Grassroots Organizations Text to Donate Campaigns

The Red Cross text to give campaign peaked many organizations’ interest in mobile giving campaigns. The problem is the service utilized for the campaign is only accessible to large organizations such as the Red Cross. mGive, the company that dominates the mobile giving market has the following pricing structure: http://www.mgive.com/Pricing.aspx.

MobilizeUs is interested in developing an alternative model for text to give campaigns that will be accessible to grassroots organizations. We are currently accepting request for partnerships to implement the following types of campaigns:

Basic Text In Campaign:
Description: This will be a campaign where the organization sets up a keyword, and when someone text that keyword, they receive a text message with a link that goes to a donation portal.

Cost: If the organization has the capacity to accept electronic donations, the only cost will be the below text messaging fees. If the organization does not have the capacity to receive electronic donations, MobilizeUs will do so for 6% of the donation amount, in addition to the below text messaging fees:
• Option A: Short code text ins (6 digit number): $50 one time setup fee, $25/month keyword rental $.10 per registration (includes the text in and auto response).
• Option B: Long code text ins (10 digit number): $50 one time setup fee $.035/message

Text to Generate Leads:
Description: The organization sets up a keyword, and when someone text that keyword, they receive a text message thanking them for their interest in making a donation and informing them they will receive a call to complete the payment. MobilizeUs is responsible for proving the organization with the list of text-in numbers, and the organization is responsible for making follow-up calls/collecting pledges.

Cost: If the organization has the capacity to accept electronic donations, the only cost will be the below text messaging fees. If the organization does not have the capacity to receive electronic donations, MobilizeUs will do so for 6% of the donation amount, in addition to the below text messaging fees:
• Option A: Short code text ins (6 digit number): $50 one time setup fee, $25/month keyword rental $.10 per registration (includes the text in and auto response).
• Option B: Long code text ins (10 digit number): $50 one time setup fee $.035/message

Text to Donate:
Description: The organization sets up a keyword, and when someone text that keyword, they receive a text message thanking them for their interest in making a donation and informing them they will receive a call to complete the payment. MobilizeUs will make follow-up calls to collect pledges within 24 hours of the text in.

Cost: MobilizeUs will receive 10% of the donation amount, in addition to the below text messaging fees:
• Option A: Short code text ins (6 digit number): $50 one time setup fee, $25/month keyword rental $.10 per registration (includes the text in and auto response).
• Option B: Long code text ins (10 digit number): $50 one time setup fee $.035/message

Contact Information:
Debra Brown
720-917-4900
Debra.Brown@MobilizeUs.com

Texting for Summer Camps

I guess it is because of my own experiences at camp growing up, but I was utterly shocked when our summer camp signed up to use the MobilizeUs group text messaging service. When I went to summer camp, we were not allowed to bring electronics, heck; we weren’t even allowed to have our loved ones send us treats in our care packages. In fact, it became quite the game to see which parents could find a hiding spots that would be overlooked by the people who rummaged through the care packages before they were given to their rightful owners. But today is a new day, and technology has become inseparable from everyday life. So why should it be any different at summer camp?

It certainly isn’t for our customers who use our texting service to send group texts to camp counselors, parents and even campers. The more I thought about it, the more it made perfect sense… especially for large summer camp programs with fifty or even hundreds of camp counselors.

First, there is the emergency application. If there is an intruder, or if Mother Nature decides to get nasty, what better way to prompt people with safety instructions then to send a mass SMS text message. Then there are the logistical issues. Sometimes counselors need reminders to take out the trash, turn in their keys, follow a special schedule, or show up for a team meeting. In all of these situations, it can make life a lot easier for camp administrators to simply send a text message from their phone (no internet necessary) that will instantly go directly to all the counselors. Or then again, they could continue to play the telephone game, which takes much longer, requires more people power… and of course as we all know tends to compromise the accuracy of the final message.

If you are an administrator of a camp program, and would like to learn more about how sending group texts might make your life easier, please feel free to Contact Us. Most camps qualify for our discounted non-profit pricing, which means you don’t have to break the bank to improve your internal communication.

MobilizeUs for… well… Mobilizing

Back when John and I started MobilizeUs we had a vision. The primary component of that vision was creating a communication tool that would enable grassroots organizations to quickly mobilize when it mattered most. Although we love all (OK, well, almost all) our customers, we get a particular satisfaction from working with organizations that use our group text messaging service to do just that. So you can imagine how excited I was when I got a call from a group looking to organize against the highly contentious Arizona “Immigration Bill” that was signed into law by the Arizona Governor a couple of weeks ago.

