Get ready for a steep decrease in donations to your emergency cell phone program. According to a recent study by the research firm In-Stat, the Global recession will make the next two years unusually difficult for the cellular industry and cell phone handset upgrades will be specifically impacted.

It makes sense. In Stat reports that three quarters of all cell phone handset sales are expected to be replacements or upgrades, a discretionary purchase that can be delayed in hard times. They predict a 20% decrease! No new cell phone purchased…no old cell phone to donate.

Here are a few things you can do now to stay ahead of the decline.

1 – Expand Your Partnerships – Reach out to all the organizations in your area and form partnerships. This can be the best way to increase donations and build a strong kinship with other community service organizations. Don’t forget to talk to your large corporate supporters about their support. They may be able to help expand your collections to other places as well.

2 – Make it Easy to Donate – A great way to make it easy is to build a network of drop off locations. These can be at your offices, retail stores, government buildings…anywhere the public is likely to go. A well marked permanent container can be a great way to advertise your collection program and stay in front of potential donors.

3 – Promote, Promote, Promote – Talk about your cell phone collection efforts at every opportunity. In your newsletter, emails, interviews, press releases….keeping your needs in front of your community. Your community will support you when they clearly know how.

4 – Network with Others – This may take a little getting used to since most of you are probably not networked. You may even feel a little intimidated meeting new people but with diligence and a dose of courage you can use the time you spend at events to your benefit. For some tips on how to make the most of networking events read one of my previous posts.

These are just a few ideas we have found successful. If you have any ideas to share please send them in.