Donors and supporters are the lifeblood of any nonprofit organization. Without their generous donations, be it of time or money, you wouldn’t be able to do the work that you do. With the rise of smartphones and the popularity of social media, it has somehow become even more difficult to capture a potential donor’s attention. Being able to engage and connect with your audience is crucial to securing funds as well as volunteers. That being said, you might be wondering what else you can do to increase engagement. Our solution? Peer to peer texting.
In this blog, we are going to review what exactly peer to peer texting is as well as highlight some of the key ways you can use it to connect and engage with your supporters. Keep reading to learn more!
What is peer to peer texting?
If you are the marketing manager for your nonprofit organization, odds are good that you have at least heard the term before. However, you may not know exactly what it means. Peer to peer texting is a great way to connect via SMS text message to a large number of people. These texts can be personalized to include the individual’s name or other information. It is an extremely useful tool, as peer to peer texting can help you to promote fundraising events, encourage volunteers to sign up, share updates on your organization’s efforts, and so much more!
The power of text messaging becomes all the more obvious when you look at the breakdown of numbers. When compared to email marketing, peer to peer texting has a staggering 98% open rate. Not only that, but using text messaging has a 45% response rate compared to email, phone calls, and Facebook. These types of statistics could do wonders for your nonprofit organization!
4 Ways to Increase Supporter Engagement
Now that you have a little background information on peer to peer texting, it’s time to explore the various ways that you can put it into practice. Simply having the platform isn’t enough – you need to know how to use it!
#1: Include a Call to Action
When you are reaching out to a supporter, what is your goal? Do you want them to donate money? Are you trying to promote a fundraising event? Do you want them to sign up to volunteer? Then make sure to include that call to action in your text message! End each message with a way to continue the conversation or to provide more information.
A few common call to action prompts that nonprofits use can include:
- Subscribe to our newsletter
- Sign up to volunteer today
- Support your local nonprofit
- Pledge to donate
This is just a small set of examples, but there are many others out there that can be right for your needs and goals.
#2: Say Thank You
While getting new volunteers or donors is always a good thing, don’t forget to pay attention to and retain the ones that you already have. Showing a little gratitude can go a very long way in the realm of nonprofits. Review your donor and volunteer list and consider: have you truly thanked them for their time or effort? Even if they could only donate $5 or an hour of their time, they are still worthy of your thanks and recognition.
Peer to peer texting can be a great way to do exactly that. Writing hundreds of handwritten cards can be very time consuming and can subtract time away from your organization’s mission. Instead, rely on the speed and efficiency of a peer to peer texting platform! By using this tool, you can thank a long list of donors or volunteers in the matter of minutes. The recipient will feel appreciated and therefore, more inclined to take action in the future.
#3: Communicate Updates
There are few instances more rewarding than getting to see the fruits of your efforts. As a donor, it means a lot to see tangible evidence of where their money is going. So whether your nonprofit focuses on providing clean drinking water to remote communities around the world or your mission is to shelter homeless animals right out your back door, share good news with donors. While yes, a newsletter is a good place to list detailed updates or share a large number of photos, a text message can come in handy as well.
For example, a simple picture message with the words ‘thank you for your efforts in making this possible’ will really bring a smile to your audience’s face. It could be a photo of a cute rescue cat or an image of a structure your organization built. Whatever it is, just make sure that it is meaningful and really conveys to your audience the invaluable role they play in your nonprofit organization.
#4: Share Your Story
There is a reason you began working in the nonprofit sector. Whether you founded the organization from the ground up or you joined the effort down the road, you chose to do so because the work is meaningful to you. While it might call for you to get a bit personal with your audience, don’t be afraid to share your story and emphasize why you are so passionate about your cause. Record a short video to include in an MMS message or film a video for social media and text out the link to your subscribers. Reaching their hearts is essential to keeping your donors and supporters engaged.
Peer to Peer Texting from MudShare
As a nonprofit organization, it is imperative that you find a peer to peer texting platform that is not only affordable, but also easy to use. Here at MudShare, we specialize in helping nonprofit organizations just like yours connect with supporters, gain financial donations, and above all else, make your mission known to the world. To find out more about the types of services we offer, don’t hesitate to contact us today! Your voice deserves to be heard and peer to peer texting is the marketing tool that can help you do exactly that.
