In today’s digital age, text messaging has emerged as one of the most powerful and effective ways to connect with supporters—especially when it comes to matching gifts. However, many donors remain unaware of these opportunities, resulting in missed revenue for nonprofits. Lucky for you, that’s where matching gift text marketing comes into play!
By spreading the word about matching gifts via SMS, your organization can quickly inform supporters about the potential to multiply their contributions, boost engagement, and drive more funds toward your cause.
In this post, we’ll explore the key benefits of using text messages to promote matching gifts, share best practices for crafting compelling messages, and provide examples to help you get started. Specifically, we’ll cover:
Whether you’re new to SMS marketing for matching gifts or you’re looking to optimize your existing strategies, we’ll guide you through making the most of this channel to maximize your matching gift revenue here.
Let’s dive into how matching gift text marketing can help spread the word, drive action, and unlock more fundraising potential for your nonprofit.
The Importance of Marketing Matching Gifts
Corporate matching gifts offer significant fundraising potential for nonprofits and schools. Many companies offer matching gift initiatives where they match employees’ donations to eligible nonprofits, essentially doubling or even tripling the original contributions. Not to mention, donors are more likely to give—and to give in larger amounts—when they know a match is available.
However, a lack of awareness regarding the programs has ultimately led to billions of dollars in matches going unclaimed each year. So, what does this mean for your cause?
It all boils down to this: taking a proactive approach to marketing matching gifts is essential.
Promoting matching gifts effectively helps bridge the awareness gap and motivates donors to take advantage of these corporate giving programs. By educating your audience on how matching gifts work, establishing social proof, and providing easy access to information and forms, you can create a streamlined process that encourages participation.
Why Market Matching Gifts Via Text Message?
Once you’ve established the general importance of marketing matching gifts, the question to answer is this: What is the best channel, or combination of channels, to get the job done?
With high open rates and immediate reach, SMS has the potential to significantly enhance your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts—especially when it comes to promoting matching gifts.
As a result, marketing matching gifts via text message is an incredibly effective way for nonprofits to reach their supporters wherever they are, at any time. In today’s fast-paced world, people are always on the go, with their phones close at hand. Text messaging allows organizations to offer a direct and personal touch that other communication channels can’t quite match.
With just a few taps on their phone, donors can learn about matching gift opportunities and take action immediately, making the giving process simple and convenient.
The effectiveness of text marketing for matching gifts is further underscored by its exceptionally high open rates. On average, text messages boast open rates of around 98%, far surpassing those of emails or social media. This means that when a nonprofit sends a text message about matching gifts, it’s almost guaranteed to be seen by the recipient.
By leveraging text marketing, organizations can ensure that their message isn’t just delivered but actually read—significantly boosting the chances of donors following through with a matching gift request.
Additionally, text messages create a sense of urgency and immediacy, prompting donors to act without delay. This makes it a perfect tool for time-sensitive fundraising efforts, such as year-end campaigns or giving days, where matching gifts can significantly amplify the impact of donations. With mobile-friendly links and information at their fingertips, supporters can easily access resources to complete the matching gift process, leading to more submitted requests and increased funding.
Best Practices for Innovative Matching Gift Text Marketing
In the rapidly evolving landscape of nonprofit fundraising, text marketing has emerged as a powerful tool for engaging donors and maximizing the impact of matching gifts. As organizations look for innovative ways to connect with supporters, leveraging SMS to spread the word about matching gift opportunities can significantly enhance outreach efforts.
This section will cover best practices for implementing effective text marketing strategies specifically tailored to matching gifts.
Personalize your engagement.
Personalization is key in any marketing strategy, and text messaging is no exception. When communicating with supporters about matching gifts, it’s important to add a personal flair. This can mean addressing them by their name, referencing their past contributions, or providing employer-specific matching gift information.
By personalizing your messages, you show each donor that they are a valued individual rather than just part of a larger audience, increasing the likelihood that they will engage with your content and take the intended action.
Keep your messages short and sweet.
Text messages have a character limit—and are often read on the go—so brevity is crucial. Aim to convey your message in as few words as possible while still providing the essential information.
A well-structured, concise message will ensure that your audience can quickly grasp the purpose and act accordingly. A straightforward approach respects your supporters’ time and enhances the chances of them responding positively, as they won’t feel overwhelmed by lengthy texts.
Send a link to your dedicated matching gifts page.
