Paul de Gregorio at Open Fundraising presents Is mobile technology the fundraisers' answer? at Lasa's Powering Up The Third Sector Technology Conference at IBM Forum London, 14 November 2011

1. Is Mobile Technology the
Fundraiser’s Answer?
Paul de Gregorio
@pauldegregorio
#lasatech11

2. What I’ll cover…
• Some data on mobile use
• Some great case studies
• What makes a great campaign
• Local charities and individuals
• 5 key things to take away
• Questions …

3. Everyone has a mobile
phone…

4. We love our mobile phones…
• 90% of us keep our phone within 1 metre
of us at all times.
• 81% smartphone users admit never
turning their phone off.
• 22% admit answering a call or sending a
text from the toilet.
• 54% 18-24 yr olds have given to charity
spontaneously because of technology.

5. How we use our phones…

6. To send SMS messages…

7. take photos…

8. and access the internet…

9. and to use apps…

10. YOU DON’T
NEED AN APP.

12. Our phones are getting
smarter

13. Smartphone use is growing…

14. Smartphone use in 2011

15. SMS is still the most popular
use…

16. Internet use up from 44% to
74%

17. “SMS is really really important”
Paul de Gregorio
Know it all, Lasa Conference, 2011

19. “SMS is the number one
priority for Coca Cola in
mobile”
Gavin Mehrota
Director International Media, Coca Co

20. “You need SMS to reach every
single person on the planet”
Gavin Mehrota
Director International Media, Coca Co

21. Why we should love SMS!
Anybody can send an SMS
You don’t need a smartphone to
send an SMS
SMS messages are cheap to
send and receive
91% of SMS messages are
read within an hour
SMS can lead to an enhanced
smartphone experience

26. SMS use in the UK…

27. How many texts sent every hour in 2009?

28. 11 million!

30. In 2009 100 billion texts were sent in the UK

31. 1,700 for every person in the UK

32. So is all this texting helping
fundraisers…

33. In the beginning there was SMS…

34. Save the Children Gaza Appeal

38. What happened next…
• An overwhelming response
• 180,000 texts in just a few days
• A decision to fundraise!

39. Fundraising outcome…
• Called majority prospects with a regular giving
ask
• c.9,000 new regular givers
• Huge prospect pool for future appeals
• Return on Investment of over 1:1

40. This was the moment that made the
sector stop and think…

41. … how do we do what Save the
Children did?

45. So we can use SMS to generate hand
raisers, who we can convert to monthly
giving…

46. But can we use SMS to actually raise
money?

47. Charities have to
pay VAT on my
donations!

48. Charities have to
pay VAT on my The networks keep
donations! up to 40% of my
donation!

49. Charities have to
pay VAT on my The networks keep
donations! up to 40% of my
donation!

53. Today almost all the UK
networks pass on 99% of the
donation

54. Text to donate
campaigns…

55. Christian Aid
Mosquito nets

60. 12% will say
yes to Direct
Debit

61. 88% say
NO!

63. “I don’t want to set up a Direct Debit.
Why can’t I give every month by text?”

66. So what makes a great SMS campaign…

68. Itch + Scratch = Relief

69. Clear Need + Clear Solution = Response

70. A child dies of malaria every 45 seconds

71. A £3 net will protect a child from the
disease

74. Complex Need + Vague Solution = No
Response

75. A quick word on media…

76. In 2 months
190,000 PSMS
Over £1 Million
East Africa 2011

77. In 2 months
190,000 PSMS
Over £1 Million
East Africa 2011

78. It’s easy if you’ve got a big budget!

79. What if you’ve got no budget…

81. The TEXT FOR TOMMY appeal…

83. What made this work…
A local story about a local hero
An accessible ask of just a £1
Huge interest from the local press
Full support of the football family

84. SMS is a great tool for your
fundraisers

85. Pic of grandad

88. Text …
PAUL71 £1
TO
70070

90. 27% of donations were given by SMS
12% of the value was given by SMS

92. Five things to take away…
• Define your itch and scratch
• Think creatively about where you put your
message
• Mobile optimise everything
• Test new things, expect to fail and have fun
• Help your donors use the available tools

93. QUESTIONS…

94. Paul de Gregorio
Head of Mobile, Open Fundraising
@pauldegregorio
paul.degregorio@openfundraising.com