3 Things You Should Know About Texting Alumni and Donors

Texting has transformed the way colleges communicate with students, and the same medium can help your institution reach alumni and donors. But the rules are not the same when it comes to texting alumni. Here are three simple things to consider.

Texting alumni and donors is legal for non-profits.

While the FCC increased restrictions related to sending texts from mobile phones when they updated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in 2012, non-profit institutions are exempt from these regulations.

See the CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) website for more information regarding any legal considerations that should be taken into account when communicating with donors and alumni.

Legal permission shouldn’t open the floodgates.

Mobile phones represent a very personal space for people. Texting might be legal, but the wrong message or an overabundance of communication will have alumni and donors quickly opting out of your texts.

Be mindful of your alumni communication preferences in order to maximize your rate of response. Start with three to six non-fundraising text messages over an extended period of time before you ask alumni for their financial support.

Use all your channels.

Texting gets results, but it should not be your only method of communication. Use texts to supplement emails and phone calls. For example, send a text to remind alumni of an upcoming event or Giving Day, then follow up that text with an email shortly after. A multi-tiered approach is often most effective.

Ready to start texting alumni? Here are 15 free texting templates to make your life easier.

Texting Alumni

About Mongoose

Mongoose publishes content including industry insights, webinars, case studies, and best practices focused on one goal: helping colleges and universities continuously improve the ways they communicate with students. Learn more: mongooseresearch.com.

We also developed Cadence, higher education’s preferred texting platform. Our software helps over 400 institutions create instant, meaningful connections with students, families, alumni, and donors – and in doing so, achieve remarkable outcomes. Learn more: mongooseresearch.com/cadence.