Content:

situation analysis
what is causerocket?
positioning
personas
timeline
nonprofit partnerships
for-profit partnerships
marketing objectives
marketing strategy
event marketing
communication objective
user experience
creative
budgets & finance
evaluation plan
appendix
sources
1
7
8
9
11
13
15
17
19
31
35
45
51
55
57
67
74 acknowledgements
37
Emerson college
gmca capstone
spring 2013
client: pennyclick
agency: origami
1
situation analysis
PennyClick was launched in November 2012 by Cricket Barlow and Drew Hollenbeck. The company began as an
online social network for nonprofits and individuals where users could sign up and create a profile by depositing
$25 or more into their accounts, which they could then allocate to a database of over 1,000,000 GuideStar charities.
The money that they would put on the account was immediately tax-deductible and processed by PennyClick at a
3 percent rate. Users could also create a fundraiser or wish for a charity of their choice, which they could share on
social media platforms to encourage others to donate. PennyClick is currently in the process of moving away from
this social network idea and hopes to become more of an added value payment processor for nonprofits.
PennyClick is shifting its focus from donors to the actual nonprofits as a merchant account processor. The company
is currently stepping away from its original concept and is repositioning itself as an added value electronic donation
processing service that helps nonprofits by providing free online giving solutions. The solutions include a low, 3
percent processing fee for online donations on the nonprofits website and added wigets for nonprofits to create
their own wish and giving day platform on the nonprofits website. PennyClicks mission is to be a simple, cost-
efficient nonprofit payment processor with fundraising tools to help you increase your donations. PennyClick plans
to empower nonprofits with the tools to optimize and maximize their fundraising and donation goals. It plans to
target small nonprofit organizations that are currently using other donation payment processors. After signing up
with PennyClick, nonprofits will get the following benefits and tools:
A low, flat processing fee of 3 percent.
A branded donation Pay Page that is in the look and feel of the nonprofit with the option of multiple
fundraising campaign pages.
Goal bars for matching grants and campaigns.
Photos and videos that provide some visual representations of the nonprofit and the work that they do.
Social media sharing options for donors such as I just gave to (organization name)! through such
platforms as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and email.
A donation widget for a nonprofit website or blog.
Fundraising wish platforms served up on nonprofits website so that donors can be the ones helping
with fundraising.
2
According to the 2012 Nonprofit Almanac, 2.3 million nonprofit organizations currently operate in the United States,
1.6 million of which are registered with the IRS. This market is segmented with nonprofits that range widely in
revenue, staff and donations. The nonprofit sector contributed $804.8 billion to the U.S. economy in 2010, which
was 5% of the entire GDP. In 2011, private charitable contributions, which include giving to public charities and
religious congregations, totaled $298.42 billion. PennyClicks focus centers around the business of small nonprofits.
PennyClick is not trying to reach large nonprofits, which already have well-established payment processors in place
with a plethora of resources in terms of people and money. Even though large nonprofits only account for 4 percent
of the total amount of charities, they did more than 85 percent of marketing and advertising spending in 2010.
Because larger nonprofits generate their own advertising and awareness campaigns, PennyClick is trying to reach
the small nonprofits that do not have the resources or understanding of the online realm in order to fundraise to their
maximum potential.
The following payment processors are the main competitors in this market. They are direct competitors because
their offerings often overlap with those of PennyClick, and in some cases provide additional services. In order for
PennyClick to differentiate itself and stand on its own, it need to stand out from the following competitors:
competitors for Pennyclick
PennyClick Razoo Network For Good Kimbia CiviCore
Mobile App
Webinar
Fees
Support
Social Media
Widgets
Visible Client
NO YES
3% 4.9%
MONTHLY CHARGE SETUP FEE CALL
UNCLEAR
YES YES YES
NO NO
NO
NO
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO NO
NO
3
Many nonprofits have been negatively affected by the economic recession. Nonprofits have more expenditures than
generated funds, and there has only been surplus funds in 2 of the past 10 years. But online donations are becoming
increasingly more important and crucial for nonprofits, which is the need that PennyClick is trying to fulfill. In 2012,
overall giving grew less than 2 percent, indicating that a down economy is still making fundraising difficult. However,
online donations accounted for 7 percent of all donations in 2012, which was an 11 percent increase from 2011. Small
nonprofit overall giving grew by 7.3 percent, which was the most of any segment. Since 2006, online donations
have grown from $7 billion to $22 billion in 2012 and it is predicted that this will continue to grow at a double digit
rate. Online donations are projected to increase to 50 percent by 2017, which will amount in over $100 billion in
net profits. This trend in online giving has created an increase in the amount of payment processors available to
nonprofits. Some of the most popular processors are Razoo, Network for Good, and PayPal. The multitude of
services is a demonstration that there is a need for these types of providers in the nonprofit market because of the
increase in online giving.
nonprofit & online donation market overview
About 70 percent of
young donors reported
that they had made a
donation online in 2011.
Millennials are more
civic minded than past
generations.
Millennials expect im-
mediate and impulsive
interactions with non-
profit organizations.
Millennials prefer
making donations
online over any
other method.
79% of smartphone
owners say they
are connected
to a nonprofit via
smartphone.
4
millennial statistics
Millennials are becoming increasingly more involved in the world of
nonprofits, especially in the online donations arena that PennyClick is
trying to enter. Millennials are more civic-minded than past generations
and they believe that it is their duty to improve their communities and
do good deeds in the areas of race, gender relations, the environment,
faith and politics. They are a timeless generation to target because of
the lucrative long-term donation amounts they will give as they age.
Compared to previous generations, they have a different relationship
and expectation when it comes to nonprofits. Because of their constant
interaction with technology, Millennials expect immediate and impulsive
interactions with nonprofit organizations and they use websites as their
main hub when learning about these organizations. According to the
Millennial Impact Report, 75 percent of young people gave to causes
in 2012 and their number 1 preferred method of giving was through
online channels. Some of this giving was in immediate response to an
emotional reaction that they had with the nonprofit and 42% of Millennials
like to give to what inspired them in the moment. Millennials are more
impulsive than previous generations and nonprofits need to include
strong calls to action in order to capitalize on this.
Smartphones and mobile devices are making a huge impact on the
ways in which millennials interact with organizations and should be kept
in mind moving forward. The rate of smartphone adoption in the United
States is growing rapidly and Millennials lead the smartphone adoption
curves across all demographics. It is vital to reach Millennials in a timely
manner via smartphones because it is the technology they are most
familiar with and most active on. Around 70% of Millennials reported
that they own a smartphone and this number is constantly increasing.
Additionally, 79% of smartphone owners said they have in some way
connected with a nonprofit via smartphone. Considering the constant
increase in the amount of smartphone users, it is vital that nonprofits use
this platforms in order to reach this generation.
Born between
1981 and 2000.
they believe in doing work that has
an inpact on the world.
technology is an
integral part of their
lives.
they will surpass
previous
generations
in influence
because of their
size and strong
values.
Today, the U.S. consumer spends an average of 2 hours and 38 minutes per day on smartphones and tablets. 80%
of that time is spent using apps and 20% is spent on the mobile web. According to Pew Research, there is a rise in
the Apps Culture, particularly among Millennials. 79% of 18-29 years-olds use the apps they have on their phones,
with the average Millennial having 22 apps.
Millennials represent 44% of all app-users. In June 2012, consumers spent 81 minutes per day using mobile apps,
compared to 74 minutes of web surfing. Consumers spend 9% more time, on average, using mobile apps. The
report found that the growth in mobile app usage came mostly from more sessions per user, rather than longer
sessions overall.
