writing

Do You Really Talk Like That?

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, marketing, writing
Imagine that you are donor and you receive a newsletter from a nonprofit organization that you support.  As you read it, you come across phrases like generate social capital and culture-focused projects.  Does it make you want to read more, or put it aside and go on to your next piece of mail?

One of the keys to good writing is to be conversational.  Many nonprofit communications (newsletters, fundraising letters, etc) are not conversational and tend to be impersonal and abstract.

Don’t worry. it’s easy to fix this.  Here are a few ways to make your writing more conversational.

Write in the second person
Refer to your reader as you and your organization as we.  Since you want to be donor-focused, use you more than we.

Write as if you are talking to a friend. You may want to create donor personas to help you with that. How to Develop Donor Personas for Your Nonprofit

Ditch the jargon
Most industries have some type of insider language.  I think people like to use it because it makes them feel like they are “in the know.”

The problem is when this language starts creeping into your fundraising letters and newsletter articles.  Terms like capacity building and direct service don’t mean anything to most of your donors. Personally, I’d like to see nonprofit folks stop using jargon so much among themselves.

I found the examples cited above in a nonprofit newsletter I recently received.  I’m not sure what this organization is trying to convey when they say generate social capital. Are they talking about economic benefits or community building?

Donors want specific examples of how you are making a difference by helping homeless families find affordable housing or showing how your tutoring program boosts kids’ reading skills.

The culture-focused project referred to students creating a flag from their “country of origin.”  Why not tell a story about Sarah and Maria’s experience working on this project and include some quotes from the girls?

If you are not sure you are using jargon, this might help. Jargon Finder 

Don’t use the passive voice 
I’m not a fan of the passive voice. It weakens your writing, and if you use it in a conversation, you sound pretentious.

Instead of saying 200,000 meals were served at the Riverside Community Food Bank, say thanks to you (remember your donor) we served 200,000 meals….. 

Use strong, active verbs and limit passive verbs (is, was) as much as possible.

Back to school
Many major newspapers write at a sixth to eighth grade level  and so should you.  This is not dumbing down; you are making your stories easy to read and understand.  When you use big words, you are confusing and alienating your readers.

The Flesch Kinkaid tool in the review section of Word can be helpful.  It gives you readability statistics, number of passive sentences, and grade level.

Make this a priority
Your writing needs to be conversational so you can create clear and engaging messages.

You might want to read your letter/article out loud, or have someone outside your organization look at it.  I don’t always like to recommend multiple editors, and perhaps this is one of the reasons for flat writing, but what may be clear to you might not make sense to others.

Keep all this is mind as you start to craft your fall annual appeal letters and thank you letters. 

Your donors are busy and receive messages from a variety of sources besides yours.  Make your letter, email message, or social media post something they will take the time to read. 

Read below for more information to help you make your writing clear and specific.
Instead of Help, Support, Resources and Services
Crafting Fundraising Letters: What To Say Instead of “Programs and Services”

Time To Thank Your Donors

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing
Do you remember the commercial from years back where the Dunkin Donuts baker would rise each morning and declare?  “Time to make the donuts.”  Time to make the Donuts  Well, it’s time for you to thank your donors.
Of course, it’s always time to thank your donors, and you should be showing gratitude on a regular basis, not just after you have received a gift.  But take it up a notch and do something really special this month.
You may be thinking, why now?  It’s not Thanksgiving, the holidays, or Valentine’s Day.  Precisely.  Your donors probably won’t be expecting anything and should be pleasantly surprised. Send something early in the summer before your donors start to go on vacation.
Keep in mind that if your donors don’t feel appreciated, they may not donate again.
Here are a few things to help get you started and some different ways to thank your donors.
Create a good photo
The first thing you should do is find or take some great photos.  Maybe one where you get people together to hold a thank you sign.  Here are a few examples.  The first one is actually a video, but you can do the same thing with a photo.

