Many nonprofits find that their online fundraising is not as successful as they would like it to be. If your online contributions are anemic maybe it’s that your appeal isn’t as appealing as it could be, or maybe people just don’t know your asking.

People visit your website to find out more about you, your mission, and how their contribution can make a difference. What that means is they already have an interest in the issues and are halfway to a contribution. Take a moment to review these four tweaks to make sure that you help them come the rest of the way:

Can you find you donate button in 1 to 2 seconds?

If it takes a friend or relative more than 2 seconds to find or donate button, you need to place your button in a far more prominent position. Make it central to the page. Make sure it’s above the fold. Make it big. Make it colorful. Make it impossible to miss.

Is your donate button framed in a compelling way?

Your financial needs are not enough. Create an appeal around the button that is focused on donors, their interests and what they get in return for their donation. What tangible change will result if they give? How is that tangible change relevant to them personally? Will it feel good to make a donation? Is clicking the button fun, touching or compelling?

Is there a sense of immediacy around your donate button?

You want to inspire someone to give right now, but that can be hard to do if it’s not giving season (end of the tax year) or if there’s not an urgent crisis to address. Create a sense of urgency for donating by creating a campaign with a goal and deadline, matching grants and appeals for specific items or programs are highly tangible.

Does your website give you and your potential donor the opportunity to form a relationship?

Be sure your website includes a way to capture the e-mail addresses of new visitors so you can build a relationship with them and turn them into donors in the future. Think beyond the newsletter sign-up – make sure your e-mail capture shows what’s desirable and exclusive about your e-mails.

Related posts:

1. Five Things to Consider in any Email Campaign
2. Wealthy Donors Want Engagement Before Giving
3. Small nonprofit uses ‘crowdsourcing’ to attract philanthropy
4. New Strategies in Fund Development
5. Help Put Food On The Table This Holiday Season

Tags: d light, Donations, donors, e mail addresses, Grants, immediacy, Marketing, online fundraising, sense of urgency, tangible change, Technology, tweaks, urgent crisis
Posted in Best Practices