According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, human beings like the element of surprise, even
if they say they dont. Scientists from Emory University and Baylor College of Medicine proved this by measuring
brain activity while squirting either water or fruit juice into participants mouths. The participants didnt know which
liquid they would receive, and their brain functions proved that even when they said they didnt like surprises or
the unexpected, they in fact did. Read Montague of Baylor College of Medicine discovered that, "until recently,
scientists assumed that the neural reward pathways, which act as high-speed Internet connections to the
pleasure centers of the brain, responded to what people like; however, when we tested this idea in brain scanning
experiments, we found that reward pathways responded much more strongly to the unexpectedness of stimuli
instead of their pleasurable effects." This means that subjects brains were more active when they were given the
unexpected and unanticipated. In other words, the subjects' brains were more active when they were exposed to
the unanticipated. Emory neuroscientist Gregory Berns explains that, this means that the brain finds unexpected
pleasures more rewarding than expected ones, and it may have little to do with what people say they like." Along
with the element of surprise, Millennials gamble at a higher rate than previous generations. According to Gambling:
Dont Bet On It by Rex Rogers, more than two-thirds of Millennials said they favored gambling, in comparison to
less than 30 percent of Generation X. Because Generation X was the first generation to grow up without moral
condemnation perceptions tied to gambling, their Millennial children are set to build on this foundation. Millennials
relationship with gaming and gambling is seen as a form of entertainment, or even a meaningful career path.
the element of surprise
5
It is important to capitalize on the Millennial gaming habits and tap into the part of human nature that generates
excitement when taking risks and the positive rush gained when experiencing the element of surprise. This
anticipation creates a natural high, and sometimes even an adrenaline rush, which is appealing for Millennials who
are looking for fun and entertainment.
In order to stand out, its important for PennyClick to be able to provide some kind of differentiating added value.
For PennyClick, this means offering its existing services in a new and innovative way in order to gain a competitive
edge. As it stands now, the company does have a comparatively low processing fee, but no other outstanding
competitive advantage. Many other providers are offering the same services, but are better established in the
market. PennyClick needs to reposition itself in order to meet the needs in the market and consider the context in
which it is in and react accordingly, but it needs to do so in a timeless and timely manner.
PennyClick must target Millennials for lucrative and timeless donation projections. PennyClick must also be timely
by reaching Millennials in a way that best suits them and on a platform that they are already highly engaged with
- smartphones. Additionally, the name PennyClick itself needs to change. This name is no longer in line with the
objectives of the company. By including a monetary value in the organization name, it takes away from the nonprofit
nature of the business environment.
The solution is to create a new, rebranded smartphone application that allows Millennials to donate to nonprofits, but
with the twist of offering an undisclosed incentive in the form of a reward from a for-profit business that matches
the donors tastes and preferences. This is timeless by targeting Millennials, and timely by using a smartphone
application to do so. By offering the extra mystery incentive, it adds in the element of surprise and capitalizes on
the lottery-style, gaming theory of human behavior. This melds the three worlds of donors, nonprofits and for-profit
businesses together by creating an avenue for the three to meet to create a greater good for charities, in greater
numbers, in a seamless, streamlined manner. It also stays true to the pillars in which the old company was based --
processing donations in a social, and online optimized way. In the following proposal, there is a plan for the creation
and launch of a new technology that includes a new name, logo and brand identity to best reach the Millennial
market.
critical question & solution
6
what is Causerocket?
Causerocket is an iPhone and Android app that
enables people to donate to charities and receive
surprise rewards from for-profit businesses. We
work with 12, for-profit businesses that give donors
rewards. The donor doesnt know what reward they
will get at the time of the donation. We like to keep
the excitement high.
what
do we
do?
Causerocket is free and simple to use. Donors just
launch the app, link it to their Facebook profile and
scan their credit cards. They pick their charity and
donation amount, receive their surprise reward from
a for-profit business of their choosing, then share
their donation and reward news to their Facebook
friends. The selected charity earns the donation
money from the donor. The donor earns a reward.
how
do we
work?
Mantra: Giving back to those who give.
7
Positioning statement: I do good, I feel good, I receive good.
Causerocket iCare LevelUp SocialVest SCVNGR
Cost
Benefits
Fees
Business
Donations
free
surprise rewards
and donations
transferred
immediately to
the nonprofit
3%
Toodalu
2%
free free free free free
donations
transferred
immediately
through paypal
discounts on
places user
frequents and
places they want
to try
percent of
spending user is
already doing
goes to charity
user gains points
that lead to
rewards
percent of
spending user is
already doing
goes to charity
3% N/A N/A N/A
giving gifts
to donors
varies
N/A N/A 1-35% 5%
positioning
Causerocket is being positioned to be completely different than all of the competition. Where simular apps offer
a percentage of purchases already being made to nonprofits, Causerocket reverses the action so that donors are
rewarded for donating. They will receive a mystery gift from partner businesses when they donate to nonprofits.
The 3 percent transaction fee from PennyClick stays with Causerocket when donors give to
nonprofits.
8
9
donor personas
Natalie is a 26-year-old nurse living in the
Brighton-Allston area. In her spare time, she
enjoys meeting up with friends, volunteering
at her favorite charity and participating in
physical activities like running and yoga. She
uses technology in her everyday life by using
her iPhone apps in the subway to see when her
train will arrive, listening to music on the subway
and to pay for her morning coffee at Starbucks
before work. She often uses GrubHub to deliver
her meals to Mass General because she doesnt
have time between breaks. She enjoys the
excitement of the yummy rummy technology
on the GrubHub mobile app that allows her to flip
a card every third order in hopes of redeeming
a prize. She is adventurous, philanthropic and
loves the young professional scene in Boston.
She hopes to develop her career one day to
be the director of nursing at Mass General or a
director of her own nonprofit.
Danny is a 30-year-old account planner at an
advertising agency in Boston. In his spare time,
he enjoys playing video game tournaments with
his friends, playing frisbee in the common and
trying out new restaurants in the area. His mother
died of cancer when he was in high school, so
giving back to charities is something close to his
heart. He began volunteering as part of a high
school requirement, but continues today in hopes
that cancer will one day be a disease of the past.
He lives his life as sustainably as possible, using
public transportation when he can and relaxing
on the T with his Android music playlist. He loves
to go see live music and checks in to venues on
FourSquare, Facebook and tweets pictures via
his Instagram account. He stays connected to
his college friends in California via social media
and he loves reading his news in online formats.
10
business personas
Doug, the Chief Marketing Officer for Starbucks,
handles all of Starbucks strategic marketing
initiatives and business partnerships. He works
alongside the Corporate Social Responsibility
Director Patty and the Chief Financial Officer
Skeeter. Together they choose the best nonprofit
fits and business alignments for Starbucks to
demonstrate the brands goodwill to the public.
The team feels Causerocket is the perfect
match for Starbucks. It allows the brand to have
increased flow into stores, a higher purchase
conversion rate per reward type and more
earned media shares on Facebook. Causerocket
will present Starbucks with the opportunity to
further show the companys commitment to
philanthropic causes.
TJ is the CEO of Shake Shack, a business that
originates back to a hot dog cart in Manhattans
Madison Square Park which was formed to
support the Madison Square Park Conservancys
first art installation. With the help of his Chief
Marketing Officer Gretchen and his Corporate
Social Responsibility Director Mikey, TJ has
grown the business to locations in multiple
states in America and even franchised locations
overseas. TJ made part of Shake Shacks mission
an initiative to use eco-friendly, sustainable
materials in all of its stores. Gretchen and Mikey
built the philanthropic model for the company,
which includes partnerships with local charitable
organizations and Share Our Strength. TJ,
Gretchen and Mikey all feel that a partnership
with Causerocket would benefit the company
by building its brand image and philanthropic
identity. Causerocket opened its system to a self-
service platform a few months after the website
and app launched, and the team just completed
the profile and is now awaiting acceptance from
Causerockets review process.
