Sponsor Harvey the Golden Retriever via SMS Text News!

You have to hand it to the SMS Text News audience. You’re responsive.

I’ve had 11 email requests for sponsoring a dog by text in the last hour.

Steve of mobile services company iTagg just posted this to my previous post on the subject:

Ewan, the keyword DOGTRUST on 60300 is now in your iTAGG client account. Simply login to configure it to return a premium rate sms autoresponder; and then let the Dog Trust know that they are now fully tooled up for mobile sponsorship. I’ll also be happy to donate our slice of the psms to the Dog Trust.

You top man, Steve. I just got notification that the keyword’s been added.

I can’t tell you how annoying it is when a see an advert or when I’m moved to want to sponsor something — only to find out it’s actually a bit of an arse to do so.

Before anyone decides to have a go at me for presenting such a blatantly lazy perspective to helping others, first let it be known that I do already give money to a charity regularly. Second, I’m deliberately highlighting this perspective because, well, that’s reality.

I’ll happily donate to something if it’s not too difficult.

I’ll give a few pounds to a chap collecting for the blind, the aged, cancer research or, especially to an old chap standing proudly at the entrance to a supermarket, his medals and poppy clearly displayed. It’s an easy transaction. You dig into your pocket and bring out some shrapnel, you gesture to the chap, he thrusts the collection bucket at you, drop the change in, he thanks you — and maybe even gives you a sticker, or a poppy. In other cases you get a thank you from a breast cancer supporter standing with their tin. There’s a quiet dignity that one can’t help but respect.

When it comes to television — or any other indirect media (i.e. it’s highly difficult to ignore an 80 year old chap standing proudly, medals out, poppy in hand) but it’s easy to switch channel, or turn the page.

So I saw this advert last night. A pound a month to support a dog via The Dogs Trust. I was well up for it, until I found there was no text-donation element. And if I look closely into my psyche and analyse this honestly, I just couldn’t be arsed to phone up and give my life story, post code, sort code, bank details…. well, actually, let’s be clear, I COULD be bothered, but I’m being pedantic. I’m disappointed that, generally speaking, most charities haven’t made the process easy by implementing the text donation medium. Why can’t I just text a shortcode and you take the cash from my phone balance?

I *don’t* want to have to speak to anyone. I made my decision when I saw the ad. Yes I’ll give you a quid. But no, I don’t want to speak to anyone — AND I don’t want anyone to call.

How many other people are thinking similar thoughts?

How many other people would have shot of a text, just like me?

I wonder. Obviously since I work in and around the mobile industry, I’m under the (misguided?) impression that if you add a text donate channel, it’ll be very heavily used.

Perhaps charities have tried and found it entirely lacking?
So why don’t these charities make it easy? Why haven’t they adopted donating-by-text?

I can think of two main reasons.

The first, SMS Text News reader, loulou, posted earlier:

The problem is, maybe there is no way, via prem SMS, for charities to get their extra 28p per £1 if you are a UK tax payer on a regular 12 monthly text payment (hence why we see it for one off donations where any money payed out from the ops is acceptable, but not monthly donations where ultimately more money and tax revenue can be garnered).

You’re entirely right, Loulou. Charities react negatively when they find out they can’t easily get their extra 28p per £1 via text donations — that’s an almost 30% revenue uplift on each donation. But wouldn’t these charities rather have thousands of £1.50s every month without ‘giftaid’, given the choice?

The second reason: Well I wonder if it’s education. I wonder if they, generally, don’t understand the medium? Or if they’re far too wary having heard one too many scare stories?

As I was writing this, I had a note in from Chris at The Dogs Trust to explain that they do, actually have a text service — just, they didn’t advertise it on the particular TV advert I saw. They’ve got it setup thus: You text DOG (standard network rate) to 64118 and you’re then prompted by return text to reply with your full name and address. You’re then added into the Dogs Trust collective database and sent out some details to actually sign-up.

So that’s good news — and bad. Good news that they’ve got the medium implemented, bad news that it doesn’t actually take money — they’re simply using it as a method of collecting data from interested participants. It’s then incumbent upon them to try and upsell you at a later date.

I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands.

I think, perhaps incorrectly, that there are a ton of people out there who would be keen to sponsor a dog, a cat or a child via text. I think the fire-and-forget nature of the medium lends itself well to speed-donating.

I’m going to give it a go, so I need your help.

First off, to put my money where my mouth is, I’ve setup a boring old-school donation with The Dogs Trust. I’m sponsoring Harvey (a Golden Retriever):

(Here’s the link to my certificate of sponsorship)

Second, here’s where I need your help. I want to explicitly prove to charities (not just The Dogs Trust) that the medium of mobile should not be overlooked when it comes to cash donations.

With the help of Steve from iTagg, I’ve setup a subscription service called DOGTRUST. (Unfortunately this is only for those based in the UK at the moment.) The service will bill you £1.50 every two weeks. I want you to subscribe to it — a) to show your support for The Dogs Trust, but b) to show your support for the mobile industry.

If no one bothers subscribing, well, that’ll be a super indication of why charities are right not to use the mobile medium. However I’m betting — and hoping — that a few people will do this. I’ll regularly publish the subscription figures to highlight the possibilities. Every month, when I get the payment from iTagg, I’ll send the entire balance directly to The Dogs Trust and I’ll publish a few screenshots along the way.

Steve has agreed to waive all premium text revenue so I’ll be able to donate the maximum amount that iTagg receives from the mobile operators to The Dogs Trust. Obviously I’m not making a turn on it either.

Do you think it’ll work? Let’s give it a go.

Would you please pass this link around your friends and colleagues in the industry and get them to support it? (ESPECIALLY if your company pays your phone bill). Please blog it too. I know there have been successful examples of mobile donations in the past, however they’ve not been grassroots enough or compelling enough to get the attention of the UK’s charities. I think if we in the mobile industry, can demonstrate a demand it — then perhaps a lot more of the charities in this country will take a second look at mobile donations and talk to their suppliers accordingly.

This concept is not affiliated with The Dogs Trust in any way — except that the resultant cash is heading their way, ostensibly for Harvey, but really, for the good of all dogs.

Here’s how you sponsor Harvey via SMS Text News:

Text START DOGTRUST to 60300

The immediate reply will be from me with the a confirmation and the unsubscribe command (STOP DOGTRUST) — that reply won’t cost you anything, I’m paying for it to be sent to you. You’ll then get a text update from me every 2 weeks that will cost you £1.50.

You can unsubscribe at any time with the command STOP DOGTRUST texted to 60300. (Any texts sent to the service are charged at the standard network rate)