We are 100% committed to protecting our customers, so I will not go into the details about the group and how they are going to be using MobilizeUs to send out mass SMS text in their organizing campaign. I will however explain the components of our service that proved to be essential to meeting their group messaging needs. First, we were able to pull together a customized campaign within an hour of them contacting us. We were also able to deliver a solution none of our competitors can. In addition to providing a short code for people to send a text with a keyword to opt-in to their list, they are also able to utilize our long code for people who have carriers that are not supported by short codes. This is certainly not the first time the issue has come up. Many grassroots organizations work with low income people, and often times, these individuals have cell phone plans with small carriers that are not supported by short codes. MobilizeUs enables organizations to interact with these individuals, and that is powerful!

Equally important, we were able to put together a campaign that fit within their shoe-string budget. Many organizations don’t pursue mobile campaigns because they think they can’t afford it, and the truth of the matter is most of the services out there are largely inaccessible to grassroots organizations. The beauty of MobilizeUs is we have three different services we can mix and match into a customized hybrid solution that provides all the perks of doing a high end text campaign for a fraction of the cost.

If you know of an organization that wants to utilize a text messaging service, but thinks it’s too expensive, please send them our way!!!

Text Messaging to Raise Funds for Non-Profit Organizations

Last week, we had the opportunity to launch a really awesome campaign with some huge implications for sending Group SMS text messages in the non-profit sector.

The Trichotillomania Learning Center will be using the Mobilize Text Messaging Service for a really interesting and powerful outreach campaign. Trichotillomania is a medical condition characterized by the repeated urge to pull out scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows or other body hair. Most commonly, it leads to compulsive hair pulling. We were contacted by a staff member from the Learning Center who recognized the value of being able to reach out to people suffering from the condition via text message. In fact, they believe their clientele will appreciate the texts so much, they will be asking people who want to receive the messages to make a minimal contribution to the Trichotillomania Learning Center.

How cool is that??? Not only will they be providing people with much needed inspirational tips to help them overcome their condition, but at the same time they will be generating funds for their organization. Because of my background in the nonprofit sector, I can really appreciate the significance of what they are doing. Raising funds for non-profits is always challenging, and in times of economic turmoil, it becomes even more difficult. To further compound things, much of the available funding is restricted, which means the donor determines how the money is to be spent. So it is becoming increasingly important for nonprofit organizations to generate unrestricted funds by creating their own revenue streams. The bulk text messaging campaign the Trichotillomania Learning Center will be implementing through MobilizeUs does just that!!!!

This method of fundraising also has two significant benefits over tradition text to donate campaigns. First, instead of asking people to make a onetime contribution for the sake of making a contribution, the organization can generate monthly reoccurring revenue and simultaneously provide a service that advances their organization’s mission. At the same time, by implementing a group messaging campaign through MobilizeUs, an organization can determine how much it wants to charge people, where as text to donate campaigns restrict how much people can donate, and how frequently. One of the limitations is people cannot make a donation simply by texting a keyword to a short code, but with a little creativity, the same objective can be accomplished.

If you are a part of, or know of an organization that might benefit from such a non-profit group text messaging campaign, let us know!

Debra Brown – Debra.Brown@MobilizeUs.com or 720-917-4900 http://www.MobilizeUs.com

MobilizeUs for Responsible Partying

We were very excited when we discovered that one of the fraternities using the MobilizeUs group text messaging service was using it to coordinate designated drivers.  Without fail, around the time the bars close every Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, the Fraternity sends out a text blast informing members of the pledges on duty, their phone numbers, and the recommended meet up location for people wanting a safe ride home.  It is an incredibly gratifying feeling to know that our group texting service is being used to help keep people safe!

Of course there are several other ways in which the fraternity uses the text blasts.  They are a very active organization, and they frequently have to make schedule changes on the fly.  A couple examples of the time sensitive information they communicate via MobilizeUs are changes and cancellations to chapter meetings, house cleaning announcements and requests for “volunteers”, and lots of alerts for their pledges.  In fact, this fraternity even setup a separate group for their pledges to make sure “I didn’t know” can never be as excuse for the young gentleman who are trying to evade the pledge masters.

