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In a world dominated by instant communication, sending a simple yet impactful thank you message can bridge the gap between donors and the causes they hold dear. Short donation message examples abound, and we will look at some of the best practices here so your ‘thank you donor’ message ensures a long and fruitful association between the two of you.
From heartfelt templates to real-world examples, explore the art of expressing gratitude with the ease and immediacy of a text message.
Short donation messages examples
So, what is a short donation message? This text message is a concise expression of gratitude, a request, or even a reminder sent to donors. As text messages, they tend to be read more than emails and are brief yet impactful.
Remember: Keep it short. You have 160 characters and you need to make the most of it. Donors should be able to get the gist (and be convinced or feel acknowledged) from just a glance.
Key elements to include in your SMS:
- Personalization: Use the donor’s name to create a sense of connection and appreciation. You don’t want your important reminders to get lost in the noise. Text message personalization is the best way to avoid that.
Personalizing the message with details like your contact’s name makes it less likely for them to ignore your message.
In CallHub, you can use ‘merge tags’ to ensure every message from your broadcast texts is personalized.
- Express Gratitude: Acknowledge their past support and briefly mention the positive outcomes or impact it has facilitated.
Highlight a Specific Need: Clearly communicate the purpose of the donation and how it contributes to your organization’s current goals or projects.
- Call-to-Action: Clearly state the action you want the donor to take, whether clicking a donation link, replying with a pledge amount, or another specific action.
Provide Easy Instructions: Make it simple for the donor to contribute by including a donation link or instructions on how to proceed.
- Sign off Personally: Sign the message with your name and your organization’s name to add a personal touch.
Here are a few examples of short donation messages:
Asking donation messages examples
Crafting an effective SMS asking for a donation requires a balance of clarity, gratitude, and a compelling call to action.
For example, “231,000 dogs were killed in shelters in 2022. Every $5 can save 4 puppies in 2023. Give now” (link). Short and to the point.
Here are some asking donation messages templates you can consider after tweaking them for your purpose –
- Hi, (first name), Last year, thanks to donors like you, we (mention impact in numbers). Would you donate in 2023? Give now (link)
- Our (program name) has helped (impact in numbers) so far. With your donation, we can do so much more. Help us bridge the gap today!
- Hi, (first name), did you know (a statistic that can be easily understood)? You have the power to make a difference by donating. Give now: (link)
How about a real-life example?
- “Let’s show up for the people who show up for us every day and every night. Text ‘BRAVE’ to 24365 to donate.”
That was the line for the ‘First Responders Children’s Foundation,’ which made an advertisement with Ryan Seacrest—a classic example of a ‘text to donate,’ which made a strong impact.
Text to donate for donation requests:
Text to donate is the perfect addition to your text messaging reach-out efforts. Here at CallHub, you can set up a text-to-donate campaign in just four steps.
Step 1: Select the option to create a ‘Text to Join’ campaign.
Step 2: Select a phone number and keyword of your choice for the campaign
Step 3: Create a new contact list to save the numbers of those who opt-in.
Step 4: Craft the message (don’t forget the link) to be sent to the donor as a response when they send in the keyword.
Continue your relationship with a donor text examples
Consistent communication fosters ongoing collaboration, encouraging donors to become dedicated supporters of your cause. By highlighting new initiatives or showcasing the continued need, these messages prompt repeat donations, sustaining the financial support vital for the nonprofit’s success and mission fulfillment.
Make sure you name the people the donor helped. As this 2015 study shows, “individuals (tend) to offer greater help to specific, identifiable victims than anonymous, statistical victims.
For example: “Hi, John. Your support helped Max go from homeless to a full-time job in just 8 months. Donate another $100 to repeat the magic in 2023 (link).”
Here are some templates for you to try:
- Hi (first name), your donation of (amount) helped us (impact in numbers). Please donate again if you want to continue supporting (one-word description). (link)
- Thank you, (first name)! Your (amount) means the world to (impact)! Ready to make a difference again? Donate now at (link)
- Hey (first name)! You’re a hero in our book. Ready to continue your legacy of giving? Click (link) to support our cause. Much gratitude!’
Donor retention is essential for all nonprofits. If you take a look at the graph below, it will show you how retaining just 1% of your donors can improve your nonprofit fundraising efforts.
Create urgency in your donation request
Urgent messages encourage donors to act promptly, deterring delays and enhancing the probability of their active participation. Messages emphasizing “now” and “today” compel donors to give immediately, underscoring the significance of prompt contributions in addressing urgent needs or opportunities andensuring immediate impact.
Here are some sample templates:
- Christmas should be a joyful time. Give (the impacted community) a reason to celebrate with a gift they will remember. (Link)
- Hi, (first name). You can be a hero before the year ends in 15 days. All you need to do is send (keyword) in the next 2 days to transform the holidays (link)
- Hi, (first name). (org name) is just (amount) from meeting our fundraising goals for the year. Help us reach the finish line before (add a day of the week – Monday, Friday, etc.) (link)
Pledge reminder messages
Sending pledge reminder text messages is vital to ensure donations materialize by serving as gentle prompts, maintaining donor engagement, and preventing oversights.
