If you’re in the nonprofit sector, SMS text message marketing is a must. But sometimes, the boss needs a little convincing; SMS text message marketing is the new kid on the block, and the new kid can sometimes seem unapproachable or untrustworthy. Rest assured, SMS text message marketing is anything but untrustworthy. Tatango has been working with nonprofit organizations of all sizes for over 14 years, and we can help you explain nonprofit SMS marketing to your boss.
In this blog post, we’ll help make SMS marketing much more approachable. Within the first few messages sent, your boss will understand just how beneficial adding SMS text message marketing to your nonprofit promotional efforts can be.
Why Nonprofits Need SMS Marketing
By adding SMS marketing and MMS marketing to your toolbox, you’re already ahead of the competition. In the past, more traditional forms of advertising such as direct mailers, commercials, and email newsletters reigned supreme. Now there’s something far more efficient at your fingertips—text message marketing.
Text message marketing can help you reach thousands or even millions of supporters at once. It’s the perfect channel for sharing time-sensitive promotions or information. In fact, more than 90% of text messages are read within three minutes of being received, which makes it a very powerful communication tool.
Compare that to the other most recent alternative, the email newsletter, which has an average open rate of only 22.71% and an even more dismal average click-through rate of 2.91%. Text message marketing is a fundraising game-changer with no sign of going away, especially since 97% of Americans own some kind of cell phone. Text message marketing allows you to connect directly with your audience and personalize your messages in ways not impossible with social media, email newsletters, and commercials.
How SMS Marketing Can Help You Grow Your Donor Base
Whether it’s fundraising or increasing awareness about your cause, SMS text message marketing is the tool to use if you want to reach a wide audience and see top returns on your investment along with increased opportunities for interaction with your supporters.
We’ve pulled together these three easy points to use when explaining SMS text message marketing to your boss: efficiency, engagement, and expenditure.
Efficiency
As mentioned above, a whopping 97% of Americans own a cell phone, and 78% of consumers say SMS is the fastest way to reach them. It’s no wonder an impressive 90% of text messages are read within the first three minutes of being received. To compare, the average email newsletter open rate is only about 22.71%, and the average click-through rate is a dismal 2.91%. The numbers don’t lie; SMS text message marketing is the most efficient way to reach your audience.
And with Tatango, your nonprofit campaign—not just your messaging—is efficient. We help you work more efficiently.
Two main organizations regulate communications and set up regulations to protect consumers from spam text messages and phone calls:
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which governs the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
- The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, known as CTIA
There are quite a few rules and regulations to follow when running an SMS marketing campaign. But these won’t be bogging you down. The professionals at Tatango are experts in marketing compliance. We’ll help ensure your campaign meets compliance requirements so you can focus on your mission. To get a head start, check out our TCPA Survival Guide for Nonprofits, or set up a call so we can help you navigate the nuances directly.
Engagement
The response rate for text messages is 209% higher than for phone calls, email newsletters, or even social media posts. Connecting with your supporters via a text messaging campaign allows them to respond in many ways. Send a survey to collect valuable information about your audience. Register volunteers quickly and easily. Seamlessly fundraise via text message.
Or work with the Tatango Design Studio, a free service available to our clients, to create beautiful and engaging text messages that incorporate GIFs, videos, images, and even audio files. The Tatango Design Studio will help you enhance your text messages with eye-catching imagery based on your campaign’s goals.
Once you’ve got the hang of things, building out your SMS or MMS marketing messages is easy with our advanced functionality. You’ll be able to customize and target your messages, all within a WYSIWYG (“what you see is what you get”) editor similar to Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
Expenditure
If you’re thinking about the investment required to set up an SMS text message marketing campaign, consider this: for every $1 our clients invest, they see an average $5 return. More positive cash flow can lead to a raise for all your hard work. And time is money, as the saying goes. So, any opportunity to save time means you’re saving (and earning) more money.
Add Tatango to Your Fundraising Toolbox
There’s no need to fear SMS and MMS text message marketing. At Tatango, we’re excited to help your donor base grow! Contact the text message marketing experts at Tatango today to learn more about how you can add Tatango to your fundraising and drive donations.
