Should Charities Collect Donors' Cellphone Numbers?

The article below is from Give and Take, the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s blogroll.  The author asks an interesting questions – “should charities collect donors’ cellphone numbers?”  She also asserts that nonprofits will turn off potential supporters by asking this question.

This is partially true – though I think the logic *might be* suspect.  What testing has found is that the more information you request (whether as part of an online or offline donation form, or even an event registration, etc.), the fewer people you’ll have complete the process.  That’s why the experts tell you to ask for name and e-mail address only for the initial registration for your online newsletter.  Very few people object to filling out those two pieces of information.

Once someone has opted into your communication stream, then you need to send them a full registration request.  It’s at that point that you might want to ask your donors or supporters for their cell phone numbers.  And to get the full registration done, you might in fact need to offer something very interestig in return.

Where I *might* (I say might because I could very well be wrong about my assumption here) disagree with the assumption is in the thinking that specifically the cell phone number is something people won’t want to give out.  That might be true right this minute – but the market is shifting – and I suspect that in the next few years cell phone numbers will be no less guarded than home phone or e-mail address are today. 

So I’d say yes – you should be actively trying to secure this data (and permission to use it) from your donors and other supporters.

Should Charities Collect Donors’ Cellphone Numbers?

By Holly Hall

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?

[Via http://nonprofitstrategies.wordpress.com]