Create a “Thank You” video 
HOW DO I THANK THEE, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS? LET ME COUNT THE WAYS…
You could also show your work in action.  Whatever you decide, be sure it’s engaging.  
Make a list of accomplishments
Choose a few accomplishments you have achieved so far this year and share those with your donors.  Remember to focus on how your donor is helping you make a difference for the people you serve.
Send a thank you card
Take that great photo and use it to create a note card or postcard.  It’s a good idea to invest in one of these, so you can have them on hand to send to volunteers and board members, as well as donors.  If cost is an issue, you could get a print shop to do it pro bono or find a corporate sponsor.  You could also just buy some thank you cards, but something that references your organization would be better.
Thank you cards are small, so you only need a few sentences.  Get a group together to write them – staff, board members, volunteers, even clients (if feasible).  Here’s a great suggestion of throwing a card shower. MANY, MANY, MANY THANKS 
Think about investing in note cards or a postcard.  Handwritten notes make a difference.
Email works, too
In addition to thank you notes, you can send out an email thank you.  You may also choose email if mailing cards is too hard to pull off.
Just because you are sending email,doesn’t mean you should skimp on quality.  Use an engaging photo and share some of those accomplishments.  Write a really heartfelt message and make it look nice.
Create a video
It’s so much easier to make videos now.  Think about creating a special thank you video.  The example I included above features different people connected with the organization saying thank you. This link includes a few more examples.  Our Favorite Nonprofit Thank You Videos 

Your video doesn’t need to be long, either.  A minute or less is perfect. 
You can use this video in an email message, in social media, and on your website.
These are just a few suggestions of ways to thank your donors right now.  Keep thanking them all year round, too.  Thank Your Donors All Year Round 

How are you thanking your donors?

Conquering Your Communication Challenges – Getting People To Respond To Your Messages

Ann Green Communications, fundraising, marketing, writing
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been writing about different ways to conquer some of your communication challenges.  Another challenge that nonprofit organizations face is that people aren’t responding to their messages.
 
There can be a number of reasons for this.  Perhaps it is one of the following.
 
Your content isn’t strong enough
In my last post I wrote about creating engaging content, which is most often success stories where you show your donor how they are helping you make a difference.
 
Let’s use a fundraising letter as an example.  Some of the key components should include a story, an ask, thanking donors for their past gift, how their money will be spent, what you have accomplished, and what you plan to do in the future.
 
When creating content, remember the four C’s – clear, concise, conversational, and compelling. The 4 Cs of Writing Good Content
 
Besides being well written, your messages need to be easy to read and navigate.  Use short paragraphs with lots of white space and at least a 12-point font.  If your email message or web page is a cluttered mess with tiny type, your supporters are less likely to read it.
 
Here is more on creating good content.
 
It Ain’t Natural
You are reaching out to the wrong audience
Maybe not the “wrong” audience, but a weaker one.  Your current donors are more likely to give to your annual appeal than other supporters, such as email list subscribers.  You also probably won’t have as much success with event attendees or mailing to a cold list.
 
If you are holding an event, you should get a better response if you post an announcement on your Facebook page as opposed to the events calendar in your local paper.  Get social on social media and take it a step further.  Ask your followers to spread the word about your event, as well as help you recruit volunteers and even raise money.
 
You may also be using the wrong channels.  Perhaps your donors don’t use Twitter very often.
 
This is why you need to know your audience.  If you have limited resources, which is the case for many nonprofits, don’t spend a lot of time and energy reaching out to a weak audience.
 
Once is not enough
Maybe you do have strong messages and you are reaching out to a good audience, but your supporters still aren’t responding.  Well, these folks are busy and are barraged with messages from a variety of sources.  That’s why you need to send your message again (and again).
 
You should never send out one fundraising letter and sit around and wait for the money to flow in, because it will come in as a trickle.  Remind your donors via email, social media, your website, phone, and maybe even another letter.  The same goes for promoting events.
 
Keep track of your response rate, because if it’s not as strong as you would like it to be, you can often fix it.
 
Here are some other reasons why your messages may not be getting a response.  You should be able to avoid the first one if you reach out to the right audience.

 

Why Your Fundraising Copy Isn’t Fundraising
How do you get people to respond to your messages?

Conquering Your Communication Challenges – Creating Engaging Content

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, marketing, writing

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been writing about how to conquer some of your communication challenges.  Another challenge many nonprofit organizations face is coming up with engaging content on a regular basis.

Do you find yourself saying any of the following?

We’re having trouble getting organized
Your biggest ally here is an editorial calendar.  How to Create an Editorial Calendar You can do one for the year, but also break it down into smaller components. This doesn’t need to take a lot of time, and it’s a huge time-saver overall. Each month figure out what you will include in your newsletter. Every week decide how you are going to connect with your supporters. Spend 15-20 minutes a day looking for content you can share on social media. 