These reminders reinforce timely fulfillment and securing the financial support crucial for the nonprofit’s sustained operations and impact. In a busy world, these messages act as helpful nudges.
Remember to –
- Send at least two reminders—a few days apart
- Remind donors about their pledged amount and the deadline
- Provide donation links or easy ways to give in your message
Here are some templates you can consider:
- Hi (first name), your pledge makes a difference! Please remember to fulfill it today. Click (link) to contribute. Thank you!
- Don’t forget (first name)! Your pledged support helps us thrive. Click (link) to fulfill your commitment now. Appreciate your generosity!
- Hi (first name), time to turn your pledge into action! Click (link) and make a lasting impact today. Your support matters!
In CallHub, you can set up a text reminder campaign to send auto-replies based on keywords that you receive.
You have the option of sending them reminders through a broadcast texting campaign. All you need to do is select your contact list, enter your message, and schedule a time for it to go out.
Thank you donor message
Sending a thank you message is not just a courteous gesture; it’s a strategic way to nurture relationships, inspire ongoing support, and demonstrate the impact of the donor’s generosity.
Expressing gratitude through SMS reinforces transparency and accountability, demonstrating that the organization values its donors and is committed to keeping them informed about the use of their contributions. It provides an opportunity to highlight the impact of the donor’s contribution, showing them the tangible difference their support is making toward the organization’s goals and mission.
Remember to –
- Send a thank you message right after your fundraiser
- Inform them of the goal you achieved
- Add the impact on your target group in your thank you donor message
Looking for a tool that offers both texting (SMS and MMS) solutions? CallHub’s the one you’re looking for. Sign up for free and give it a go!
Here are some templates for you to consider –
- Dear (first name). Thank you! Because of your generosity, we can (impact in numbers). Every drop matters!
- Hi, (first name). Thank you so much for your generous gift! Your contribution enables our campaign to accomplish (specific goal). Thanks again!
- Hi, (first name). The dedicated support of donors like you keeps our lights on and helps us to fulfill our mission. Thank you from all of us here!
Tips to write short donation messages on your texting tools
A request to donate via SMS often succeeds where a direct debit request fails. According to short message stats, 25% of donors complete their donations on mobile devices. Further, as this report states – 98% of Millennials own a smartphone, and 37% have used it to donate.
But these numbers aside, the proof – as they say – is simply in the numbers. Take one of the most famous ‘Text-to-Give’ campaigns -the Red Cross raised over $43 million for Haiti earthquake relief through a text-to-give campaign. Those numbers cannot be ignored.
Here are things to keep in mind when you craft your message –
Use the 160-character limit as your metric.
Shorter messages ensure clarity and urgency, conveying the donation request efficiently and increasing the likelihood of donor engagement. The 160-character limit also respects the constraints of SMS, delivering a concise and compelling call to action that encourages immediate response – in a single SMS message.
Note that longer messages will still appear as one for recipients; but they will cost you more.
Shorten and personalize your links.
URLs are technically addresses. But memorability has become the buzzword in donations. So don’t consume space by listing the technical link. For example, this – https://organisationname.org/campaign/donatenow.com is too long. Ensure your links are shortened using your messaging tools.
CallHub has implemented the URL short links feature to accommodate all these drawbacks and reduce your efforts. You can shorten a link, use it in a campaign, track conversions, and run follow-up campaigns with the results—all in one place.
Shortened URLs can be created from the Script section during the campaign creation process. Click on the “Shorten URL” section and paste your long URL (with campaign tags) there, and the system will generate a short URL which you can copy and paste into the message.
Add automatic replies with different messaging for broadcasts.
You can send scheduled messages over time or automatic replies based on keywords received. The automatic replies can be set up to respond to whoever replies to the initial texts, providing more information or an RSVP link.
The scheduled messages can be set up as gentle reminders to people over a set period of time leading up to a fundraiser or event.
This sort of gentle reminder increases the likelihood that donors will respond to the request as they encounter it multiple times. This approach helps build a sense of urgency and commitment.
You can see how to do this on CallHub in the screengrab below.
You should use such tools to ensure you send an automated ‘thank you’ to every donation received.
Add rich text capabilities to your message.
Use the rich text options offered by your messaging platform whenever possible. This includes a ‘What you see is what you get’ text editor and using formats like ‘bold’.
Convert to MMS where possible.
People are eight times more likely to click on a link in an MMS text message than a plain text message.
Want more responses and clicks and reduce opt-outs from your text messages? Enhance your messages with MMS messaging. Add images, gifs, videos, PDFs, audio clips, and rich media to your messages.
Keep in mind: MMS does have different rates than standard SMS
On CallHub’s bulk MMS software, you can set up a text campaign, as you usually do, and add media elements to convert them into MMS texts.
Ultimately, leveraging short messages for donations offers nonprofits a powerful tool to connect with donors in an era dominated by mobile communication. By incorporating recurring messages, nonprofits can sustain donor interest, build a sense of urgency, and drive the continued support needed to advance their missions.
The power of concise and repeated communication intersects with the generosity of donors, making SMS a formidable ally for nonprofits striving to make a lasting impact. We hope these short donation messages examples help you meet your goals!