11
June 2013
Smartphone application development begins
Key business partnership pitches are scheduled with the 12 proposed for-profit
businesses
July 2013
Smartphone application development continues
Key business partnership pitches are given
August 2013
Awareness campaign launch development begins
September 2013
Awareness campaign launch development continues
October 2013
Smartphone application development is finalized
For-profit business partnerships are finalized
timeline
12
November 2013
Smartphone application beta testing in Boston begins
Smartphone application is streamlined, post-beta, and nationwide launch logistics
are finalized
December 2013
Smartphone application is ready for nationwide launch
Awareness campaign launch push
LAUNCH
December 31st, 2013 - January 1st 2014
Awareness campaign merges into action campaign to convert awareness into
purchase
January 2014
Reinforce campaign awareness launch and action campaign to create more
conversions
13
nonprofit
partnerships
Causerocket will focus on helping out small, local nonprofits that could really benefit from additional fundraising dollars
and the added exposure that they would receive. Causerocket will utilize the GuideStar system which is a database
that has over 1.8 million IRS approved nonprofits from all across the United States. Depending on the geo-targeted
location of the individual that is using the application, the system would sift through the GuideStar database and present
them with nonprofit organizations that reflect their interests based on the information that they entered when they
created their profile. If a user of Causerocket specified that they like giving to nonprofits that have to do with animals
and children, then the list of charities that they can donate to will coincide with those that topics. Also, the nonprofits
presented will be based on their location. For example, if someone is in Chicago, they will receive a different set of
nonprofits than someone who is using the app in Boston. The reason that we are presenting users with a small set list
of nonprofits and not letting them go through the whole database is because we want this app to be as simple to use
as possible. If people are faced with too much choice, they may be deterred from giving a donation because of the
time that they need to dedicate to reading a huge amount of descriptions. Based on research, Millennials are often
inspired to give in the moment so if presented with a select few nonprofits, they may be more to be inspired to give.
Also, by connecting them with nonprofits that are actually in their area, they will have more of a personal connection
to them and maybe learn about a local charity that they had never heard about before.
14
The Animal Rescue League of Boston is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to rescuing domesticated
animals and wildlife from suffering, cruelty,
abandonment, and neglect. Since 1899 they have
advocated the philosophy of their founder, Anna
Harris Smith, that Kindness Uplifts the World.
MassEquality is the leading statewide grassroots
advocacy organization working to ensure that
everyone across Massachusetts can thrive
from cradle to grave without discrimination and
oppression based on sexual orientation, gender
identity, or gender expression.
ArtsBoston serves more than 170 arts organizations
in theatre, music, dance, visual arts, comedy, and
family programs throughout Greater Boston by
helping them grow audiences, providing strategic
and capacity-building resources, and serving as a
collective voice for the arts.
Boston Athletic Association was established in
1887 as a nonprofit organization witha mission of
managing athletic events and promoting a healthy
lifestyle through sports, especially running.
the animal rescue league of boston artsboston
massequality boston athletic association
For the beta testing in Boston, Causerocket will choose a few nonprofits to partner with in order to test the
application. These are nonprofits based in Boston and are examples of the charities that someone would see if they
were in the Boston area using the app. These nonprofits were strategically chosen in order to reflect a wide array
of causes that millennials are interested in contributing to. Causerocket wants to ensure that a person using the
application can find a local charity that they are interested in supporting and with which they can foster an emotional
connection. The different categories that Causerocket could partner with would include animals, civil rights,
medicine, environment, arts, and sports. A few of the Boston charities and their mission statements are included
below.
Boston beta testing nonprofits
for-profit
partnerships
Along with offering a variety of delicious ice cream flavors,
Ben and Jerrys also puts a strong emphasis on being socially
responsible. It is a fair trade company that allows farmers to
compete and thrive in the global community. Ben and Jerrys has
a social mission of using innovation to improve quality. Every
year, 1.8 million dollars is donated to nonprofit organizations.
Ben and jerrys
Boloco, which stands for Boston Local Company, is a Boston
based burrito company that started in 1986. Boloco strives to be
part of the community and wants to be known more for being like
a neighbor and a friend, rather than just another chain restaurant.
When we open a restaurant, we become part of the community.
It is not a choice, but a fact. We are a neighbor. We are a friend.
We are there for you.
boloco
Target has a legacy of supporting communities through giving,
and its a belief that guides its business decisions. Each year,
Target gives 5 percent of its profit to communities, which adds
up to more than $4 million each week.
target
Whole Foods utilizes store donations and its Whole
Planet Foundation for its community and global giving
initiatives. As a whole, Whole Foods community giving
exceeds 5 percent of its total net profits each year.
whole foods
Smoothie Kings mission of providing more people with
the opportunity to achieve a healthier lifestyle guides
its philanthropy in communities it serves, by supporting
charities that promote healthy lifestyles.
smoothie king
Panera Bread believes in giving back to the local
communities. It sponsors special events open to local
neighborhoods, as well as participates in charitable
events and offers Operation DoughNation programs
their organization formed in 1992 to formalize their
commitment to community involvement. Panera has since
then grown to include four other charitable programs.
panera
Causerocket will partner with 12 for-profit businesses for the gift giving aspect of the
app. The following companies were strategically chosen for beta testing based on
their presence in many cities across the United States as well as their involvement in
community and philanthropic initiatives.
15
Subways corporate giving revolves around donating to
the nonprofits its franchisees, employees, and developers
support, in order to do its part in creating a positive influence
in the communities Subway serves around the world.
subway
Starbucks corporate giving initiatives include being a good
neighbor, and inspiring change to make a difference in
peoples lives. Starbucks has a commitment that is rooted
in the belief that it can balance profitability and a social
conscience.
starbucks
Wendys is committed to supporting communities by
focusing on providing charitable support for children.
Wendys believes children deserve a loving and permanent
family and forms its charitable donations around the support
they need to reach their potential.
wendys
AMC believes community involvement is a vibrant and
integral part of the communities it serves, and pursues this
initiative by providing free movie passes and other donations
to charitable causes.
AMC theatres
Giving back is an essential part of the way Mcdonalds
operates. Whether it is helping talented young athletes, a local
sports league, or taking steps to improve its neighborhoods
and surrounding community, Mcdonalds donates at least $3
million dollars to charities every month.
mcdonalds
PetSmart is committed to improving the quality of life for pets.
They do this by creating and supporting certain programs
that work to save the lives of homeless pets. They also work
towards promoting healthy relationships between people
and pets.
petsmart
16
17
marketing objectives
for donors
The target market of Causerocket is Millennials that are between the ages of 20 to 34 years old. According
to census data, there are 625,650,000 individuals in this age bracket. Roughly 70 percent of Millennials own
a smartphone. This makes Causerockets market approximately 43,855,000 people. 75 percent of Millennials
reported that they donated to a charity in 2012. So within our target market, 32,891,250 of these individuals donated
money to charities in 2012. Causerocket projects that in the first day of the launch, 1,000,000 people will download
the app. Throughout the first year, awareness of the app will increase and by the end of Year 1, Causerocket
projects that there will be 5,000,000 million downloads of the application.
year one launch day
62,650,000 people in the 20 to 34 year old bracket x .7
because 70 percent have smartphones
43,855,000 people with smartphone in the 20 to 34
year old bracket x .75 because 75 percent said that
they gave = 32,891,250 millennials
1,000,000 downloads in the first day of launching
with 600,000 donating to a cause.
Causerocket projects that there will be 5 million
downloads of the application.
