What donors can text (DONATE, BALANCE, PAY, CARD, STOP)
A one-page list of every word donors can text, and what they get back. Print it for the office.
- 1
Your code (first time only)
"1043" (your code number) — connects their phone to you. Reply: "You're connected to … Text DONATE to give…".
Your code number is shown here. - 2
DONATE or DONATE 50
Gives. Without a card on file they get a secure link (amount filled in). With a card on file: "reply PAY to give $50 with your Visa ending 4242". GIVE works the same as DONATE.
The exact words to tell your people are in this box. - 3
BALANCE
Shows what they owe on pledges: "your open balance is $360 on 2 pledges". If their phone isn't on any person's profile they're asked to contact the office.
- 4
PAY or PAY 50
After DONATE or BALANCE, PAY charges the card on file (PAY 50 pays part). The reply confirms: "thank you! $50 paid with your card on file. Receipt #…".
Gifts and payments by text are listed here. - 5
CARD
Sends their private link to put in a new card. Card numbers are never typed into a text.
- 6
STOP / START / HELP
STOP opts them out (their profile gets "Do not text"). START opts back in. HELP explains how to give.
STOP ticks "Do not text" on the person. - 7
Anything else
Any other text goes to Outreach → Messages for your staff to answer, with an alert.
Other texts wait here for an answer.
Tips
- A PAY offer lasts 30 minutes. After that, PAY just shows the balance and offers it again.
- By text, at most $1,000 at a time and 4 payments a day per phone.
If something isn't working
Reply: "we couldn't take that payment (by text we can take up to $1,000 at a time)".
Ask them to pay a smaller part (PAY 500) or use the secure link in the same reply.
Reply: "we couldn't take that payment (too many payments by text today)".
4 a day is the limit. They can use the secure link in the reply, or wait until tomorrow.
BALANCE says "we couldn't find this phone number in our records".
Add their cell phone to their profile in People, then ask them to text BALANCE again.