 In the words of the group administrator, “I have used many different websites to send out text messages and now I only use Mobilizeus.com. It is by far the easiest website to use and provides an amazing service for our fraternity. It makes communication between over 100 men extremely easy and the service is extremely reliable. One of the greatest things that MobilizeUs has to offer is that you can customize different groups so you can send messages to only a select few if you wish. Without MobilizUs, communication throughout the fraternity would not run efficiently or smoothly.”

Group Texting for Peer to Peer Communications

This week, we launched a program with StomperMobile (http://www.stompernet.com), a program that provides step-by-step training on nearly every aspect of Internet Marketing and Online Business.  The participants of the 200+ person class will be using MobilizeUs for peer to peer communications.  Some of the applications include sending out a text blast to inform their class mates when their mobile website are up and running, posing questions regarding material presented in the classes to their peers in real time, and sharing best practices or sending out blasts when someone makes a mistake they don’t want others to have to repeat. 

A similar application came to mind when my brother vented his frustration with trying to find out what his homework assignment was when he missed class.  Unfortunately, his teacher failed to respond to his email and phone call, and he didn’t have the phone numbers for any of his classmates.  If his class was using a MobilizeUs two-way texting group, he could have sent a text that would go to all his classmates that opted-in to the group asking what the homework assignment was, and anyone in the group could have an answered.  Since all messages are routed through the MobilizeUs system, the group members never even have to reveal their personal phone numbers… which can be pretty important when you are talking about a hormonal group of high school students.

In addition to professional groups and high school classes, the MobilzeUs group text messaging service also has broad appeal to fraternities/sororities, book clubs, hobby groups, student organizations, corporate sales forces, and any other peer to group looking to save time, energy, and stress by using two-way text messaging blasts.  If you are a member of such a group, why not give it a go.  With the MobilizeUs free trial, you have nothing to lose.  You can setup a demo group by going to: http://www.MobilizeUs.com, or for more information, contact Debra at debra.brown@MobilizeUs.com.

Mass Texting for Baby Alerts

A couple weeks ago, my friend approached me about using MobilizeUs for an application I had never even thought about… sending out baby alerts.  She was eight months pregnant, and with her due-date around the corner she wanted to make sure everything would be perfect for the arrival of her little girl.  One of the things she was concerned about was making sure everyone received notification once the baby arrived.  She is one of those people who does everything and then some, so she has a quite large social network.  Even though it was her first child, she had the foresight to recognize that in the heat of the moment, there is no way she would be able to contact everyone she wanted announcing the baby’s birth.  But she realized if she could setup an automated text message “phone tree” she could send one blast out that would ensure no one would be left out of the baby announcement.    

 So she compiled a list of the cell phone numbers for all the people she cared about, and sent them an email telling them they would be getting a text from the “Peanut Text Alert” text messaging group, and to please accept the invitation.  After everyone opted-in to receive her baby text alerts, she made her husband save one of the MobilizeUs phone numbers in his blackberry, so when the time came, all he had to do was send a text to the number and presto, everyone on the list would be notified.  On Saturday afternoon, I received a message announcing the early but healthy birth of a baby girl!!!

 Do you know anyone who is expecting a baby?  Perhaps you might recommend MobilizeUs to them to ensure they can quickly and easily inform all their friends and family when the baby arrives.  After all, new parents have more important things to worry about than making sure they don’t hurt anyone’s feelings by failing to notify them of their baby’s arrival!

Text Messaging for the Staffing Industry

Today I came across an excellent article about text messaging applications in the staffing industry.  It appears in the April addition of the “Staffing Industry Review Magazine”

 The article contained quotes or references to conversations with over twelve individuals who hold various positions at a wide range of staffing firms.  The commonality they share is the success they have had with integrating text messaging into their strategy.  For example, numerous people stated that they are able to get responses from job seekers much quicker when they send text messages versus leaving voicemails or sending emails.  Tracy Qamou, director of recruiting operations for Manpower Business Solutions explains, “It (text messaging) gives us increased efficiency. We’re able to get faster turnaround time with candidates.”   