3,000,000 actual donations
$21 average per donation
18
marketing objectives
for businesses
Before officially launching, Causerocket needs to secure partnerships with for-profit businesses. Ideally, the goal
of Causerocket is to have twelve partnerships established prior to the launch of the application. These need to
be secured pre-launch so that when people are downloading the app, there will be prizes and rewards available
for them to redeem which will be provided by the for-profit businesses. The partnerships will be made with
organizations that have locations all over the United States and range from retail establishments and food places
to grocery stores. These partnerships reflect the wide ranges of tastes and preferences that causerockets users
may have. The businesses that Causerocket hopes to partner with before launching are Wendys, PetSmart, AMC
theaters, Panera Bread, Subway, McDonalds, Subway, Ben & Jerrys, Whole Foods, Target, Boloco, and Subway. By
the end of the first year, Causerocket will be better known and well-established and will set up a self-service system
where businesses can sign up with Causerocket on their own. By the end of Year 1, the marketing objective is to
have a 10% increase in the amount of businesses signed up with Causerocket. By the end of Year 3, Causerocket
plans to have a 25% increase in business partnerships.
year one launch
Before the launch, a goal of 12 for-profit business
partnerships, but will launch if 6 sign up.
Self-service: businesses can sign up but will be
reviewed beforehand in order to ensure quality and
credibility.
10% increase in signups
marketing strategy
the launch explanation
pre-launch strategy
post-launch strategy
blast! explanation
promotional videos
facebook offers
event marketing
19
January 1st, 2014 will be the nationwide launch of Causerocket. The Launch will center around New Years Eve
festivities and the campaign will encourage Millennials to fit Causerocket into their plans. Whether they are at a party
with friends, watching the ball drop in Times Square or having a quiet night with the family, The Launch will be a way
for Millennials to feel a sense of goodwill and positive momentum for the future.
The Launch will include a teaser website to create anticipation of the new smartphone application and website.
This will include a teaser video trailer as well, and bloggers, relevant media and press will all be contacted and
given information to feature Causerocket on their specific outlet. All 12 of the for-profit businesses will do a shared
commercial spot prior to The Launch that promotes their business partnership with Causerocket and promotes the
goodwill they are generating to society through this philanthropic venture. This commercial will build anticipation
and hype to encourage Millennials to download the app on midnight at New Years and make their donation
commitments public via Facebook shares. This commercial will also promote the $10,000 prize that one lucky donor
will win and the $10,000 check that will be distributed to their favorite charity of choice. Causerockets for-profit
partners will join forces to allocate their monetary prize.
The Launch will occur on midnight, when the clock strikes for the New Year, and Causerocket will officially be
activated for downloads of the app and access to the website. This will be done concurrently while promoting
Millennials to start off their year right by pledging to opt-in to a monthly donation plan to make this the year of
charitability and resolutions completed. According to a University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology study
done at the end of 2012, people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to successfully reach their
goals as opposed to people that dont publicly state their goals. Along with this data, it was noted that 39 percent of
people in their twenties actually achieve their resolutions, while only 14 percent of people over 50 achieve their New
Years resolutions. Causerocket plans to capitalize on this data by initiating Millennials to publicly share their goals
on Facebook and ask for an opt-in, 12-month donating pledge to prevent resolution fall-off as time goes by. The
study also showed that 75 percent of resolution makers make it past the first week successfully, 64 percent make
it successfully to one month and 46 percent make it to six months. Causerocket plans to utilize the 12-month opt in
default option to prevent this declination.
launch
20
pre launch strategy
The Causerocket application will be launched at midnight on January 1st, 2014. Marketing and promotions will begin
a month prior to this in order to build buzz and anticipation for the app. On December 1, 2013, a teaser website will
be opened that will serve as an information hub for the application. This will transition into a full-fledged website
once the Causerocket app is launched. The teaser website will include a video, which will serve as one of the
promotional tools for the Causerocket New Years app launch. It will explain the Causerocket application and the
idea that New Years is all about starting the year off right and making resolutions. To encourage users to share the
video, it will be shot in HD for better quality and clarity. This video will also give Causerocket the ability to measure
and analyze the effectiveness of Causerockets marketing strategy. It will build anticipation for the midnight launch
and hopefully encourage people to spread the word and create buzz around Causerocket. If any influential bloggers
hear about the launching of the app, they may write a story about it and this would further increase awareness and
anticipation.
Causerocket will also utilize Twitter as another promotional tactic for the pre-launch. Causerocket will incorporate
its brand into the profile image, create a custom background and include a link to the teaser website. Pre-launch,
Causerocket will use Twitter as an avenue to build up anticipation for the New Years app launch. The tweets will also
show Causerockets expertise in the nonprofit market and will link to additional information, comment on current
events or interact with users.
21
Facebook will be updated regularly and encourage followers to engage and interact. Causerocket will also get more
fans through giveaways and other contests. A Facebook fan page will also be created which will be centered around
the New Years Launch. Users can post photos and questions, and be able to interact with the Causerocket brand.
22
Press Release
In order to raise awareness of the Causerocket app,
a press release will be issued that explains the New
Years Launch. Press releases have proven to be an
effective way to promote an app launch and they
have the potential to drive traffic to the Causerocket
app. This press release will be syndicated on
numerous popular news sites and blogs. If influential
bloggers in the realm of nonprofits or technology
discuss the app, then this could greatly improve
Causerockets SEO rankings.The press release will
contain a few well-constructed hyperlinks back to
Causerockets app web site and to its marketplace
listing. Potential press release service to be used to
distribute the press release include PRWeb, PRMac
and PRNewswire.
(See Appendix For Full Press Release)
(More)

Contact:
Cricket Barlow, 857-333-5555
cricket@causerocket.com

CAUSEROCKET LAUNCHES GAME-CHANGING MOBILE APP THAT
ENABLES PEOPLE TO DONATE TO CHARITIES AND RECEIVE
INSTANT REWARDS FROM FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES

Challenges Americans to Make Giving Back Their New Years Resolution.

Boston, MA, December 31, 2013 Causerocket is a new iPhone and Android app that
enables people to donate to charities and receive instant rewards from for-profit
businesses. The app launches on Wednesday, January 1
st
, New Years Day, and allows
people to earn money for their favorite local charities and receive rewards from
businesses, including: (1) Ben & Jerrys; (2) Boloco; (3) Target; (4) Whole Foods; (5)
Panera; (6) Smoothie King; (7) Subway; (8) Starbucks; (9) Wendys; (10) McDonalds;
(11) PetSmart; (12) AMC Theaters.

The app is free and simple to use. People just launch the app, link it to their Facebook
profile and scan their credit cards. They pick their charity and donation amount, receive
their reward from a for-profit business of their choosing, then share their donation and
reward news to their Facebook friends. The selected charity earns the donation money
from the donor. The donor earns a reward.

Causerocket is launching the app on New Years Day to initiate Americans to make their
New Years Resolution to give to a charity monthly in 2014. Causerocket is also aiming
to promote the corporate sponsors that are giving rewards and commend them for being
good corporate citizens to the nonprofits and nonprofit donors in America.

23
During the day of the launch, Causerocket projects that 1 million people will download the application and around
600,000 donations will be made. People will be strongly encouraged to sign up for a monthly recurring donation to
their charity of choice, which will go in line with the New Years Launch strategy. After the initial launch, it is important
that Causerocket continues to stay relevant in the mind of the user. Causerocket will be featured at a few different
technology expos and nonprofit conferences in order to gain exposure and awareness. The conferences and expos
that Causerocket will attend are the Washington Nonprofit Conference in February 2014, the Ad Tech Conference
in April 2014, the Nonprofit Marketing Conference in July 2014, the NTEN Nonprofit Technology Conference, March
2014 and SXSW Interactive in March 2014. These events will help Causerocket gain exposure and ultimately drive
the number of downloads and donations. Causerocket will also host its own Giving Day event in September 2014
called Blast! (See Blast! explanation on page 25).
