February 18, 2010 | Read Time: 1 minute
Are donors willing to give their cellphone numbers to charity?
Allyson Kapin, a marketing consultant, notes in Frogloop that the recent success by the American Red Cross—which raised more than $31-million through cellphone text messages after the Haitian earthquake—has many charities eager to try mobile fund raising. To do that effectively, however, charities needs to gather the cellphone numbers of potential supporters.
But doing so might be hard. Charities that require people to provide a cellphone number—when making a donation, signing a petition, or joining an event—could put off many potential supporters, she acknowledges.
Still, with a growing number of Americans giving up their land lines in favor of mobile phones, Ms. Kapin notes, organizations may find that people are increasingly willing to share their cell numbers.
During the presidential election, organizations like Rock the Vote say people under age 30 were often willing to share their cellphone numbers. And the Obama campaign told those who did that they would be the first to learn who the candidate’s running mate was.
To get people to willingly offer their cellphone numbers in the same way, Ms. Kapin writes, “nonprofits would hve to find a compelling enough hook.”
Does your organization collect cellphone numbers of donors and other constituents? If so, how have you motivated people to share this information?