 The article also lists a variety of ways staffing industry recruiters are using texting to connect with candidates:

• Letting them know about job opportunities
• Seeing if they are available for an interview
• Wishing them good luck before an interview
• Providing them with directions to an interview
• Making sure they made it to an interview okay
• Inquiring as to how their interview went
• Reminding them to turn in their time card
• Letting them know they have gotten some feedback on their performance
• Telling them to check their voicemail or email for a more detailed message

 But it’s not all roses, and the author of the article, Julie McCoy does an excellent job of summarizing the plus minus breakdown of using texting in the staffing industry:

 Benefits of Texting

• Most people have a cell phone and carry it with them all the time, so recruiters are able to receive a quick response.
• You can reach somebody who is in a meeting.
• Like email, it is possible to send mass text messages to candidates.
• Texting is a good way of reaching candidates who are currently employed.
• Unlike email, there isn’t a possibility that a text message could be filtered.
• Texting can be good for multitasking.

 Disadvantages

• Like email, there isn’t any personal touch.
• Some people don’t have unlimited texting plans and therefore get charged every time they send and receive a message.
• Texting is not a good method to use if you have a lot to say.
• Texting involves using an informal tool for formal communication, which leaves the opportunity for misunderstanding.
• When recruiters are sending a text for business-related purposes, their staffing company isn’t able to track this productivity.

 In my humble opinion, the pros outweigh the cons, and I am clearly not alone.  When talking about text messaging in the staffing industry, Christa Delk, senior VP for the sales and marketing division of firstPRO sums it up best. “People like it. It’s a better way to communicate. It’s a little less intrusive for them. You can reach a lot more folks more efficiently. We have gotten good response and feedback from it.”

 If you are involved with the staffing industry, and would like to give text message blasts a go, why not setup a free, no-risk trail program with MobilizeUs   You stand to gain a lot more than you lose by giving the mobile technology a chance!

Flip-Flops to Snow Boots Faster Than You Can Say Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!

I don’t know when it started snowing, but as I look out the window it is clear there is no end in sight.  It is hard to believe that only yesterday I was wearing flip-flops and a t-shirt.  As a Colorado native, you think I would be used to the weather fluctuation by now, but it always catches me off guard.  Judging by the spike in activity of Colorado based MobilizeUs groups I am not the only one. 

You might think it’s a no brainer… if it is snowing the tennis matches and baseball practices will be cancelled.  Why in the world would anyone need to send out a message stating the obvious?  But the truth of the matter is alternate plans need to be communicated quickly, and for that our teams rely on MobilizeUs.  But it’s not just the sports teams that increase their group texting usage when the weather takes a turn for the worst… we see professional and social networking groups sending out a flurry of messages announcing event cancelations, and rescheduling plans. 

 On the flip side of that, I have had the unfortunate experience of showing up for an event that was cancelled due to weather, but they never bothered to inform the attendees.  I bundled up, drove 5 mph for 40 minutes only to find there was only a hand full of other people who were operating under the assumption that it’s game on unless the organizer says otherwise… and no, the organizer was not one of those people!

 Do you have a story like that?  A situation in which you would have loved to get a group text message?  If you do, please share.

A 1/4 tank of gas and a bunch of time…

What do a quarter tank of gas and a bunch of time have in common? 

 Both were saved for the parents of the Boulder High School Baseball team thanks to the MobilizeUs Group Text Messaging Service.

 It was 7:00 in the morning when Coach Disbrow received a call from the Fort Collins baseball coach telling him due to rain, they were cancelling the game.  The problem was the game was scheduled for 8:00 AM, and the Boulder High School carpools had already left!  If this incident had happened a couple years ago, the team would have been SOL because back then, they relied on a weather hotline and email.  So while parents very well may have called into the weather hotline before they hopped in their cars to make the hour drive to Fort Collins, once they hit the road it was of no use.    

 But the BHS no longer relies on a weather hotline because they have the MobilizeUs Group Text Messaging Service.  The second Coach Disbrow got off the phone with the Fort Collins Coach he pulled over to the side of the road and sent a text to MobilizeUs that was instantly relayed to all the parents and players. 

 Within minutes all the carpools received the news and turned around, thus saving them time and gas.

 It’s experiences like these that have lead Coach Disbrow to say, “Mobilize Us has been a great tool for our baseball program. It allows us to communicate information to players and parents quickly and efficiently. We use the service almost daily, and it allows us to make last minute changes to our schedule, and still be sure that everyone receives the change. It makes a coaches life much easier!”

Do you play on a sports team that could benefit from communicating faster and more efficiently? Why not give MobilizeUs a go and find out why it is a coach’s best friend?