An end-of-year fundraiser is your last opportunity of the year to appeal to your supporters and reach your fundraising goals.
Since 2007, Tatango has helped organizations raise more than $400 million in donations using SMS marketing. Our experts know what works to maximize fundraising with donation pages. In this blog, we share five ways to maximize your end-of-year fundraising.
Let’s Talk SMS and MMS Marketing
By adding SMS and MMS marketing to your toolbox, you’re already ahead of the competition. Many previously effective forms of advertising, such as direct mailers, commercials, and email newsletters, can’t keep up with today’s audiences. Text message marketing is one of today’s most efficient methods, with an impressive ROI.
Text message marketing makes it possible to reach thousands or even millions of supporters simultaneously. It’s an ideal channel for sharing time-sensitive promotions, information, and fundraising appeals. In fact, more than 90% of text messages are read within three minutes of being received.
Compare that to email, which has an average open rate of only 22.71% and an even lower average click-through rate of 2.91%, and the evidence is clear. Text message marketing is an advertising game-changer with no sign of going away, especially since 97% of Americans own a mobile device.
With text message marketing, you can connect directly with your audience and personalize your messages in ways that are not possible with social media, email newsletters, and TV commercials.
Five Ways to Maximize Your End-of-Year Fundraising
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Start Early
It pays to start planning your end-of-year fundraiser at, or close to, the beginning of the year. Early planning will help you determine the focus of your appeal. It also makes it easier to coordinate the timing with your other fundraisers, so your end-of-year appeal doesn’t come on the heels of the previous fundraiser.
Once you determine your messaging, Tatango’s platform helps you schedule your SMS text messages, so you’re ready to go by fall.
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Evaluate the Previous Year’s Campaign and Results
There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. If this isn’t your organization’s first end-of-year fundraiser, you likely have data from previous years. Use that insight—keep what worked last year, and finetune what didn’t.
Think of it as a competition against your organization’s past campaign. Set last year’s achieved targets—such as total amount raised, number of donations received, or number of new donors) as this year’s minimum goals. -
Diversify Ways To Give
The more options, the better. By providing supporters with multiple ways to donate, you’ll increase their likelihood of giving. In addition to creating a donation landing page, direct them there with an SMS text messaging campaign, and include a text-to-give option for optimal convenience.
Learn more about text-to-give campaigns:
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Get The Word Out
As with any fundraising effort, it’s crucial to start promoting early, so your supporters know what’s coming. Use SMS, social media, and printed materials to share your end-of-year fundraiser and the impact the money will have.
Learn about advertising requirements in text message marketing in this short video:
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Follow-Up After
A simple “thank you” goes a long way. Follow your end-of-year fundraiser with a heartfelt note of thanks. Use this opportunity to share the impact of their support. In addition to a thank-you text message, consider creating a video or even hosting a special event to thank donors.
End-of-year fundraising is a perfect opportunity to reach your targets and finish the year on a high note.
Add Tatango to Your Marketing Journey
Work with Tatango to get the most out of your SMS and MMS text message marketing. We’re excited to support you with your end-of-year fundraising and other campaigns year-round. Contact our text message marketing experts today to learn more.