Your editorial calendar will include time-sensitive content, such as events or that April is national volunteer month, as well as evergreen content – stories you can use at any time.  

We don’t know what to write about
Your content should focus on how you are making a difference for the people/community you serve.  You have good stories to tell.  Work with your program staff to create a story bank to use for your annual appeal, website, newsletter, etc.  You can also include profiles of clients, donors, board members, volunteers, and staff.   

Don’t forget to thank your donors in your newsletter and other updates.  Avoid stories that are more focused on your organization, such as obtaining new computers for your staff, unless you can tie that back to your mission.

Here is more information on creating stories.

How Story Trumps Description
Do You Have Good Stories To Tell?
Use measurement and analytics to see what types of content hit home with your supporters.  Most likely it will be success stories that emphasize how they are helping you make a difference.

We don’t a lot of time to do this
I covered time constraints in my last post, and this is a challenge for many organizations. 

Nonprofits do need to communicate often with their supporters.  Try to reach out once a week.  If that’s impossible, aim for every other week.  It’s not as daunting as you may think. Planning and strategy always helps.

Some consistency is good for your newsletter.  Use a template that you can fill in each month. Maybe you will always include a success story or a profile. Also, keep in mind that your newsletter only needs a few articles.

Your supporters are busy and will appreciate short messages. In addition to your monthly newsletter, you can reach out with a brief update, advocacy alert, or one-question survey.  Another way to connect is to share the outcome of your advocacy alert or the results from your survey.

Use the same content in different channels.  For example include links to your newsletter, as well as updates, advocacy alerts, and surveys on Facebook and Twitter.

Another good way to engage is to post a photo of your program in action on social media.  A great photo can tell a story in an instant. 
Don’t Just Post Photos. Post Stories!
I hope this helps you conquer the some of the challenges of creating engaging content.  How do you handle this challenge?

Make Your Newsletter Shine

Ann Green Communications, marketing, writing

In our social media world, is a newsletter still a relevant form of communication?  It can be, if it’s done well, which it often isn’t. 

Marketing consultant Kivi Leroux Miller recently surveyed a number of nonprofit organizations and found a majority of the respondents were either somewhat satisfied or not satisfied with their newsletter.  Some of the responses she received included organizations weren’t getting the response rates they wanted and they were unclear on their goals.
Nonprofit Email Newsletter Happiness
Leroux Miller also asked a more specific question about newsletter goals and found over half of the respondents had rather vague goals  like “Keep people informed about the work of our organization.” and “Remind people we are here and doing good work,” as opposed to 10% who replied “share results and gratitude with current donors.”
I Was Afraid of This: E-Newsletter Goals
How does your newsletter fare?  Do you have strong goals?

As I mentioned above, newsletters still have a role in nonprofit communications.  Here are a few ways to make your newsletter shine.

Make it visual
Your donors are busy and don’t have a lot of time to read your newsletter, and likely won’t read all of it (sad, but true).  That’s why it needs to be visual.

Whether you have a print or electronic newsletter, use pictures.  With an electronic newsletter, you could include a link to a video.  Showcase engaging photos and video of your work in action. Tell a visual story.

Be reader-friendly
Continuing with the visual theme, make your newsletter is easy to read and scan. Use bold headings, short paragraphs, and at least a 12-point font.  Make sure your headings convey enough information to give your readers the gist of your stories.

Consider including just the opening paragraph in your electronic newsletter with a link to your website, so you are not cluttering up the screen with lots of text.

Short and sweet
The problem with many newsletters is they are too long. A monthly newsletter only needs three or four stories. Think quality over quantity.

Engage your readers
Another problem with newsletters is they are boring.  Your donor wants to be thanked and hear how you making a difference for the people you serve.  They are not as interested in hearing that your CEO received 
an award from the Chamber of Commerce.

Lead with a story that shows how you are helping people.  Use the inverted pyramid and put your most important story first. 

You can include profiles of board members and volunteers, but tie it back to how you are making difference.

Write in the second person and draw in your readers by being personal and conversational.

