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Electronic Hands In Donors’ Pockets

Get ready for this one: 96 percent of adults in the United States own a pocket phone. That’s a startling statistic revealed by MobileCause, a mobile-first fundraising and communications platform, in its “Pocket Fundraising Best Practices Guide.”

Even if some of those adults are leaving their phones in the top drawer of their dresser or on the coffee table, that still leaves a lot of people toting mobile phones around with them.

With that in mind, the guide offers a roadmap to engage donors on their smartphones. The roadmap emphasizes the following considerations:

* Content. Encourage supporters with compelling short videos and photos, share fundraising progress, and don’t spam. For increased participation, give each fundraising campaign a unique name and branding identification.

* Marketing. Get noticed with text reminders, mobile-friendly emails, social media posts and free Google advertisements. Text messages are the most convenient forms and significantly increase campaign response rates.

* Fundraising. Make it easy for donors to give one-time and recurring donations with just a few taps. Fewer fields result in a better donation experience.

* Follow-up. Do a world-class job thanking the organization’s donors and letting them know how appreciative it is of their support. Create a thank-you video and send a personal message to donors who participated.