When it comes to matching gift text marketing, establishing a clear and specific CTA (or call to action) is a must. For the best results, we recommend sending text traffic to a dedicated matching gifts page on your nonprofit’s website.
Including a direct link to a centralized resource hub simplifies the process for donors, providing clear information on how matching gifts work, program benefits and criteria, and instructions for involvement. Not to mention, your match page should have an embedded matching gift search tool, making it easier than ever for donors to uncover their matching gift eligibility and kick off the request process.
Incorporate visuals and emojis.
While SMS is primarily a text-based medium, incorporating visuals and emojis can grab your audience’s attention while enhancing your message’s appeal and clarity. A well-placed emoji can add personality and emotion to your message, making it feel more engaging and friendly. 💝 Meanwhile, branded graphics or images can be incorporated into multimedia messages (or MMS) to illustrate your matching gift campaign in a visual manner.
These small touches can make a significant impact, helping your messages stand out in an often overcrowded inbox.
💡 Top tip: Use Double the Donation’s free matching gift marketing templates (available for clients to use within the 360MatchPro platform) to create and distribute beautifully branded, professional-level graphics.
Track and analyze performance metrics.
Performance metrics are essential to any marketing campaign, allowing your team to measure its success with tangible goals and insights. When it comes to tracking and analyzing your matching gift text marketing, monitoring data such as open and click rates, matching gift conversion rates, and more is crucial.
By analyzing these matching gift marketing indicators, you can gain insights into what resonates with your audience, allowing you to evaluate, refine, and adjust your strategies over time.
Bonus: Utilize 360MatchPro’s enterprise text functionality.
In addition to hosting a dedicated matching gift awareness campaign, another way to use text marketing involves following up with donors after they give to your cause. This allows you to target individual givers with personalized messaging at the height of their engagement with your cause, increasing the likelihood that they’ll take the next step for a matching gift.
It doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking, either. In fact, eligible 360MatchPro users can enable SMS follow-ups in a few clicks, ensuring donors receive applicable messaging throughout their journey. While this feature is currently available only for Enterprise accounts, it provides a powerful opportunity for an organization to bring its automated outreach to the next level.
Interested in upgrading your account? Learn more here.
25 Sample Text Messages to Market Matching Gifts Well
With the convenience of mobile communication, text messages provide a direct line to your supporters. However, crafting the perfect outreach can be a challenge.
To help your nonprofit effectively promote matching gifts and make the most of this communication channel, we’ve compiled a number of sample text messages below.
Text message #1:
- “Did you know your donation could be doubled? Many companies offer matching gifts for employee donations. Check if yours does and make an even bigger impact: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #2:
- “Double your impact today! Many employers will match your donation to [Nonprofit Name]. See if your company participates here: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #3:
- “You gave. Now your employer can, too! Find out if your company matches donations to [Nonprofit Name] and increase your gift’s impact: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #4:
- “Matching gift alert 🚨 Your employer may be able to match your recent donation to [Nonprofit Name]. Find out here: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #5:
- “Stretch your support further! 💪 Your donation could be matched dollar-for-dollar through your company’s matching gift program. Check eligibility: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #6:
- “Great news! Many companies will match employee donations to [Nonprofit Name]. Double your donation today by checking here: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #7:
- “Want to make an even bigger impact? 💥 Your employer might match your recent donation to [Nonprofit Name]. Learn more about matching gifts: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #8:
- “Thank you for your donation! Did you know it could go twice as far with a matching gift from your employer? See if you’re eligible: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #9:
- “Help us reach our goal! 🎯 Your donation can be doubled with a matching gift from your employer. Check your eligibility: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #10:
- “Double your donation without giving twice. 💸 Many employers match employee gifts. Find out if yours does here: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #11:
- “Don’t miss the chance to double your impact! Many companies match employee donations. See if your gift is eligible for a match: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #12:
- “Multiply your generosity! 🌱 Your donation could be matched by your employer. Find out if your company participates: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #13:
- “Did you know? Your employer might match your recent donation to [Nonprofit Name], making your gift go even further. Check now: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #14:
- “Double your support for [Nonprofit Name]! Many companies will match your donation. It only takes a minute to check if your employer participates: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #15:
- “Your impact could be twice as great! 🔍 See if your employer matches donations to [Nonprofit Name] and submit your request here: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #16:
- “Your generosity inspires others. Did you know your donation could be doubled by your employer? Learn more about matching gifts: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #17:
- “Thank you for supporting [Nonprofit Name]! 🙏 Your employer might match your donation. Double your impact here: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #18:
- “Matching gifts are a great way to increase your donation’s value. See if your company will match your recent contribution to [Nonprofit Name]: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #19:
- “Maximize your donation! 🏆 Find out if your employer will match your gift to [Nonprofit Name] and help us do even more good: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #20:
- “Make your donation go further this Giving Tuesday! Many companies will match your gift to [Nonprofit Name]. Check if yours does: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #21:
- “Matching gifts = double the impact! See if your employer matches employee donations to [Nonprofit Name] today: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #22:
- “You’ve already made a difference. Now, double it! See if your employer offers matching gifts to increase your donation’s impact: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #23:
- “Make your donation work twice as hard! 👐 Many companies will match employee gifts to [Nonprofit Name]. Check your eligibility here: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #24:
- “Did you know your gift could be doubled at no extra cost to you? See if your company matches employee donations to [Nonprofit Name]: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
Text message #25:
- “Your support means the world to us. 🌍 Take it a step further by submitting a matching gift request if your company participates: https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-text-marketing/.”