Be professional
No matter the size of your organization, make sure your newsletter looks professional.  Give it a consistent look, such as always having your logo in the same place.  Using an email service provider can help with that. 

Use other channels to promote your newsletter
Include links to your newsletter on social media.  This can be useful in case your donor misses your original email.  Also, include links to your newsletter on your website.

Make it mobile friendly
Many of your donors will read your newsletter on a mobile device, so make sure it fits nicely on the screen.  Here’s some information to help you with that. 
How to Format Your Nonprofit Newsletter
Measure your success
One way to monitor your success is to measure click through rates.  That may not give you all the information you need.  You can also survey your readers at least once a year to get their feedback.

Take into account what you have learned.  If you are struggling with your newsletter, figure out why. 

You will have more success with your newsletter if you produce one that’s easy to read and filled stories about how you are making a difference.  Make it shine!

The Communication Journey

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, marketing, writing

Marketing expert Seth Godin recently blogged Communication is a path, not an event 

In short, it’s not a one-time thing.  While he focuses more on sales, this also applies to all your nonprofit fundraising and marketing.  You don’t just send a fundraising letter or even a thank you letter and not communicate again for awhile.  It’s an ongoing process. 

Here are few ways to ensure a successful communication journey.

Lots of drops will help your garden grow
Godin ends his post by saying “Drip, drip, drip.”  Drip marketing is a strategy where you send a series of messages to prospects.  An example would be sending welcoming messages to prospective donors before making an ask.  The term’s origin is thought to have come from a gardening technique in which small amounts of water are fed to plants over a long period of time. 

This is a helpful analogy to consider when you communicate with your donors and other supporters.  Read on for more information about drip campaigns. How to Create an Email Drip Campaign for Your Nonprofit 

Consistency is key
Be consistent in your fundraising and marketing.  This means your messages and look must be consistent, as well as how often you send out your messages.  If you send out a monthly newsletter, make sure it goes out around the same time each month.  Don’t skip a month. 

Don’t start your journey without a map
Creating a strategy and putting together an editorial calendar can serve as a road map for your communication journey.  Here’s more information, as well as an editorial calendar link. 
Creating Content on the Topics You Want to be Known for  
The LightBox Collaborative 2013 Editorial Calendar
Communication is a two way street
Listen to your audience.  Ask questions on social media, respond to comments, and send out surveys or polls.

Take your supporters’ feedback into account and give them information they want.

Communication takes different paths
Most of us communicate through more than one channel – email, social media, direct mail, phone. Different modes work for different audiences, but often you use a combination of channels.

This is very helpful during fundraising campaigns. A multi-channel approach gives you more than one opportunity to reach your audience, in case they miss your first message.

Be known but don’t be annoying
Communicate often enough so your supporters will remember you, but not too much so that you are bothering them.  Most organizations don’t communicate enough.  Remember to be consistent.  Don’t send three email messages in one day and not communicate again for three weeks.

As a general rule, send email once a week and post on social media once a day.

In your quest not to annoy your supporters, share content where you show gratitude and demonstrate how you are making a difference for the people you serve.  Keep your supporters engaged.

One of the benefits of communicating weekly is that your messages can be short.  Shorter more frequent communication usually works better for getting your message across.

Don’t get derailed
It may seem daunting to keep up this ongoing communication journey, but good relationships, like gardens, need lots of attention.  It’s not as difficult as you might think.  Having an editorial calendar and strategy will help.  And your messages don’t need to be long.  Also, it can be fun to thank donors and share success.   

Make it a worthwhile journey for your supporters.

How Are You Making a Difference?

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, marketing, writing

When nonprofit organizations reach out to donors and other supporters to share accomplishments, I often see something like the examples below.  (All names are fictitious).

We started a community garden in the Westside neighborhood.

Youth First just opened a new activity center for our afterschool program.

We received a $50,000 grant from the Jones Foundation.

A Place to Call Home found affordable housing for over 100 families last year.

These are okay on one level, but they are more focused on activities than accomplishments.  They don’t answer the question – How are you making a difference for the people you serve?

Focus on why rather than what
When you are communicating with donors, think about why your accomplishments are important.

Instead of just reporting that you have started a community garden, emphasize how that will make a difference.  Now neighborhood residents have access to fresh fruit and vegetables, which are often not available at nearby stores or are too expensive.

