Use this article to set up BetterWorld texting (SMS) and send text messages to your donors and guests. With BetterWorld texting, any account administrator can send event reminders, auction invites, checkout links, and other updates — right away or scheduled for later.
How much does BetterWorld texting cost?
BetterWorld texting pricing depends on your organization's plan. The table below shows what's included with each plan and what additional messages cost.
Plan | Texting access | Included messages | When you need more |
Free or Flex | Purchase the SMS package for $450/year | 10,000 messages per year | $40 per 1,000 messages, charged automatically when your balance runs out |
Partner | Included | 2,500 messages per membership year | Purchase the $450/year SMS package |
Keystone | Included | 15,000 messages per membership year | Purchase the $450/year SMS package |
You can subscribe and pay for the SMS package directly in your dashboard with a card.
Please Note: Additional messages ($40 per 1,000) are only available after your organization purchases the SMS package. Partner and Keystone organizations that use all their included messages purchase the $450/year SMS package to keep sending.
Here's how messages are counted:
BetterWorld counts text messages per recipient. For example, a text sent to 200 guests uses 200 messages.
Automated texts don't count. Outbid notifications and pledge reminder texts don't use your text message balance.
Order of use. Your plan's included messages are used first, then your SMS package messages, then any additional messages you've purchased.
Included plan messages (Partner and Keystone) expire at the end of your membership year.
SMS package messages expire when the package renews. Unused messages don't roll over.
Additional messages ($40 per 1,000) don't expire.
You can view your message count along with your billing information under your team settings > text messaging page:
How to subscribe to the SMS package
Free and Flex organizations need to subscribe to the SMS package before sending text messages. Partner and Keystone organizations can skip this section and start with their included messages — no card needed.
From your dashboard, click Donor Management in the left menu.
Click Messaging, then View SMS plan.
Click Enable SMS messaging.
Enter your card information and click Pay $450.00 and enable.
You'll now see your package details.
Done! All that's left now is to choose a phone number and submit for approval.
Please Note: The SMS package renews every year, and you can cancel it. If a renewal payment fails, you'll need to purchase the SMS package again before you can send text messages.
How to set up your texting phone number
Before you send your first text message, choose the phone number BetterWorld texts will come from. Donors will see this number when they receive your texts.
From your dashboard, click Donor Management, then click Messaging.
Click Enable text messaging.
Open the dropdown menu to see the list of available phone numbers, then select the number you'd like to use.
Click Submit.
Your phone number is submitted for approval. We'll notify you via email as soon as it's been approved. Plan on 10–14 business days for texting approval.
Please Note: Available phone numbers don't always match your local area code. The list of available numbers refreshes periodically, so if you don't see a number you like, check again in a few days.
How to send or schedule a text message
Once your texting phone number is approved, you can send text messages to your donors and guests from the Messaging page.
From your dashboard, click Donor Management, then click Messaging.
Click New Message in the top right corner of the screen.
Choose a template or select Custom message to write your own, then click Next.
Under Select Recipients, you can search donors by name or email, Add all or Add individual donors.
You can filter the list of donors for donors with a phone number added or view a list of attendees within your ticketing campaigns.
Repeat until you've added everyone you'd like to text.
Next, customize your text. Enter or customize a private Title. Enter your message in the Text field.
Please Note: Certain topics may be restricted by mobile carriers. If a word gets flagged you will see a notice appear suggesting rewording or removing the flagged word:
Then, choose whether to send your message now or to schedule it for a later time. If you choose to schedule your text message, you'll be able to set the date and time.
To preview the text message on your phone, click Send a test. The test goes to your primary phone number.
Once done, click Send or Schedule if you chose to send later.
Done! Your text message is sent and appears on your Messaging page with a status of Sent or Scheduled. Click on the title of the text to view the message details and a list of all recipients.
Please Note: The first message sent to a donor through BetterWorld will automatically include a "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" notice.
Do donors need to opt in to receive text messages?
Donors don't need to opt in to BetterWorld text messages through a BetterWorld form. You can text donors on an existing list if they reasonably agreed to be contacted by your organization — for example, a list you imported from another tool.
If a donor replies STOP to one of your text messages, future text messages to that phone number are blocked. The recipient's status on the message details page shows why the text wasn't delivered.
Things to know about BetterWorld text messages
Keep these BetterWorld texting limitations in mind when planning your messages:
Sender name: Text messages sent to US numbers show your texting phone number, not your organization's name. We recommend including your organization's name in your message.
Images and logos: Text messages can't include graphics, images, or logos. Text messages are text only.
International numbers: BetterWorld can send text messages to phone numbers in most countries outside the US. Please reach out to our support team for a full list or to confirm whether a specific country is supported.