Should WhatsApp feature in my fundraising toolbox?

As a business immersed in creating innovative mobile payment opportunities and developing messaging solutions for charities and brands, our answer to this question is ‘yes, absolutely!’.

Our recent event with Charity Digital – an organisation which, similar to us, exists to help charities get the most from their digital toolboxes – reinforced this, too, when we jointly explored how to optimise supporter engagement using WhatsApp alone.

‘But why?’, you’re probably asking. If so, read on.

Get the message

WhatsApp isn’t just big. With over two billion users in 180 countries, it’s HUGE.

Not only that, but communication habits have dramatically changed, too. For example:

• 67 per cent of people check their phones within the first five minutes of beginning their day*
• 85 per cent prefer messaging than a phone call or email**
• 90 per cent of people will have at least one messaging app by 2023⁺
• 39 per cent prefer WhatsApp as a customer service channel
• With a conversion rate of 45 – 60 per cent, WhatsApp beats SMS and email, which stands at 2 – 5 per cent

Sources: *Zipwhip – The State of Texting; **Gartner; +eMarketer, Cooby – WhatsApp Statistics

So, combine one of the world’s largest messaging platforms with a planet full of people who can’t get enough of their phones, and what do you have?

An abundance of opportunity to engage and raise money.

Show me the money (and the messaging capabilities)

If you’ve read this far, it’s likely that you’re wondering how WhatsApp can be used in such an effective way.

The good news is that Cymba has partnered with CM.com, a global leader in cloud software for conversational commerce, in order to create a unique and rich messaging solution for charities to harness.

With WhatsApp at the heart of your charity’s communications campaign, our new rich messaging solution can help you:

• Connect with supporters and minimise friction throughout the supporter journey

• Initiate more conversations using messaging templates that provide supporters with the information they need, right when they need it

• Take advantage of key features such as quick replies, appeals and updates

• Manage a whole spectrum of conversations via WhatsApp such as utility, authentication and service conversations.

Want more from WhatsApp?

If you’re looking to reach more supporters using channels they’re already using, develop rich content that communicates your charity’s story in the most impactful way, and deliver the right messages to the right people at the right time, Cymba can help.

We’ve been improving campaign ROI for the biggest charities and brands around for almost two decades, so we know a thing or two about what works – and, importantly, what doesn’t.