A December “Top Ten” List for Online Giving Sites

New research about online giving sounds a lot like common sense:

• Ask and you shall receive: One in five online donors said their primary motivation to make an online gift because they were asked or they easily found online giving options.


• Tell them about it: When asked why they didn’t give online, nearly one-third of donors said it was because they were unaware of online contribution opportunities. Another 25 percent cited security concerns.

Earth shattering? No. Likely you’re adding that to the “yep, I already know that” file. But don’t. Instead consider this research report, conducted by American Express and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, a call to action.

Now is the time to streamline your development site for year-end givers and to make sure that year-end communications mention online giving, preferably rather prominently.

Why now?

For many sites, 20 to 25 percent of their total annual online donations arrive in the month of December. And this year, Cyber Monday sales were up 21 percent from 2006. If retail trends continue to cross over to the non-profit world, 2007 will be another banner year for year-end giving.

December is the perfect time to make tweaks to your site and communications to help both the first-time visitor and the nick-of-time donor looking to make a gift before the tax year ends.

How? What action items should be on your to-do list? Here are a few (well, more than a few) ideas about how to get started.

“Top Ten” ways to optimize and promote your giving site at year end

Cross-marketing:
1. Mention the URL for your online giving site-preferably in multiple locations-in all solicitations, direct mail or e-mail. Tell them the site is easy and safe to use.
2. Create an email version of your year-end direct mail piece. Send it in the last two weeks of the year. (If your email file has a preponderance of work email addresses, be careful of sending after Friday, December 21, or you’ll be flooded with out-of-office messages and many recipients won’t open your email until 2008.)
3. Add a year-end giving message to your regular e-communications, like monthly collegiate or all-university e-newsletters.

Tweak your website:
4. Add more links to the giving site on your homepage and your top entry pages—yes, they’re there already, but add more. If you have a text link, add an image. If your standing link is an image, then add a text link. Encourage colleges, departments, and programs to do the same.
5. Post a page that provides with details about year-end giving, including deadlines for stock gifts, holiday hours for your advancement staff, etc. Even better, turn it into a press release that’s distributed via your university’s news service and expand its reach.
6. Post a news item on your homepage or other top entry pages aimed at first-time visitors. Explain how your site works and that it’s safe and secure.

Low- or no-tech:
7. Encourage your fundraisers to add a link to your giving site in their signature file.
8. The telephones of your entire advancement staff will be ringing with questions about year-end gifts. Make it easy for them to explain how to make gifts online by providing a “cheat sheet” with answers to FAQs, for example, your URL, what designation options are available, what credit cards are accepted.
9. Update the voicemail message for your general advancement telephone number to include a mention that year-end gifts can be made 24/7 on the your website.
10. Check your general advancement e-mailbox more regularly (every hour?) and especially during the weekend of December 29 and 30. Take time to answer questions and direct people to the appropriate webpage, or refer them directly to a development staffer. Anecdotal evidence proves that those emailers often are great prospects, and a prompt e-response can translate into significant dollars.

Posted by Hilery Livengood
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