By James Martin
Supporting your favorite causes is harder than ever in today’s busy world. As your email inbox and social media can attest, there’s an incredible amount of noise. It’s hard for nonprofits to be heard. A simple way to get away from the noise and stay connected with your favorite nonprofit is text messaging.
Always-On Support
Let’s face it—we’re always on our phones. We all have one, and we take it everywhere we go. Instead of bemoaning this new reality, let’s harness it for good. Use your always-on device to stay current and support your favorite nonprofit organization:
- Imagine getting a text message about their latest project or a thank you for your recent donation.
- Maybe it’s an urgent video from the founder about an on-the-ground crisis and how you can help right now.
- It could be updates for their next event with a map, parking tips, and last-minute reminders, delivered conveniently to your phone where you need it.
5 Ways to Support Nonprofits Via Text Messaging
Let’s explore five simple ways you can use text messaging to stay current with your cause. Most of these require a nonprofit to communicate with a text messaging service, such as Rally Corp, but the connection opportunities abound.
1. Stay Current
Text messaging is a quick and direct way to communicate important updates, news, and events to supporters. What to know what’s going on? Nonprofits can text you. Nonprofits can send instant notifications about fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and other time-sensitive information, ensuring you’re always informed in real time and can support their efforts.
Challenge: The key for nonprofits is to focus on vital, important updates. Text messaging is an urgent medium, and no one wants to be bothered with mundane updates.
2. Make a Donation
Text messaging is a great channel for fundraising campaigns. Nonprofits can send donation appeals, updates on fundraising progress, and reminders to contribute. Additionally, they can provide links for easy mobile donations, making the giving process more accessible and convenient for supporters.
How often do you think about donating and then forget? A simple text reminder and link to donate right from your phone can take care of that problem.
Challenge: You don’t want to be flooded with pleas, so nonprofits need to be careful to keep their asks in check.
3. Give Feedback
Nonprofits can use text messages to engage with their audience by sending surveys, polls, or asking for feedback. Share your opinion! This helps nonprofits understand supporter preferences, gather insights, and foster a sense of community. By actively involving supporters through text-based interactions, nonprofits can build stronger relationships.
You can reply to text messages with Rally and have a conversation with a nonprofit. It’s a quick way to share your thoughts, offer a high-five, or ask questions.
Challenge: Too many text platforms these days don’t allow replies, which means you either get crickets or a nonsensical response. Nonprofits need the right infrastructure in place.
4. Volunteer
You can volunteer via text message! Text messaging simplifies volunteer coordination by sending reminders, updates, and instructions directly to volunteers’ phones. Nonprofits can use texts to schedule shifts, provide event details, and send post-event appreciation messages. This can streamline communication and enhance the overall volunteer experience.
Putting details directly in your device means they’re at your fingertips—no wading through lost emails.
Challenge: Nonprofits need to embrace the digital age with the latest tools.
5. Advocacy and Calls to Action
Text messaging is a powerful tool for advocacy campaigns. How many times have you responded to an urgent need from a text message, whether a political campaign or a disaster response? Nonprofits can mobilize their supporters instantly by sending calls to action, urging them to contact legislators, participate in events, or share important information on social media. Text messages can be a catalyst for driving engagement and amplifying the impact of advocacy efforts.
Challenge: Most of us are happy to engage when needed, but nonprofits need to step up and make the ask. Text messaging is an ideal way to reach people where they are and not get lost in the noise.
Ready to Connect
For many of us, our phone is within reach all day long—and that’s a perfect way to support our favorite charities, causes, and nonprofit organizations. We’re ready and willing to connect. It’s up to nonprofits to embrace the new digital world.
James Martin is a three-time tech founder and servant leader with over two decades of experience. As the founder of Rally Corp, he helps charities rally people with a human-centered text messaging platform built exclusively for nonprofits and communities.
