Don’t hesitate to ask for gifts or involvement on your site. Giving opportunities should be visible, easy, and compelling. Here are some tips on how to ask for donations!
Donations. Remember the rule…make it easy! Make sure there is a clear, easy, one-click request on every page that will get your visitor to your donation processing page.
Linking “asks” to page content. By now you know that saying “donate now” is NOT a solicitation, right? You have to make an appeal, and the way to do that online is by linking your asks to the content on the page. If you have a page about your services for kids, say “Help support better futures for these children. Click here to give.” It’s just simple text – also use compelling graphics whenever possible. Link your asks in your emails as well, with donor stories, successes and more.
Planned giving. More and more, major donors are checking web sites before they make their stock transfer or bequest plans. Provide information about planned giving options and include an email form, contact name, and phone number for people who want to take the next steps.
Recurring gifts. Anytime somebody makes a donation, be sure to ask them to make it a recurring gift, whether that be monthly or quarterly. Many people love the ease of doing that and it creates a great, easy and guaranteed donation stream for your organization.
Volunteers. Running a successful volunteer program is hard work – use your web site to make the job easier by providing as much information as possible online. Provide clear, short volunteer job descriptions, and make them interesting – perhaps with some photos of volunteers at work. Let your volunteers know how organized you are by providing the right details – time commitment, orientation system, contact information, and a form for applying.
