org has become a vital resource for over 30 million website users. By providing registration links, polling location details, and other essential voting information for each state, Vote.org ensures that U.S. citizens can access the information they need to make their voices heard. Through SMS marketing, Vote.org also helps subscribers stay informed and reminds them to exercise their right to VOTE!
- Text4baby -This organization is centered around the functionalities of SMS marketing. It provides subscribers three weekly text messages containing valuable tips and resources throughout their pregnancy, tailored to their due date and continuing until their baby’s first birthday. Text4baby is a complimentary service that expectant mothers can join by texting the SMS keyword “BABY” (or “BEBE” for Spanish) to the shortcode “511411”.
- The American Red Cross – This humanitarian organization offers emergency assistance, disaster preparedness, and disaster response education within the United States. Leveraging the power of SMS marketing, they provide subscribers with timely updates firsthand. The Red Cross website encourages visitors to join their SMS marketing campaign and offers a preview of the type of communication they will receive.
- The NAACP – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving political, educational, social, and economic equality. Its mission is to eradicate race-based discrimination and promote the health and well-being of all individuals. The NAACP utilizes SMS marketing to expand its communication outreach, allowing subscribers to customize the topics they receive SMS communications on.
What is the Best Marketing Tool for Nonprofit Organizations?
Nonprofit organizations have access to various marketing tools to streamline their operations, promote fundraising events, and effectively collect donations. Here, we present some of the top and widely utilized marketing tools for nonprofits:
- SMS Marketing – SMS marketing is an effective tool for nonprofit organizations to reach supporters, attract new donors, and keep everyone informed about their activities. Not only is SMS messaging cost-effective, but it also allows marketers to gauge the success of each campaign by tracking the number of responses received for each message. It allows for precise measurement and evaluation of campaign effectiveness.
- Social Media Marketing – Nonprofit organizations can utilize social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to increase their online presence and engage with their audience. With the ability to instantly share updates, images, videos, and events with a large following of supporters, social media marketing allows for quick and efficient communication.
- Email Marketing – Email marketing remains one of nonprofits’ most popular and effective marketing tools. It allows organizations to reach a large audience at once, personalize their messaging, and track engagement through email open rates and click-through rates.
- Direct Mail Marketing – Despite the rise of digital marketing, direct mail marketing remains relevant in the nonprofit sector. Organizations can send personalized letters, brochures, or postcards to their donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders to update them on their activities and garner support.
- Website – Nonprofit organizations often leverage a well-designed and appealing website to market themselves effectively. Such a website should serve as a platform to highlight the organization’s achievements, fundraising events, campaigns for various causes, and updates on its activities.
How do Nonprofits Pay for Marketing?
Nonprofit organizations finance their marketing campaigns through funds acquired from fundraising, donation drives, charities, and other sources. The term “nonprofit” implies that their activities are not driven by profit or financial gain.
Nonprofits must actively engage the public and raise awareness about their mission, how they support their communities, and more. Crafting innovative marketing strategies is crucial for their sustainability and extending their reach to a larger audience.
Collaboration and resource-sharing among nonprofits can prove beneficial, enabling them to collectively communicate with the public and highlight their diverse services.
Some funding sources for nonprofits are the following:
- Private Corporations
- Individual Donations
- Fundraiser Events and Donation Drives
- Government Grants
- Foundations and Trusts
- Corporate Sponsorships
- Fee-for-service programs
Nonprofit organizations must be creative, innovative, and strategic in marketing. With a well-crafted marketing plan and the right tools, nonprofits can effectively communicate with their audiences, raise awareness about their mission, and garner support for their cause. SMS marketing is one of many valuable tools nonprofits can utilize to further their goals and positively impact the world.