Believe it or not, it’s that time of year again. The time that your nonprofit starts to prepare for an influx of donations for your year-end giving campaign. We know that this time of year can bring some serious stress on your team, and we wanted to help! One of the most important things to secure in your readiness for year-end is making sure that your nonprofit’s donation page is up to date, working properly, and easy to use.
Don’t give your potential donors a reason to get frustrated with your donation page. Giving should be easy! Check out our two-part tutorial on how to make sure your nonprofit’s donation page is ready for action and poised for success this giving season.
One: Make Specific, Targeted Asks
a. This is a fancy way of saying suggested donation amounts that are tied to specific needs of your nonprofit. You need to know what it is you’ll be asking your potential donors for in an end-of-year gift. Look at your organizational needs and come up with a few clear asks that even someone who’s brand new to your organization can understand!
b. Be sure to have varied ask amounts, so that donors of every level feel as though their contribution, no matter how great or small can make a difference. Pair specific items with concrete ask amounts.
c. Example: We love this example from International Justice Mission’s (IJM) website. They break down a number of giving amounts (from smaller to larger gifts) and make it clear what the impact of each gift will be.
Two: Make Your Asks Donor-Centric
a. Be sure to focus your asks on the impact of the donor, not your organization. You couldn’t do the good work that you do without them, so show them how they are making a difference! Use the word “you” instead of “your donation.” Showcase the impact that your donors (or better yet, partners in the good work) have.
b. Example: I love this donor-centric wording by World Vision about sponsoring a child. “Sponsoring a child is a personal way to show God’s love to a child in need. For $39 a month, you’ll help that child and their community to stand tall, free from poverty.”
Three: Remove Links
a. Once a potential donor clicks on your donation page, you want them to follow through with making a donation. Take away any distractions from your donation page, including extra links or ways to navigate away from your donation page. You want to provide an opportunity for them to consider their options and make a decision in how they want to partner with the good work that your nonprofit is up to.
b. Example: I love how Charity Water has more information on how to give and what giving looks like, but it opens up to a pop-up box that doesn’t navigate the potential donor away from the donation page
Four: Keep It Simple
a. When coming up with an ask amount and opportunities for donors and contacts to partner with your organization through year-end giving, don’t get carried away. We know that your nonprofit has a number of needs and areas for donors to partner in. It seems like nonprofits never have quite enough to do the good work that they’re up to. But when it comes to your year-end giving, try your best to narrow it down to one, or at least not more than a few, things for your ask. You don’t want to overwhelm your donors with options.
b. The donation process should be simple, easy to navigate, and clear as to the impact of the donation.
Five: Encourage Monthly Giving
a. One-time gifts are wonderful, but we all know that donors who give on a regular basis are the lifeblood of nonprofits. Be sure that your donation page has a number of avenues for giving. We usually suggest one time or monthly, by credit card or check. Don’t miss out on the potential of having someone become a monthly donor . . . just ask.
b. Example: Again, Charity Water does a great job here, making their monthly giving option front and center on their donation page.
Six: Share the Love
a. If they’re giving, they probably care enough to spread the word! Give your donors the option to share their partnership with your nonprofit’s good work on social media. You’re giving them the opportunity to share about why they partner and inspire others to get involved! After all, peer-to-peer recommendation is more highly trusted than recommendations from a brand.
b. Example: Check out this great article by Bloomerang on how to incorporate these social sharing buttons into your donation confirmation page.
P.S. Don’t just believe us, check out this article about the success of peer-to-peer influence by LinkedIn. “Consumers are 92% more likely to trust their peers over advertising.”
Seven: Don’t Forget to Say Thank You!
Thanking your donors is by far one of the most important things you can do! Be sure to thank your donors after they’ve given in a personal way, and don’t wait too long to do so! Whether it’s a pop-up video of someone from your nonprofit saying thank you, a personalized note or email, or better yet a picture or video of the real life impact of their donation (which is the most preferred method of being thanked by donors according to this article by our friends at Classy), don’t forget to say thank you!
It’s simple. The work your nonprofit does is making a difference in this world. Make it easy for potential donors to partner with the good work you do this giving season. And if you want help implementing these seven steps, give us a shout. We’re technology for social good!