By leveraging text marketing as a direct communication channel, your team can quickly and effectively remind donors about matching gift opportunities, keep them engaged, and inspire them to take action.
Just remember: the key is to tailor your messaging to resonate with your supporters, encourage participation, and ultimately help your organization maximize its matching gift potential.
Case Study: How One Organization Implemented Matching Gift Text Marketing
Save the Children, a large-scale, global humanitarian organization, decided to enhance its matching gift efforts by employing a text message marketing campaign. The goal was to raise awareness about matching gifts among their supporters while sending traffic to their newly renovated workplace giving page.
The text message marketing effort spanned several weeks and included targeted deployments to different segments of Save the Children’s subscriber base. The two key text messages in the campaign were sent on November 17 and December 2, the latter being just after Giving Tuesday.
Let’s take a look:
“Your donation to Save the Children may be eligible for a matching gift from your employer. Learn more: https://savetext.us/mgift?mk=61090499
Reply STOP to Quit”
The first message was sent to approximately 57,000 subscribers who had engaged with Save the Children over the past year. With no specific donation request included, the message aimed to raise awareness about matching gifts, encouraging recipients to learn more about the opportunity. Despite not featuring a direct fundraising ask, the campaign achieved an impressive click-through rate (CTR) of 2.7%, translating to about 1,500 unique clicks. As a result, the text message helped raise $2,700 in donations, demonstrating that even subtle reminders can drive meaningful engagement.
“THANK YOU for supporting children this Giving Tuesday…and always! Thanks to your generosity we’ll be able to make a significant impact in the lives of countless children. Now, do you want to see if you can make your gift go twice as far? Check if your employer offers a matching gift program: https://savetext.us/TY-mgift?mk=33219057
Save the Children
Reply STOP to Quit”
The second text message was targeted at a much smaller segment: around 3,200 subscribers who had made a donation within the four days surrounding Giving Tuesday. This message saw a strong CTR of 2.6%, well above the average of 1.6% for similar mass-market text campaigns. The success highlighted the effectiveness of targeting recent donors, especially during high giving periods such as Giving Tuesday.
Save the Children’s text message marketing efforts proved to be an effective way to increase awareness of matching gifts, achieving above-average click rates and directly raising funds through minimal outreach. This illustrates the potential of using text message campaigns for nonprofits like yours, showcasing that personalized and well-timed texts can boost engagement and revenue alike.
Looking to learn more? Access the on-demand webinar recording here to hear directly from Save the Children.
Wrapping Up & Additional Matching Gift Marketing Resources
Incorporating matching gift text marketing into your nonprofit’s outreach strategy is a game-changer for maximizing fundraising results. Given the immediacy and high open rates of text messages, this channel can help your organization capitalize on matching gift opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed—all in a timely and convenient manner.
Ultimately, matching gift text marketing can help bridge the gap between supporters and the corporate philanthropy opportunities available to them, ensuring that your nonprofit captures as much matching gift revenue as possible. Start implementing SMS into your matching gift promotion strategy today, and watch as it helps unlock more funds, increase donor engagement, and elevate your organization’s mission.
Ready to learn more about strategic matching gift marketing efforts? Check out the recommended resources below:
