Of Course We Have a Mobile Strategy (Don't We?)

And, don't forget to consider driving people to a mobile environment through the use of QR codes. But, get ready because if you want someone to click on a QR code but you drive him to a site that is not optimized for that mobile device, you will lose that opportunity.

Need more proof?
As I dig deeper into this topic, it becomes alarmingly clear that mobile strategies are going to be critical. Here are a few mind-twisters for you all who need more proof:

1. 15 percent of Web traffic is mobile: The recent Mary Meeker trend report showed that 15 percent of Internet traffic is mobile traffic (does not include tablet). This percentage is growing at a tremendous clip and is predicted to surpass 20 percent by the end of the year.
2. Mobile users access the web 25 times a day: Mobile users are purpose-driven, start early and access the Web on average in over 25 short spurts throughout the day. On mobile, 40 percent of searches happen between 6pm-midnight, which is notably different from PC behavior.
3. According to "Mobile Search Moments: Understanding How Mobile Drives Conversions" by Google and Nielsen, 77 percent of mobile searches are made at home or work — a place where a PC also could have been used. This displacement should continue as mobile data plans expand.
4. Comcast analysts predict that mobile Web surfing will overtake desktop surfing by 2014.

Let's talk strategies
Don't fall into the trap that it is only about fundraising. Here are just a few ideas where mobile strategies can complement an organization's primary focus areas:

• Fundraising: Yes, this is the obvious one. It's simple yet complicated. There are a ton of rules for text-to-give, and the realization of money is often months down the road simply due to the process of receiving the donations through the text services. But it is still something that should be looked at for major events, issues and time-sensitive strategies. Due to the limitations, I would suggest that text-to-give be used with a sense of urgency but that mobile fundraising platforms or mobile giving pages are used as just another way to collect donations from the everyday donor. And don't forget the opportunities to use search and display advertising as a way to drive people to your brand. But keep in mind the stats above, because if they are searching or active on their mobile devices they expect a mobile experience if they click on an ad.
• Advocacy: Another obvious one — and we can thank disasters and politics for this one — involves egaging a mobile audience in mass around a specific issue, to take a poll, to provide feedback, to invite to an event, etc. It's basic but important and, trust me, it can be done wrong. Think through your strategy around urgent issues or urgent calls to action.
• Volunteering in general: Mobile communication for many people is about texting and quick, short conversations. Don't lose sight of the fact that volunteer sign-ups and cultivation can be done quite easily through text and click-through to a site prepared to take name and contact information. Need someone to come to a local event and help at registration? Need to get people to rally for a particulate issue? With the appropriate geographic targeting, a mobile strategy to engage volunteers can be very effective.
• Awareness and cultivation: Don't forget that it really is OK to not always ask for something. Part of the engagement pathway is about providing information —it could be about progress in the mission, a reminder about a prior commitment or anniversary, an update on a specific issue, and it could be to simply let someone know you appreciate her support. Sending several text messages a month with information designed to cement the relationship further is highly recommended. And, don't forget visual opportunities — a photo related to your mission or even a link to a video (granted it needs to load quickly) to show progress in a particular area or tell someone's story.

Long story short — mobile must be a part of your strategy.