7 Reasons You Need Text-to-Give for Your Church
While some churches are still resistant to technological innovations, most have accepted that these advancements are beneficial for the ministry. Unfortunately, even some of these congregations have continued to overlook text-to-give tools for increasing giving. At a time when houses of worship are seeing decreased tithing, this is an oversight that cannot stand.
If you’re new to the idea of tithing by text, it’s understandable to have some reservations. Fortunately, there are now years of data showing just how beneficial this tool can be to ministries. We’ve compiled the primary reasons you should integrate text-to-give strategies into your overall giving plan. If these don’t ease your mind, it’s likely that nothing will.
1. Your Parishioners Want New Ways to Give
Mobile giving isn’t a technology that churches are forcing on their congregants. Statistics show that this is something people actually want. At least 15 percent of church tithing now occurs on digital platforms, and text-to-give became a multi-billion dollar industry because of that. Church parishioners want the ease of giving provided by mobile and digital offerings.
It may feel awkward to talk about money from the pulpit, but your congregation knows the ministry needs it to survive. Donations to charitable causes have gone up in recent years, so there’s no doubt that the money is out there. You just need to let your church members know that tithing by text and other digital giving tools are an option.
2. Text-to-Give Simplifies Tithes and Donations
Even without digital giving options, people have countless methods for donating to their church. Dropping a few dollars in the collection plate never goes out of style, and some folks still send out checks in offering envelopes. Unfortunately, these traditional ways of giving have become outdated. Whether it’s writing a check or stopping by the ATM, tithing can become a hassle.
Fortunately, many ministry leaders have discovered that text-to-give platforms simplify the entire process. While congregants will have to sign up on the platform to provide their financial information, that’s really the end of their work. From that point on, they need only spend 10 seconds typing a quick text to donate. You can remind them to do this as the offering plate goes around!
3. You Must Appeal to Younger Donors
If you’re lucky, people of all ages attend your services. Your average attendee, though, is likely on the older side. Statistics show that younger people come to church in much lower numbers than their aging counterparts. This may not seem like a big deal since older generations tithe at a higher rate. When you look at hard numbers, though, a growing problem emerges.
With a tithing rate of 55 percent, individuals over the age of 75 give more reliably than any other age group. Unfortunately, their fixed incomes typically mean they give lower amounts. This results in a need of appealing to younger generations, and this is where text-to-give comes into play. Over 90 percent of Millennials have smartphones, and nearly every member of Gen Z carries one.
Since 97 percent of adults text at least once a week, offering tithing by text is your best chance of converting non-donors to first-time givers.
4. Text-to-Give Puts You in Donors’ Pockets!
Traditional methods of tithing required that congregants be present for the collection plate to go by. Once parishioners left the building, tithing meant writing a check and visiting the post office. When you offer options for tithing via text, though, this is no longer an issue. Over 80 percent of Americans check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up, so their tithing method will always be handy.
5. Quick Access to Funds
Many benefits of text-to-give tithing appeal specifically to your congregants. Whether it’s the ease of use or simply having another way to contribute, they enjoy the many advantages of having this option. Of course, your ministry also gets something out of the deal. One of the biggest perks your church receives is quick access to donated funds.
When you’re using text-to-give as part of your overall donor software, your funds should immediately transfer directly into the church’s bank account. This gives you quick access to funds, and in the current economic client, this can be invaluable. Money loses value the longer it sits, so having fast access is imperative.
6. Text-to-Give Increases Donor Retention
We’ve previously discussed strategies for increasing donor retention at length, but not all these methods require extensive planning. In fact, simply providing the ability to tithe via text is enough to increase this key performance indicator (KPI). Maybe it’s the ease of donating or the periodic text reminders that accomplish this. Whatever the reason, you can’t afford not to take advantage of this technology.
7. Expansion of Your Giving Strategy
If your church isn’t actively growing, it’s not meeting God’s expectations. Ezekiel 36:37 tells us that God wants our flocks to grow. By increasing donations, you’ll have more funding for outreach. This will bring in new congregants, and their tithing will keep this cycle going. The only way to accomplish this, though, is by taking your giving strategy to its full potential.
Text-to-give platforms are just one tool in your giving strategy, but they’re just as essential as the others. Church giving apps, onsite kiosks, fundraising sites, and online donation pages all combine to ensure every congregant has multiple ways to give. SecureGive donor software offers all this on one platform, and with the DonorWerx Framework, you’ll learn to make the most of these tools.
Build Your Text-to-Give Plan Now!
There’s no reason for your church not to offer donations and tithing via text. Your members will love the simplicity, and your ministry will receive much needed revenue. Schedule a Discovery Call with one of our giving experts at DonorWerx today. We’ll show you how text-to-give and other giving strategies can increase ministry revenue by 10 percent in just 6 months!