Instead of just noting that your afterschool program has a brand new activity center, demonstrate that you are providing a safe place for young people to interact and learn new skills.

Of course, publically acknowledging your major funders is important, but what will that $50,000 grant be used for?  How will it help people?

What does it mean for the families who you helped find affordable housing?  Show how a family that was living in a shelter or with relatives now has a place they can call home.

Be conversational and personal
Draw in your reader with something personal.  Use stories, quotes, and testimonials, as well as photos and videos.  Go easy on the statistics and avoid using jargon.  

When you tell a story, choose a protagonist – an individual or family- and give them a name. You can change their names to protect their privacy.

This post by Katya Andreson is about mission statements, but can apply to all your communications. How do I make my mission sound more exciting?  She recommends giving your messages a heartbeat, which I think is great advice.  She also says, “Always answer the question, at the end of the day, whose life is better for what we do?” 

Many people donate because they have a personal connection to your cause.  Don’t bore them with a lot of long-winded facts.

They want to see how you are making a difference. 

Work with program staff to find stories
Often development and marketing staff don’t have firsthand knowledge of how your organization is making a difference.  This is why you need to work with program staff to create compelling stories and testimonials.  

Come up with a system that won’t make anyone feel overburdened.  Let’s Work Together – The Importance of a Good Relationship with the Program Department 

Show your donors how they are helping you make a difference
Finally, don’t forget to thank your donors and let them know that they are a key to your success.  After all, you wouldn’t be able to make a difference for the people you serve without their support.

How is your organization making a difference?

Time For Some Spring Cleaning

Ann Green Communications, fundraising, marketing, website, writing

Spring is here, yea!  Spring is a time for new beginnings.  It’s a time to clean up what’s old and make room for something new.

Many of you may take on spring cleaning projects in your home.  Here are a few spring cleaning projects you can do that will benefit your nonprofit organization.

Clean up your mailing lists
Did you have an influx of address changes, returned mail, and bounced emails after you sent out your annual appeal?  Now is a good time to clean up and update both your print and email mailing lists.

You should be emailing your supporters regularly, so you need to keep your list up-to-date.  Remember never to add people to your list without their permission.

You may not mail as often, but why wait until right before your next big mailing to clean up your list.   

Update your donor database
Most likely your print mailing list is part of your donor database.  Besides updating that, make any other additions, changes, and deletions you need to make in your database.  For example, if you had a conversation with a donor, include that. Your donor database is an important tool and you need it to be up-to-date and filled with accurate information about your donors.

Spring Cleaning Your Database

Check in with lapsed donors
As you are cleaning up your mailing lists and database, you may come across some lapsed donors.  These folks can be an untapped source of revenue, so don’t let them get away. Find your best prospects and give them a call.  This is something your board can help you with. 

There are many reasons these donors haven’t given recently – they were too busy to donate last fall, they can’t afford to give right now, or they may not be interested in your organization anymore.  If it’s the last one, hopefully it’s not because you aren’t engaging with them regularly.  Whatever the reason, it’s always good to get feedback.

Where to Find the Gold In Your Fundraising 

Update your website
Your website is often one of the first places a newcomer will visit.  Your current supporters may also visit regularly.  It’s very important that you keep it up-to-date, that it looks good, and it’s easy to navigate. 

Use this checklist to help ensure that you have an effective and engaging website. 

A Website Checklist

Come up with fresh content
In the spring we can open the windows and let in some fresh air.  Have you been using the same stories and photos for awhile?  Start coming up with fresh stories, quotes, testimonials, and photos to use in all your materials.  It’s fine to use the same stories and photos in different materials, but it’s also a good idea to come up with some new ones.

Do You Have Good Stories To Tell?
Take advantage of this time to make any updates and changes you need to make. What spring cleaning projects do you have in mind for your organization?

The Personal Touch

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing

I recently received a mailing from a nonprofit organization highlighting its 2012 accomplishments.  As I read it, I was struck by the impersonal tone and that the organization wasn’t focusing on the people they serve.

I don’t mean to single out this organization, because I know others are guilty of the same thing. This organization does great work and to their credit they did try to engage with their donors, they thanked their donors, and they didn’t ask for another donation. 

That said I would have recommended something more personal. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you communicate with your donors. 

