Lights, SMS, QR Code… Action!

From marketing lights to £1 million in SMS donations - meet James

Tell us a little about where you started?

You might not expect a spotlight on mobile fundraising to begin in the world of lighting - but bear with me. After graduating in Business Management with a specialism in Marketing, I started at a lighting company and worked my way up to Marketing Manager. Things were going well. Then COVID hit, and like so many businesses, logistics problems brought the curtain down.

But as one door closed, another opened. In 2020, I joined a large UK animal charity as a Marketing Executive. I went to the office exactly once - for my interview - and that was that. Not that it mattered. The charity sector was buzzing. With the nation at home and looking outward, people were searching for causes to connect with, and fundraising was having a genuine moment.

I threw myself into it. Regular giving, direct debits, raffles, lottery, direct mail appeals, email campaigns - you name it, I was across it. But it was SMS where something really clicked. It was a period of real learning and growth that, looking back, shaped everything that came next.

How did the move to Cymba come about?

At the charity, I worked with two separate companies to run SMS campaigns, one of which was Cymba. I got on with the platform so well that I made the case internally to consolidate everything into one place. Simpler, cleaner, and - crucially - a significant cost saving. Job done.

With everything under one roof, I got my head down. By 2023, I’d grown the charity’s SMS fundraising revenue to over £1 million. That kind of result doesn’t go unnoticed. Cymba came calling, and as they say, the rest is history.

What excites you about your current role?

“I really like the opportunity Cymba gives me to apply my creativity and fundraising knowledge to come up with innovative campaigns - not just for one charity, but for many.”

My marketing background, combined with hands-on experience across every type of campaign, puts me in a great position to see what fundraising styles could work for different causes. Whether it’s animals, the environment, health or faith - every charity needs a vehicle to raise money, and I love finding the right one for them.

I also brought something of a surprise to the team: a rather deep knowledge of QR codes. Deep enough that I actually wrote my dissertation on them. Back then, they were considered niche - even a bit forgotten. Post-COVID? They’re very much alive and well, and a brilliantly frictionless way for people to donate on the spot.

And then there’s what’s coming next: WhatsApp. RCS - the evolution of SMS that brings it squarely into the modern smartphone era. The real opportunity now is omnichannel campaigns that reach donors across every mobile touchpoint they already use - SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, QR codes - all in one joined-up, seamless experience. People are on their phones constantly, and meeting them where they are is exactly where fundraising is heading. It’s a space I’m really excited to be working in.

 

How are you enjoying your new team?

 

We’re a tight-knit group - like family, really. Everyone brings their own layer of expertise to the table, and some of the team have been helping charities raise money for over twenty years. Everyone has their strengths, and together it just works. There’s always someone at the end of the line for a chat, a second opinion, or a bit of encouragement. The kind of team where you’ve got each other’s backs - and that’s not something you take for granted.

So, outside of SMS and mobiles - what does life look like beyond the screen?

 

Football and the gym have always been my go-to outlets, though a couple of recent injuries have temporarily benched me on both fronts. I’m philosophical about it - as soon as I’m healed, I’ll be back!

In the meantime, I’ve been channelling my energy into the kitchen, rustling up something good to enjoy over a film. And when the travel bug bites - which it does often - America tends to call. I’ve got friends dotted all across the States, so over the years I’ve had the chance to explore a good chunk of it. There’s still plenty more to tick off, though.

Oh, and one more thing - I'm currently working on a screenplay. Based on a true story, though I couldn't possibly reveal more than that. It's taken nearly ten years, but it's getting there. Given the title of this piece, it felt only right to mention it.