10 Ways Your Church Can Be a Leader in Online Giving
The way people can give donations to churches are changing and for the better. Churches are moving towards online giving and digital kiosks. What are the first steps you should take when upgrading your giving strategy?
Here are 10 ways your church can be a leader in online giving.
1. Focus on Your Website and Upgrades
The first place people find information about you is through a Google search. Next, they should be able to easily find your website. But how is your home-page set up? Is it easy to navigate to the donation page? Is you mission statement clear? Do you make your financial needs known? Focusing on your website is key to having a strong online presence.
2. Always Make Sure Your Online Brand Is Aligned
If you do have social network pages for your church, make sure they follow your branding consistently. This should cover everything from your logo, to the color scheme and the content you put out. Don’t make it confusing for your donors to know more about you.
3. Never Publish Content Without a Call-to-Action
Every time you publish content online, end with a call-to-action. This tells people how they can support your church or become a donor. It could say something like, “Click here to give your donation to our church today.” Or, “Support our charity by giving here.” And then, link to your Donation or Giving page.
4. Plan Your Email Campaigns
A good email campaign is not put together haphazardly. Check out our resources on DonorWerx for email templates you can use to inform donors of your needs. You should plan your monthly or even yearly content to be sent out via email, keeping your followers engaged and informed of the work you do.
5. Set Up a Digital Giving Kiosk
A digital giving kiosk makes it easy for your donors and potential sponsors to send you funds online. A kiosk is sometimes setup in person, right outside your church meetings. But in this time of a global pandemic, having an app that allows people to give from the comfort of their homes is crucial. Here is a good guide to digital online giving kiosks your church managers can study.
6. Make It As Easy as Possible for Folks To Give
Don’t allow more than one or two clicks for people to reach your online giving portal. It should be one of the first things they see when navigating your website. Put yourself in the donor’s shoes, imagining their journey from the desire to give, to actually sending the funds from their bank to yours. Then, craft your giving strategy around their needs.
7. Text-to-Give Options
A text-to-give option for donors is a great way to put the giving at their fingertips. It works with a simple text message. The good thing about this strategy is that, while many donors may not yet be keen on digital banking, they are used to SMS messages and may have no problem supporting you through this “traditional” way of communication. Here is more good info on text-to-give software.
8. Set Up Recurring Donation Programs
Rather than asking for large donations at once, try suggesting that your donors sign up for a subscription. This way, they only have to think about giving a smaller amount at one time. On your end, you secure their regular giving commitments and can help them for the longer term.
9. Always Add Value to Your Donors
People only continue following your organization or church if they feel that you add value to their lives and help them in some way. Make sure that the team members in charge of your church fundraisers are focusing on the value. When you think of how your church can help people—as opposed to only how they can help you—their desire to support you in return will follow naturally.
10. Partner With Experts in Online Giving
There are many IT companies and partners you can choose to help you be a leader in online giving. However, we advise that you look for folks who have a history of working specifically with churches and non-profits. This is because they understand the needs that are unique to your church and how your members might interact.
How DonorWerx Can Help
At DonorWerx, we provide the digital solutions to your giving needs. Whether you are just getting started on the donor journey or have been a successful church for a while, we can help you grow.
Call us today to schedule a free consultation and watch your church donations increase. As you do the work to improve your online presence, the rest will follow.
