Breaking Down the Barriers to Online Giving

Once you’ve exhausted the clip and attempt putting together a savvy strategy for soliciting online donations, how tin you be certain you are providing soon-to-be-online-donors with a stress-free, barrier-free donation experience?  Here are a few things to see before you “go live” with your solicitation.

Barrier #1—Email can be perceived as “bulk” Oregon lacking a personal touch

Solution: You already have got a database with plentifulness of information about your donors—use it to your benefit when sending e-mail solicitations. Be certain to personalize both the e-mail message and the online experience by using database variables. Talk to them by name and—as appropriate to the message being sent—include giving status, personal interest, YTD giving / amount, acknowledge past use of their gifts, etc.

Barrier #2— Online whiplash injury & word form fatigue

Solution: Avoid the “whiplash” that tin happen when your giving page doesn’t lucifer what the giver saw on the appeal. Don’t give them any ground to inquiry if they are in the right topographic point to do their gift. Custom giving pages should be designed based on the appeal, be specific to “the ask,” and re-communicate the entreaty within the online form. To cut down on word form fatigue, pre-populate the giver information you already have got in your database along with the specific inquire amount.

Barrier #3—Third-party giving / aggregation software

Solution: Avoid using any software that necessitates your giver to register in order to give a gift (Pay-Pal is one example). You might believe that you are getting a good deal for the organization, but if the procedure cannot be well-integrated with your appeal, you could lose possible gifts along the way. Also see whose name shows up on the receipt, if it’s not the name of your organisation it may cause confusion and lead the giver to difference the charge or call off the credit card because they fear the number have been stolen.

Barrier #4—Thank appropriately based on contribution amount

Solution: It may not be the barrier to THIS gift but it could be a barrier to the adjacent one. Are you thanking your givers in the same manner for a $5 gift as you are for a $5000 gift? If so, you could be perceived as insincere on both ends of the spectrum. Be certain to utilize appropriate language and a degree of follow-up that clearly communicates your grasp for their gift.

Barrier #5—Processing contributions through shopping cart software

Solution: For best results, usage usage word forms and online giving software. Shopping cart software is for online stores. It is designed with language about shopping and purchasing, not donating, giving or supporting an organization. It may look like a minor thing, but you could be creating confusion and an unneeded barrier to receiving the gift.