Text, Texting Away
One more post on ‘new media’ — if we can still apply that term to texting — then The Agitator will get back to real fundraising.
Seriously though, I’m not the Luddite I appear to be … hey, I sent two text messages today.
However, that does mean I’m dragging down the curve, according to the latest figures released by Pew Research.
According to Pew, for the American adult texting population as a whole (83% of US adults own cell phones and 73% of those text), the average user sends or receives an average of 41.5 messages on a typical day, with the median user sending or receiving 10 texts daily. This level of usage is the same as reported in 2010.
But hold on to your shorts, the median cell owner age 18-24 sends or receives 50 messages a day … and the average for this tap, tapping cohort is 109.5 messages per day.
Keep in mind that where smartphones are involved, texting is on top of all other uses , including checking email, taking photos, web/social net browsing, using various apps … and even talking. As for talking, 53% of cell owners still prefer to be reached that way if someone needs to reach them.
Most interesting to me is the education factor — against a mean for all users of 41.5 texts per day, the numbers are: for less than high school, 69.4 (I get that … kids); for HS diploma, 45.4; some college, rises to 53.0; College+, drops to 23.8. Most of the professionals I see seem to be texting more than that.
All in all … as a fundraiser, I’d still rather have your email address than your cell number. Any disagreement on that?
Tom
4 responses to “Text, Texting Away”
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Oh yes Tom – I disagree! Don’t forget that a mobile is still a phone! And in that case it gives me the most powerful tool I’ve got, after a face to face ask. Plus, certainly in the UK, it’s more and more likely to be the only phone my constituents have – so I want those cell numbers!
And then just think – I could send someone a nice little text after our conversation – right away – “Great to talk to you Tom and so glad you’re becoming one of our supporters. Stuff’s in the mail to you tomorrow and here’s a link”
This is multichannel built into one method…
If it is an either or, I would agree, but you really need to be getting both.
Email is used more than social media, total searches, and total pageviews COMBINED. Don’t believe me: http://blogs.smartertools.com/2011/08/29/the-value-of-email/
If your target is boomers, as it should be, email will be THE form of communication, unless…
The almost constant and exclusive use of text messages by Gen-X/Y forces boomers to switch methods to keep in touch with their kids.
Then email becomes primarily a business tool. Does that mindset affect fundraising via email? Not sure, but my guess is yes.
At some point cell phone number will be as valuable as email address, in the same way that email addresses are as valuable as street addresses.
The question is: “Do we repeat the same mistake we made with email addresses and wait to start to collect and cultivate cell phone numbers until they are of obvious value, or do we start collecting cell phone numbers now trusting that the additional experience we gain will be invaluable in the future?”
Tom,
My NGO’s parent organization gave us a mobile texting service. We have used it to collect over 300 (and counting) new names. Our parent organization recommends we correspond with these folks via a soft touch every 6-8 weeks. After 3 or 4 soft touches that ideally produce some value, we can make “the ask.” Your thoughts on this approach? Admittedly, it may not be our bread and butter, but it’s 300 names we wouldn’t otherwise have.
Would love some feedback.
Thanks!
Great question! For existing supporters I’d want both!
But for prospects, I’d want their mobile number. If you get a mobile number you get to call. When you call you can talk about monthly giving. And a call delivers a higher monthly giving response than an email.
I’m convinced that SMS is the killer app when it comes to recruiting new donors. SMS is instant and doesn’t involve sharing personal data in the form of name, address, bank account or credit card number, all things that can be a barrier to giving. I blogged about it some more here http://bit.ly/pDWGKJ
There are lots and lots of brilliant examples of SMS campaigns in the UK. Some of the ones the agency I work for have been involved in …
Christian Aid http://bit.ly/pwMIFg
UNICEF UK http://bit.ly/nXdWO0
Great blog as always – are you going to IFC this year?