Facebook and Twitter will continue to be utilized in order to keep users engaged and have a chance to interact
with Causerocket. The website will continue to be an information hub about Causerocket both for users and
media. There will be a downloadable press kit available on the website to make information easily accessible for
bloggers and journalists who want to write about the app. There will also be three videos on the website that users
will be encouraged to share to create more awareness about the application and the Causerocket company (see
promotional videos on page 27).
Another tactic to increase the number of downloads is by utilizing Facebook. One method of promotion would
be through the mobile app install ads. These are an effective way to drive installs and increase discovery for the
Causerocket mobile app. Every time that a user clicks on the ad and downloads it, Causerocket will pay $.60, so
this is a relatively cost effective way to drive more users to download the app. These ads will appear in mobile news
feed, and take people directly to the App Store or Google Play to install the app. Another method of promotions will
be done through the use of Facebook offers (see Facebook offers).
Another marketing strategy Causerocket will utilize is giveaway days. On a certain day, every few weeks, users will
be informed that there is a special prize available that they can win when they donate. This prize will be bigger than
the usual prizes available and would encourage more people to donate in hopes of winning it.
post launch
24
Blast! is Causerockets version of a Giving Day. It will be centered around a highly interactive public event open
to all those who do good or want to do good. With Boston being the beta test city for Causerocket, it would be
appropriate to hold the initial Blast! event in Boston. Tents and tables from for-profit companies will be scattered
throughout the event area, along with the nonprofit organizations.
Admission to Blast! will be free, but there will be a suggested donation of $5. The money collected at the end of the
event will be divided and given to the participating charities.
Grab bags will be made available to those who donate a certain amount to a charity. Each bag will contain a
collection of surprise rewards provided by the for-profit companies.
Setups by the nonprofits will enable patrons to talk and interact with those involved in the charities. The donors gives
as much as they like (minimum amount of $7), and in return will be given the chance to receive a mystery reward.
There will be a $7 bag, $14 bag, $21 bag, and a bag for donations over $21. The rewards in each of the bags get
better the higher the donation is. The donors can then reach into the bags depending on their contribution to win a
blast!
25
certain reward. This will incorporate the surprise element that is integrated into the Causerocket app. Each tent
from the nonprofit organization will offer an interactive element for donors to become engaged in. They will learn
more about the organizations, and connect with them in a new way.
The for-profit organizations will have a table and a tent with products to give out and sell. An individual can visit
the tent and make purchases. At the end of the day, that company can donate a certain percent back to the
companys charity of choice.
Because people are often guided by what others do, a screen with a live Twitter feed will be projected in the main
centre of the event. Attendees may tweet @ their charity of choice, and donate via social media. Those around the
event will see the screen, and be encouraged to donate too.
Blast! has the potential to move across the country into other large cities with high community involvement.
Causerocket can continue to spread the word and encourage donors from around the world to engage with Blast!
and download Causerocket.
26
Video 1:
A video will be posted on the main page of the Causerocket website which will be a step-by-step tutorial
guide on how to use the application. The video will demonstrate how easy and user friendly the application is to use.
Video 2:
A second video that the website will feature will be a personal video. It will feature testimonials from the
donors who explain their experience with Causerocket. The video will be inspiring, and will encourage others to join.
The video will focus on the emotional aspects of donating and the good it creates.
Video 3:
A third video will be about Causerockets launch. Causerocket will launch on New Years 2014. This video will
show everything needed to know about Causerocket, and will generate interest and word of mouth. People will be
encouraged to share this video with others in order to generate excitement and buzz about the new application. This
video will be featured on the teaser website prior to the apps release.
promotional videos
27
28
Causerocket will have two main sources of revenue, by charging a three percent processing fee for every
donation and by selling data to the for-profit business partners. When a donor makes a donation through
the application, Causerocket will charge a three percent processing fee. This is a comparatively low rate
compared to some other payment processors like GoogleWallet and PayPal. For example, if a donor makes
a $35 donation through the application, Causerocket will make $1.05 and the rest of the money will go to the
nonprofit.
Causerocket will also make money through the for-profit business partnerships by selling data. Causerocket
will provide these organizations with information regarding their customers including their demographics,
how many people took advantage of the reward, how much they spent in the store, and how many of the
customers came back after redeeming the rewards. For every reward redeemed, Causerocket will receive 35
cents from the for-profit businesses in exchange for this data.
finance marketing
Brands, businesses, and organizations can engage with their loyal customers, and drive new people to their
business, by sharing discounts and posting offers through their Facebook pages. Offers are distributed either
through newsfeeds, or as sponsored stories. If a customer claims an offer they see, they will get an email that
they can show at a physical location of that organization to redeem the discount. There are also offers that can
be redeemed online via a promotional code users have the option to share the offer, or to redeem it privately.
Organizations also have the option of adding a barcode for smartphones that can be used to claim the offer this
makes applying the discount at the register easier. The amount you pay is based on the number of people you
want to reach. Bigger budgets will have a higher reach.
Causerocket will partner with the for profit businesses to utilize Facebook Offers in order to encourage users to
see, claim, and redeem offers from these companies. Many businesses are already using Facebook offers so this
partnership with Causerocket would not involve a lot of extra work on their behalf. The element of surprise will still
be incorporated into the offer. Facebook users will only be able to see the business that is making the offer, but
not what it is offering, so there will still be a sense of anticipation. When the user clicks to claim the offer, they will
be prompted to download the application. If they already have the application, then they will just have to donate a
certain amount of money to a local charity in order to claim the offer. If a person has never used the application,
then they will be redirected either to the Google Play store or the Apple App store in order to download it.
They can create an account through their Facebook, and then will make a donation to a local charity in order to
receive the reward. This will be particularly effective when a person is using Facebook on their phone because
of geotargeting and they will see offers that are relevant to their location. If someone is walking by a McDonalds
and is using their phone to look at Facebook, their feed will present them with an offer that says something like
Donate to a local nonprofit and receive a surprise reward from McDonalds. When they click to redeem this offer,
they will be redirected to the causerocket app and after donating to a local nonprofit, they will receive a mystery
donation from McDonalds. These Facebook offers will be effective because people may be more likely to donate
impulsively and download the app out of curiosity. Users will also see when one of their friends claims an offer
through causerocket. An example message would be Natalie just claimed an offer from Starbucks for a free
coffee by donating to ArtsBoston through Causerocket.
facebook offers
29
Facebook Offers is a marketing tool that will have a tri fold promotional benefit. It will be a way to promote the
Causerocket brand, the nonprofits and the for profit businesses. Every single time a Facebook offer is shown,
the Causerocket name will be attached to it, as well as a small logo in the corner in order to increase brand
awareness. It will also promote the for profit businesses because the offers will be made through their Facebook
pages. By being associated with a company like Causerocket, the for profit businesses will look good in the eyes
of the consumer because of the philanthropic connection. This connection could also bring in new customers for
the companies because they will appreciate the fact that these organizations are supporting local nonprofits. The
actual charities will also be promoted when someone shares an offer that they redeemed through Causerocket.
This will benefit the nonprofits because it will increase their awareness and perhaps bring in even more donations
down the line.
Facebook offers is also a cost effective platform to
promote Causerocket. A Facebook Offer that has a
reach of approximately 380,000 to 700,000 people
would cost the for profit company $1,600. Many of
these companies are already utilizing Facebook offers
so it wouldnt involve a lot of extra work on their behalf
and they will also have the added benefit of being
associated with a good cause.
30
31
event marketing
The event marketingt includes costs associated with conferences and events to promote the app. This budget is
for the first year at pre-lanch and at the lanch point. There would be a designed space that Causerocket would
set up at each event. Events that Causerocket would attend would include NTEN in DC, AMA Nonprofit Marketing
Conference, AdTech San Francisco, and SXSW Interactive.
the space
The space for the conferences will be inviting and engaging. Nonprofits and business owners will step into the
space and learn about Causerocket through videos on a screen on the wall. There will also be Causerocket
representatives in the space teaching these people about the company. These events will be used to sign on
companies and organizations to Causerocket.
