Working from home during the pandemic has moved many of us to conduct even more business and activities online. We shop online. We attend business meetings online. We get our entertainment online. We can even attend religious services online.
We also make our charitable donations online. As the general public becomes more tech savvy, expectations are higher. Is your nonprofit keeping up? Do you make it easy for your donors to give online? If a prospective donor can’t immediately spot your donate button or the process takes more than two or three clicks to make a donation, then you potentially lose the donation.
Here are my top tips for your website and your donation page:
Website
· Have a clear and distinct donate button in several prominent places on your home page
· Make your entire website donor-friendly and easy to navigate
· Have compelling reasons to donate easy to read
· Include your mission, vision and values, as well as information about your work
· Provide an updated FAQ for common questions
Donation page
· Keep the process simple with straightforward options to give
· Have no more than two clicks to start their gift
· Have options for one-time and recurring gifts
· Offer additional gift options such as stocks or bequests
· Include a menu of what different gift amounts can provide, such as $25 will provide 10 meals
· Be sure to feature contact information on the donation page
The following website examples are some of my favorites:
· Rotary International
· Trinity Habitat for Humanity
· NewDay Services
My last tip is to test your donation page periodically. See what the donor is experiencing will tell you all you need to know. Research suggests that fixing even minor usability problems could increase donations by 10 percent. Being donor-centric means always considering the donor’s path to supporting your organization and making the process as easy as possible.
Cheers,
Michelle Crim, CFRE
Dynamic Development Strategies can help. We offer coaching and fundraising services for our nonprofit clients. We specialize in startup and smaller nonprofits because we understand your challenges. Please contact us for more information.
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