The "experts" predict a huge surge in mobile phone use, expectations, and tools. This includes e-commerce, giving, and, of course, sharing opinions. Predictions are that consumers will soon expect to pay by mobile.
Enter Generation G! That's Generosity, not Greed. The number of people who volunteer regularly is on the rise, sharing opinions has become an absolute deluge. And micro-donations have been proven to be an effective fund-raiser (example: President 2.0 - Barack Obama)
The most recent best example has been the fund-raising for relief in Haiti after the earthquake. In 36 hours, donations made via mobile phones for Haiti Earthquake Relief surpassed $7 million. All the mobile user had to do was text a phrase to a shortcode and make a micro-donation of $5 or $10 dollars
This fundraising succeeded because it was painless, convenient, and fast. Websites and snailmail addresses and phone numbers were available, of course. Websites mean a consumer is tied to a computer in a specific place. Snailmail requires the inconvenience of locating a stamp.
Most importantly for this post, non-mobile methods can easily lead to "I meant to do that but didn't" and "The site/phone lines were clogged and I never got through and didn't donate."
Immediacy, impulse, generosity, convenience, speed. It worked for Haiti. Now it can work for your library, too!
Mobile Donations Tool for Libraries from Mosio via Librarian in Black Blog – Sarah Houghton-Jan by Sarah on 3/12/10
Text a Librarian has added Mobile Donations. Remember all of those texted donations to Haiti? Yep, your library can get a piece of that action too.
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