17
32
teaser website
33
actual website
34
35
communication objectives
Causerocket has a goal of partnering with twelve for-profit businesses prior to the app being launched. Various
marketing platforms will be used in order to communicate the main objectives and elements of Causerocket.
The main objective is to communicate to businesses the benefits they will receive from partnering with
Causerocket and the positive exposure they will gain from being associated with a company that is focused on
helping local nonprofits. Another communication objective is to emphasize, by partnering with Causerocket,
the for-profit business will be able to increase foot traffic into their stores because it will expose a wider array
of customers to their businesses. Additionally, when users go into those stores to redeem their rewards, it is
likely that they will buy other additional items as well, which will increase their profits. Also, by partnering with
Causerocket, they will improve their image, demonstrate their dedication to philanthropy and have a new way
to promote their organization. The marketing materials that we have in order to promote Causerocket will also
promote the partnering organizations and further increase awareness for those brands.
for profit businesses
36
The communications messaging to donors will center around the fun and interactive way the application allows
donors to give to local nonprofits. Not only will they be doing something good for a charity, but they will also be
receiving something in return. The local connection will be emphasized in the communications tools. Users of
this application may come across nonprofits that they never would have discovered otherwise and they will feel
more of a connection to that organization because of the locality. Another point that will be emphasized is the
element of surprise built into Causerockets reward system. When a user makes a donation, they dont know
what kind of reward they will be receiving and there is an element of anticipation that builds. This creates more
of an incentive for someone to donate because they will be excited for the reward that awaits them at the end.
These surprises will come from food establishments and organizations that have locations nationwide and are
widely recognized and liked. Another communication objective is to relay that Causerocket is an incredibly
simple application to use and will not require a lot of effort on the part of the consumer. They can easily create
a profile through their existing Facebook account which will automatically gauge their location and preferences.
Linking a credit card or debit card to the account is easy and can be done instantly by taking a picture of the
users card.
communication objectives
FOR DONORS
37
The app will be available to download for
free in the Apple App Store and the Andriod
Google Play store. The app will be in the
lifestyle category, and can be searched for
by keywords including nonprofit, gifts, and
donations.
user experience
38
App Logo
39
Screen 1: When a user downloads the app,
they will be directed to a sign-in screen. They
can create a profile through their Facebook
account or with an e-mail address. By using
Facebook, the system will be able to log some
of their preferences, as well as their location.
Screen 2: This is the home screen for the
application. From this screen, the user can
make a donation, they can invite their friends
to join Causerocket, they can view their gifts,
they can make goals for themselves, and they
can also seek help if needed. There will also
be an option for the user to keep track of their
past donations and view their receipts. They
can even e-mail these records to themselves
for tax purposes.
40
Screen 3: Once a user signs into the
app, they will be prompted to enter their
credit card information. This will be safely
stored in Causerockets system and will
only need to be entered once. They can
either manually enter their information, or
they have the option to scan their card. A
3% credit card processing fee will occur
upon all donations.
Screen 4: Users have the option to easily
scan their card information by taking a
picture of it. This information will be safely
stored in Causerockets system.
Screen 5: Once the user
has entered their credit card
information, they will be
asked to select which for-
profit businesses they prefer
and would like to receive
rewards from.
Screen 6: Next, the user
will be asked to select
their interests in terms of
nonprofits. They can choose
more than one category of
nonprofits.
41
Screen 7: Once the user chooses their
favorite categories, the next screen will
bring up a few local charities that go along
with those interests. On this screen, they can
choose the nonprofit that they would like to
donate to.
Screen 8: Once the user chooses the
nonprofit that they want to support, they
will be directed to the donation page. Users
can choose to give a donation amount in
increments of 7 dollars, with 7 dollars being
the minimum donation. Users also have the
option of signing up for a monthly recurring
gift to the nonprofit of their choice. This
donation will be processed by Causerocket
with a 3 percent processing rate.
42
Screen 9: Once the user donates, they will be
redirected to the rewards page. This is where the
element of surprise and anticipation comes in. The user
spins a wheel and stops it when they want to claim their
prize. These rewards will be provided by the for profit
business partners. Some examples of prizes would
be a free latte from Starbucks or a free order of fries
from McDonalds with the purchase of a menu item.
The prize will depend on the amount that the donor has
contributed. Larger donations will receive larger prizes.
Also, people who are frequent donors will receive better
prizes and be rewarded for their loyalty.
43
Screen 10: The user will then be presented with their
prize and they have the option of sharing this information
on Facebook with their friends. The message that they
send out to Facebook would mention both the charity
that they donated to, as well as the for-profit business
from which they received the reward. The reward will be
stored on their phones until they choose to redeem them.
Causerocket will use SCVNGR as a point of reference
in the creation of our reward redemption system. When
a user is ready to redeem a reward, they will swipe a
redeem now bar at the bottom of the screen. When
they swipe to redeem it, a notification will come up on the
screen that says Are you sure? You can only redeem
each reward once. Be sure youre ready to redeem it
now. This will ensure that people arent redeeming prizes
more than once and arent claiming them before they are
ready. It will time-stamp the coupon so that merchants
know that they have just redeemed the prize.
44
logo design
creative
45
r: 26
G: 153
B: 214
r: 90
G: 64
B: 153
web logo colors
c: 75
m: 26
y: 0
k: 0
c: 79
m: 89
y: 0
k: 0
print logo colors
r: 246
G: 196
B: 100
c: 3
m: 24
y: 71
k: 0
46
app logo
promotional materials
business cards
As part of the efforts of creating a new brand, causerocket would be supplied all the promotional
materials for the company. This will include a logo, business cards, envelopes, letterhead, and notecard
flyers. These materials would be passed out during events and when pitching to new business.
47
envelopes
48
letterhead
49
promotional notecard
front back
50
budgets & finance
June July August September October November December Jan '14 Feb '14 March '14 April '14 May '14 June '14 July '14 Sept '14 Oct '14 Nov '14 Dec '14 Total
Event Marketing
Event Space Setup $50000 $50000
Washington Nonprofit
Conference $10000 $10000
NTen Conference and
SxSW $50000 $50000
Blast! $50000 $50000
Nonprofit Marketing
Conference $10000 $10000
Ad Tech $10000 $10000
Total $180000
Development
App development $500000 $500000
Website development +
domain $190000 $10000 $200000
Video development
(3videos) $7000 $14000 $21000
Total $721000
Marketing
Paid searches $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $1200
Facebook $3000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $36000
Total $37200
Sales support
Brand Ambassadors $200000 $200000
Promo Materials $5000 $3000 $5000 $3000 $3000 $3000 $22000
Total $222000
Contingencies
$20000 $20000
Total Costs $1180200
51
52
Once a person makes a donation through Causerocket, they will be prompted to share this on Facebook. This
share will be earned media for the for-profit business for Causerocket. With the Causerocket platform, users are
directed to share their donation and reward as soon as the transaction is complete. It will redirect them to a co-
branded, earned media post that promotes the donor, the for-profit business, and Causerocket.
For-profit businesses will be receiving an average of 19 cents through each branded Facebook share from a
donor. The average Millennial has 318 Facebook friends, and their statuses are seen by 12 percent of their friends.
This equals 38 impressions. When calculating the cpm at $5.00 for Facebook when there are 38 impressions, a
business will earn approximately $190 per 1,000 Facebook posts, if it shows up on one persons Facebook news
feed. If it shows up on two peoples Facebook news feeds, it doubles the amount to 38 cents per post to equal
$380 dollars for the for-profit business per 1,000 posts.