Not all donors are the same
The mailing seemed more appropriate for grant or corporate funders.  This organization specializes in cancer treatment and research. Some of the accomplishments they featured were advances in their research, grants received, and their national and local rankings.

The only donation I ever made to them was when I bought their holiday cards.  I was drawn to the organization and their work because I lost a beloved uncle to cancer last fall.

People donate to nonprofit organizations for a variety of reasons, but many give because they have a personal connection to the cause.  These donors are going to want to hear how you are helping people.

Be conversational
In this mailing, the organization referenced a new community cancer care clinic they opened at a local health center, located in what they referred to as a “medically underserved community.”  That’s a great accomplishment, but the word underserved sounds like jargon to me.  

I think you should be conversational with donors and not use jargon or clinical sounding words.  Imagine yourself talking to a friend and use everyday language. 

How are you making a difference?
The organization shared a list of accomplishments that focused much more on their success than the specific impact they had on the people they serve.

I would have liked a story about a person whose life benefited from this new clinic.  Perhaps they could have highlighted a patient who used to have to travel miles to get care and now it’s available a few blocks from her home.

The organization also emphasized its “compassionate care”.  What does that mean?  Maybe they could have included stories and testimonials demonstrating that.

Use engaging photos
All photos in this mailing were black and white and most of them were pictures of researchers.  I know you can’t always include photos of patients, but maybe feature some who had successful treatments, along with their stories. 

They did include a photo of kids hanging out with some baseball players.  More photos like this would have been better.

Finally, photos are usually more captivating when they are in color.

What are you sending out? 
Take some time to look at the messages and materials you are sending out.  Are they appropriate for each donor group?   Are you focused on thanking your donors and showing how you are making a difference for 
people you serve?

You’ll do a better job of engaging your donors if you can be personal.

Your Attention Please

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, marketing, writing

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve written about the importance of engaging your donors.  One way is regular communication with them.  You may have created a plan and chosen donor-centered content, which is great.  Now you need to get their attention to get your messages across. 

Think short
You might have better luck with shorter more frequent messages.  Aim for every week or every two weeks.  If you only send out a monthly e-newsletter, your donor might miss your email due to a number of reasons – vacation, work, family.

You only have a few seconds
When sending email choose subject lines that will capture your donor’s attention.  February Newsletter is not as enticing as Learn How You Can Help Prevent Childhood Hunger.  The same goes for headlines in your newsletter and website.

Consistency is key
All your messages and materials, both electronic and print, should have a consistent look.  Your donors will start to recognize your brand, and hopefully see you as a reputable source.

Make it easy
Your donors are busy and are receiving messages from a variety of different sources besides your organization.  In most cases, they are going to scan your message, so make sure they still get the gist of what you want to convey.

Your messages should be easy to read and scan.  Use a white background with black type.  Use lots of white space and bold headings.  In addition, use at least a 12 point font (bigger is better).

Make it visual
Photos and graphics can tell a story in an instant, but in certain venues such as email, they can create problems.  Here are some ways to prevent this. Top Five Worst Nonprofit Email Marketing Mistakes: #3 Assuming Users Will See Your Graphics and here is a creative way to enable images. How to get donors to enable images in email
Photos are great in print pieces and on Facebook.

You need good content
That might seem obvious, but if your donor has come this far and is ready to read your message, don’t shortchange them. Put yourself in your donor’s shoes.  What would they be interested in?  In most cases personal stories triumph over a bunch of statistics.

When creating content, remember the four Cs – be clear, concise, conversational, and compelling. The 4 Cs of Writing Good Content 

Think multichannel
Use different channels.  Besides email, communicate by social media, on your website, and through the mail.  Measure which channels work best for you.  You can communicate the same message through different channels. For example, include links to your newsletter on social media.

Be mobile friendly
Many people read email and look at social media and websites on their mobile devices or tablets.  I am not a technology expert, but I do know that when I read content on my iPhone, I’m much happier when it fits nicely on the screen.  This will make your donors happier too, and that’s what you want.

Here are some resources about going mobile.

Four Strategies for Going Mobile
Mobile Resources
Be known but don’t be annoying
Some organizations are afraid of annoying their donors by communicating too often, but most don’t communicate enough.  Remember your donors might miss some of your messages. 

Staying in touch once a week and sending out short, engaging messages will help you get your donor’s attention.