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Mobile Technology to Improve Your Philanthropic Efforts

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Philanthropy typically has a face-to-face quality to it, from meeting with potential donors to volunteering at an event or for a nonprofit. But now, thanks to current technology, philanthropists can rely on mobile devices to help bring about social change. While many people feel that smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices have made society less social, it’s ironic that they help promote social change. The following three types of mobile technology can help boost your philanthropic efforts:

A Smartphone

Every philanthropist needs a smartphone with plenty of bells and whistles in his or her pocket. For example, the HTC One M9 does much more than let you talk and text. The phone features a 20-megapixel camera that produces higher-quality images than many digital cameras on the market. You can use the phone to capture pictures to display the great work your charity is doing, and then post them on your social media sites. Use these photos to recruit other volunteers or to convince others to donate to your cause. You can also use the video feature to create short and powerful videos of the animals in your rescue shelter or of kids in the hospital to post on YouTube, Vine or Snapchat.

Then, send out text alerts and emails to potential donors, reminding them of upcoming fundraisers. And, of course, use your smartphone to call those who have made donations to thank them for their time and help.

A Tablet

When you want something with a larger, more user-friendly screen, a tablet like the iPad, Surface or Kindle Fire can be easier for you and donors to see. If you are hosting a fundraiser for your charity and need a way to check people in, it is faster to find and check off names on a large-screened tablet. You can download a service like Eventbrite that links to your list of RSVPs, and then check in attendees and volunteers as they arrive. Or, when you meet with potential donors, you can show them your charity’s website, testimonials and social media presence. You can also create and show PowerPoint presentations about your causes on the tablet.

A Mobile Payment Method

Not that long ago, charities received most of their donations via check. Now, thanks to mobile credit card readers, you can accept payments on your mobile device. Business News Daily lists several mobile credit card readers like Flagship Merchant Services, which is a top-rated credit card processing service. Flagship Merchant Services accepts all types of credit and debit cards and can even accept payments when offline by storing the information to be processed when it regains a signal. This means that people can easily and securely donate on the spot at meetings, fundraisers or other events tied to your charity, no matter how remote they are. Having a mobile point-of-sale (POS) system means you no longer have to wait for a check to arrive in the mail or to clear at the bank.

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