The 7.0 earthquake in Haiti is a tragedy. People are struggling and are in need of help. I remember seeing a picture my colleague sent to me of a child reaching out for a bottle of water. That image really had a lasting impact on me and translated how severe the situation has become. Amidst all this chaos, I am really glad to see so many people donate their time and money to provide relief. Among many mobile donation campaigns, the American Red Cross has seen highly successful participation and support. According to industry numbers, by the first day a million dollars was raised through micro-donations of $10. Within a week, the campaign raised nearly 20 million dollars!
I think these results can be attributed to a few reasons:
1. The process is simple. No call centers or re-directing the user to a website. The transaction is completely isolated on their handsets.
2. The amounts are small, but in copious amounts they add up! People are willing to donate if it doesn’t break the bank. The future of charity is not big galas or huge donations. It’s the reach of a huge audience!
3. Some people are wary with entering credit card information online on a website. SMS donations are answer to the reluctant donator.
What did you like or didn’t like about the process?