From primary research, 95 percent of impressions are unique with 5 percent overlap. If one person installs the
app, shares their donation and this results in one of their friends installing the app, the business can expect $1,250
dollars in earned media revenue with each user generating $1.25 in earned media.
Causerocket is initially partnering with 12 for-profit businesses and anticipating 1,000,000 downloads of the
smartphone application during the launch on January 1, 2014. This will result in a $1,250,000 in total earned media
revue, with each business receiving over $100,000 possible revenue in the first day alone.
If on average it costs a for-profit business 25 cents in actual costs to produce a reward and the average consumer
spends $4.00 every time they go to a fastfood restaurant, Causerocket can generate up to $4,000,000 in raw
profit for the businesses if the expected 1,000,000 downloads and conversions are met during the launch period.
This would be a total of $3,750,000 in total expected profit with each company receiving up to $312,500.
return on investment
part one
part two
Convergence
Total anticipated profit: $412,500 per business
Event Marketing:
Event Space Setup: $50,000 will be spent in the beginning in order construct the Causerocket interactive setup that
will be used at all the tradeshows and conferences attended.
Washington Nonprofit Conference, February 2014: $10,000
Ad Tech, April 2014: $10,000
Nonprofit Marketing Conference, July 2014: $10,000
NTEN Nonprofit Technology Conference, March 2014: $20,000
SXSW Interactive, March 2014: $30,000

Estimate of event staff costs: $360/ person for a weekend event w/ about 5 people per event: $1,800 per event for
labor.
The costs that need to be considered in terms of these events is the admission to have a table at the event, the
event staff, the promotional materials that Causerocket would provide, the displays and shipping and handling of the
materials.

Blast! Event: $50,000 for entire event

Technology:
App development: It is estimated that in order to develop the Causerocket application, it would cost around
$500,000 which would include updates and maintenance.
Website development: The estimated cost of developing a high-quality website is around $200,000 and includes
the maintenance that would be required throughout the year. The website should have high bandwidth in order to
accommodate the amount of traffic that is anticipated.
Paid searches: The cost incurred for paid searches would be around $100 per month starting in December. The
application will be launched in January so the paid searches should start a month prior to this date in order to build
budget explanation
53
anticipation and buzz.
Facebook App Ads: It will cost Causerocket $0.60 every time someone clicks on an application ad on Facebook in
order to download it. It is anticipated that 5,000 people will click these ads every month, so therefore $3,000 will
be spent every month beginning in January when the application is launched.
Video development: It costs around $7,000 to make one video at the quality and production that Causerocket
wants to achieve. Three videos would mean $21,000 in total expenses for this category.
Sales Support:
Promotional material: It is estimated that the cost incurred from the printing and distribution of the promotional
materials will be $22,000.
Brand Ambassadors: It is estimated that $200,000 should be allocated to the salaries of Causerockets brand
ambassadors. These brand ambassadors will pitch to the for-profit businesses before the application is launched.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that Causerocket hire an agency to take on the tasks involving the app, videos, website and
promotional events and materials. AMP Agency, located in Boston, Massachusetts is a full service digital agency
that would be able to take on production and development.
54
55
evaluation plan
The goal for the first day of the launch of the Causerocket application has 1 million downloads and 600,000
donations. If this goal is not met, Causerocket will re-evaluate its strategies in order to meet the Year One goals.
Six months after the launch, Causerocket will utilize in-app analytics alongside third-party solutions in order to
measure the success of the app at that point in time. If Causerocket is not where it should be, adjustments may
be made in an effort to meet the year one goals and objectives. At the end of year one, Causerocket will have an
understanding of what needs to be done and if anything needs to be changed to accomplish the objectives of year
three.
Evaluation tactics will be tracking: the amount of downloads via app stores, the amount of visits to the website, the
amount of views for the three videos, the amount of likes/interactions on Facebook, the amount of Twitter followers
and interactions, the amount of donations made, and the average donation amount.
Possible evaluation tools to be utilized include: App Figures, Mop App, App Annie, Distimo App Analytics
and Google analytics. When combined, these tools are able to provide Causerocket the following data:
Datagrid (total download and revenue data over a given timespan)
Revenue and downloads during the date range of choice
Ad performance
Daily Rankings (for Causerocket app and competitors apps)
Reviews written on the Causerocket app
Platforms
Events (manual or automatically detected e.g. new release, app entered the top 100)
Breakdown per country to evaluate the need for localization
Total donations over a specified timespan
56
Consumer engagement
Once Causerocket is well-established, a questionnaire will be released to loyal users in order to get a better
understanding of how the customer feels about Causerocket. A similar questionnaire will also be sent to the for
profit and nonprofit businesses. Causerocket will also track the percentage of rewards that are actually redeemed
by users and also the for-profit businesses.
While evaluating Causerocket, it is important to take into consideration customer interaction. If there are low
reviews and ratings online or in the application store, Causerocket should compile the conversations, and respond
to them accordingly. This builds customer loyalty, and also keeps track of the aspects that may or may not need
improvement.
The for-profit business interaction will be evaluated by the amount of signups after the launch. With a goal of a
10% increase in the first year, and a 25% increase in the third year, Causerocket can communicate with for-profit
businesses across the country, and encourage them to join the cause and become a part of something bigger than
they have ever thought.
57
appendix
PennyClick Competitiors
PayPal is a large and very commonly used payment processing platform. It is not just used for fundraising and
nonprofit uses, but for many other financial transactions as well. PayPal is shown to be much cheaper than
PennyClick, but does not allow for the nonprofit to customize the donation page and does not offer widgets or wish
platforms. Due to the fact that PayPal is so large and used by a lot of people, it can be seen as herd mentality, that
many other organizations would choose their services as well. PayPal is used by millions of people and many have
become accustomed to going through this processor when making a payment online. Many nonprofits use PayPal
because of its low fees and recognizable and trusted name.
Razoo is one of PennyClicks main competitors and have a similar lineup of offering and benefits thats it provides to
the nonprofits. Just like PennyClick, Razoo enables a nonprofit customer to customize their widgets and donation
page, and embed them onto their own website. The donor would not be redirected to another page (unlike with
PayPal), and they can complete a payment on the page of the nonprofit. Both Razoo and PennyClick operate with
social media platforms, and use those tools to spread the word. However, Razoo is significantly more active and
trusted among nonprofits, which gives them a competitive edge. The one advantage that PennyClick has over Razoo
is their price. Razoo previously had a processing fee of only 2.9%, but as of April 2013, they have upped their fees to
4.9%, making them more expensive than PennyClicks 3% fee.
Network for Good is another competitor that offers all of PennyClicks services and more. Network for Good
provides informational webinars twice a month to its users, phone support, a fun and engaging website platform,
a list of their current clients, and is very active on social media platforms. They also show proof that they are BBB
accredited, which builds loyalty with their customer base. However, even with these advantages they have over
PennyClick, Network for Goods fees are significantly more expensive, and they require subscription plans, plus
other monthly fees.
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Kimbia serves as a competitor for PennyClick because of their similar extensive offerings. Kimbia offers customer
support, a series of tutorial videos for users, a widget that adapts to the look and feel of the nonprofits page, and
a mobile browser friendly website. Kimbia also develops large campaigns, like Kimbia Racing. Though these
components give Kimbia some leverage over PennyClick, their services are more expensive, and their website
navigation is not as simply and clear as PennyClicks.
CiviCore, positioned as a hosting and customization website, is another competitor, but could possibly be
seen as more of a secondary competitor. CiviCore does not offer a widget, an app, or any tutorial videos for
their customers. Their presence on social media is slim, and their blog is not very active. Despite these negative
aspects, there are some high points. CiviCore has a list of the clients who use their services and offers 24/7
support. They are growing quickly through referrals, and have partnered with national organizations.
Competitive Advantage
An advantage PennyClick has is that the nonprofit can receive their funds 24-48 hours after the donation is made.
