Tax time 2018: Which was most successful day for SMS givings?

Friday or Saturday? Which was the most successful for SMS end of year givings?

In the lead up to tax time, we were asked by many charities when the best time to send that last-minute donation SMS.

Given that 30 June fell on a Saturday this year, we gave three options:

1. Send on Friday 29th June

2. Send on Saturday 30th June

3. Split test across both days.

This year’s good news

If you sent on the Friday 29th or Saturday the 30th – you would have had a great result! Our average ROI across our charity partners was 4.8x. We will look at why both days were successful.

Which day offered the best ROI?

Our split test offered some excellent insights. A number of charities including as Make A Wish Australia and Destiny Rescue chose to split test. Sending an SMS with exactly the same emotive text, link to give and pre-filled donation forms.

Each sent at 10am on Friday and Saturday right before the pending deadline of end of financial year.

You can find out more about the split testing in our trends in giving blog.

In 2018, it turns out that the best day to send at tax time was a Saturday.

Saturday was the magic day

It turns out that Saturday got a 20% better ROI, with our split testing.

Why Saturday won?

Saturday is often seen as a family day, with people going about their personal lives. The key difference is they have their devices with them. So if you offer an easy to donate solution, people will give.

Also, we know that SMS works best with urgency. What better deadline than end of financial year?

Remember, one of the key benefits of SMS is that 98% of SMSes are read and 90% are in the first hour. Also, millenials check their phone more than 150 times a day.

Urgency works wonders

Every year, the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation runs their Gold Telethon on the Queens Birthday long weekend. We send out two message for them, one in the morning, and one in the afternoon. This is one of the best performing SMS campaigsn each year.

Why? Because it has urgency. Gold Telethon only happens once a year!

Lesson from the Gold Telethon

Don’t be afraid to run your campaign over the weekend, or even a long weekend.

SMS acts as a reminder, a clear call to action

When people receive an SMS, it acts as a prompt to give immediately, or donate via other channels. So it is a win-win!

What we have found is that SMS is powerful as a primary giving means, but also fits hand in glove with all other donation asks.

What does this mean for 2019?

Tax time falls on a Sunday next year! So your SMS strategy is even more vital next year.

This year’s results show that, sending on a Sunday or the Saturday should get you great results. It shows that you should not be afraid of sending over the weekend.

However, if your organisation is a little concerned that your supporter team might not be around on the weekend, we know that an urgent call for donations via SMS on the Friday 28th should still get good results.

Naturally, composing the emotive copy for the SMS is just as important as the time you hit send. You can find out more about best keywords to get more donations in our webinar.