Other donation processors can take up 3-5 business days, give funds monthly and some even have to request the
funds from the donation processor before receiving it.
PennyClicks 3% flat rate fee is close to that of PayPal, but it also provides nonprofits with free tools and features at
no additional costs. These tools help them raise their revenue and help establish brand awareness.
Causerocket Competitors
The following five apps are potential competitors for Causerocket. Some of these competitors are more direct
because they incorporate both the incentives system, as well as the nonprofit donation option. Others are secondary
competitors because they either focus solely on the donation aspect or on the rewards system, but do not
incorporate the two.
Socialvest is a for-profit company through which users can earn money for nonprofit organizations when they are
shopping online at one of the hundreds of retail partners. Users can sign up on the Socialvest website or on the
iPhone or iPad app. Then, when you shop through the app, the retailer rebates between 1 to 35 percent of the
purchase price to the Socialvest account. The user can then donate this money to any nonprofit organization in the
United States through their Giving Database.
It usually takes 3-5 business days from the time that you make your purchase for the credit to be deposited into the
Socialvest account. Socialvest then sends out the donations out every 30 days.
Some of the features of SocialVest is the fact that consumers can shop at hundreds of the nations biggest retailers
and boutique retailers and share information about their purchases and donations over Facebook.
Even though Causerocket and Socialvest both incorporate the idea of nonprofit giving and commercial goods, the
incentive order is reversed. The consumer gets their items first and then can donate a certain percentage to charity
as opposed to Causerocket where a person makes a donation and then gets a prize. This element of surprise and
anticipation gives Causerocket a competitive advantage over Socialvest. Another point of differentiation is the fact
that with Socialvest a person can choose any charity that they want to contribute to, as opposed to Causerocket
where the nonprofits are local. Socialvest is available for both iPhones and Android devices.
SCVNGR, pronounced Scavenger, is a mobile app that is a game platform on the top of the world, and is
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constantly evolving. The way in which it works is that the user goes to places and checks in, they have to do
specific challenges, and then they can earn points and rewards which can be used at that place. SCVNGR positions
themselves as an app that encourages consumers to discover cool places, and do cool and exciting things.
It is social media integrated, so users can share their experiences. This application is not a direct competitor
because it does not have any connection to nonprofit giving, but the rewards system that it uses is similar to that
of Causerocket. Users that complete challenges through SCVNGR receive rewards and prizes that they can then
redeem at geotargeted locations. It is available for both Androids and iPhones.
iCareApp was founded in Austin, Texas in 2012. The purpose of the application was to find an easier way for people
to support their favorite charities. This application uses PayPal for all of the transactions and all of the donations
made are transfered immediately to the nonprofits account. iCareApp charges a 3% administrative fee for every
transaction that occurs which is the same rate that CauseRocket will be using. But, CauseRocket has the advantage
of being the only processor in the transaction, and therefore more money actually gets to the nonprofit. iCareApp
was the first app to have donations made to the Boston Marathon Bombing and to the explosion that occurred in
West, TX. The application allows for users to browse current charities to donate to or volunteer for, or they can even
start a new charity if they dont see what they are looking for. It also gives users the ability to share the donations
that they made through Facebook and Twitter. iCareApp recommends that donors connect their Facebook to the
website and the app to fully take advantage of social media and spread awareness of the app. The way in which
CauseRocket differs is the incentive system which is something that iCareApp does not offer.
Toodalu is an app that was started in Chicago by Todd OHara, Ravi Singh and Chris Lubinski. It that allows
customers to turn purchases into donations to their favorite nonprofits. People can support charitable organizations
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through the credit card purchases that they make everyday. If a person shops at a Toodalu merchant partner
location, then Toodalu provides a 5 percent charitable donation to a charity of their choice as well as the incentive
of 5 percent cash back on their credit card. Customers have the power to choose any charitable donation that
they want. They can also select how exactly they want to distribute their contribution by allocation percentages to
various charities if they choose to do so. This application utilizes the core concept of CauseRocket which is that
you can do something for yourself by doing good for others. One advantage that they may have over CauseRocket
is the fact that it gives people access to give to any charity of their choice, whereas we will be focused on a select
few in the Boston area. One advantage of Causerocket is the fact that it connects people to local charities that are
in need of their help, so there is more of a personal element. Also, Causerocket differs in the way in which they
actually partner with the for-profit businesses and foster relationships with them.
LevelUp is an application that consumers can download through their iPhone, Andriod, or Windows phone. The
user links their credit or debit card to the account in order to get your LevelUp code. When you are paying for
something, you scan this code at participating vendors. The consumer gets small prizes and incentives the more
they use the app. They could get savings to their favorite places or a few extra dollars for a place that theyve
never tried before. Businesses can sign up for LevelUp and accept a 2% flat processing payment. LevelUp also
provides customised advertising campaigns for the businesses that sign up with them. In August of 2012, LevelUp
launched a feature called Causes which is the first mobile payment platform to integrate charitable giving. It is a
simple way for LevelUp users to give a portion of their LevelUp rewards to their favorite nonprofit. The user gets
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to decide the percentage of their reward that they want to give to charity. LevelUp currently has 250,000 users
so these donations could make a big impact over time. The company has partnered with charities JumpStart,
Feed America, and The Massachusetts Democratic Party. LevelUp provides useful data to the businesses and
gives them a real-time breakdown of transactions and customer demographics. This is a possible threat to
CauseRocket because of the fact that LevelUp currently is partnered with over 3,500 merchants and could
already be providing the data that we hope to give to our businesses as well. Ben & Jerrys and Boloco both
utilize LevelUp and are already recieving detailed data about their consumers from the application. CauseRocket
may be a vehicle to drive new traffic to these locations which will be a competitive advantage and a strong
selling point. Also, the charities that we will be employing to do not overlap with the charities that LevelUp is
currently partnered with.
Causerocket Press Release
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Causerocket Fact Sheet
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Causerocket Cash Flow
Cash Flow
Nonprofits
Data Revenue from Businesses
Donors
Business Rewards
Day One Launch
Nonprofits receive this donation within 24 hours of
the donation.
There is a 3 percent processing fee applied.
There are no strings attached for the nonprofit.
Donors receive an instantly downloadable reward
from one of the twelve for-profit businesses.
The rewards go into the donors My Rewards
section of the application.
The donor redeems the reward at the for-profit
business.
Causerocket charges 35 cents per reward in
exchange for data including how many people took
advantage of the reward, how much was spent,
and how many times each customer came back
after the reward. We also provide businesses with
aggregated data from other users that can help
them target future customers. The businesses
are charged for acquisition and loyalty programs,
customer analytics, conversion-driven targeting,
and advertising within our Causerocket application.
Downloads: 1 Million
Conversions: $600,000
Average Donation: $21
Donations Raised for Nonprofits: $12.6 Million
Causerocket Nonprofit 3% Revenue: $378,000
Causerocket For-Profit Data Revenue: $210,000
Total Revenue
$378,000
+ $210,000
$588,000
Total Anticipated Profit Day One: $588,000
Year One
Downloads: 5 Million
Conversions: $3 Million
Average Donation: $21
Donations Raised for Nonprofits: $63 Million
Causerocket Nonprofit 3% Revenue: $1.89 Million
Causerocket For-Profit Data Revenue: $1.05 Million
Total Revenue
$1.89 Million
+ $1.05 Million
$2.94 Million
Total Anticipated Profit Day One: $2.94 Million`
Donors make a donation:
$7
$14
$21
$28
$35
$35 +
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acknowledgements
team:
summer lambert
michaela trimble
Kristina Shigaeva
bader abbas
rebecca nadeau
Chinenye Ifepe
advisors:
thomas vogel
bill anderson
douglas quintal
walter mills
sebastian gard
special thanks to:
stanley miller
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