Your online donation page is not the baseball field from the movie Field of Dreams. Just because “you built it” doesn’t mean “he will come”. Your donors are not the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson, magically finding their way to your online cornfield.
You must help your donors find your donation page. Fortunately, there are logical places you can add a simple Donate Now link that will guide your donors to your donation landing page.
Here are ten places to start:
1. From a spotlight on your home page
Most online donations are generated from your home page. Block out some real estate on your home page for a specific call for donations.
2. Your website navigation
From a Google search, donors might enter your website at any page. Make sure they can reach your donation page by placing a prominent Donate Now button in your website navigation, preferably at the top right of the page.
3. A “ways to give” page on your website
Nonprofits that want to maximize giving typically have a “ways-to-give” page on their website that summarizes different paths to giving to the organization. Make sure online giving is represented on that page.
4. Your Facebook page
Your Facebook fans are certainly potential online donors. Add a custom tab or external link from your Facebook page that drives donors into your donation landing page.
5. From Status Updates and Tweets
If you are running a fundraising campaign, make sure your Donate Now link goes into your status updates, tweets, and other social media postings promoting the campaign. You can shorten the URL to make it fit.
6. Your email newsletter
Every nonprofit should be using email to solicit online gifts. Whether you are sending out a fundraising appeal or a regular monthly newsletter include an easy-to-find Donate Now button.
7. The email signature of every email your staff sends
Every communication your staff sends is an opportunity to capture a donor. Create a standard Donate Now link that will be added to the email signature of each of your employees.
8. Confirmation pages and thank you emails
Do your sell products online? Do you offer online event registration? Add a link in the thank you communications to encourage those constituents to also give online. You can even include it in the thank you messages to your online donors. That way it is easy for them to find your donation page when they want to give again.
9. From your direct mail letters
Instead of writing checks, more and more direct mail donors are making their gifts online. Include your donate page URL in the letters and print newsletters you mail.
10. On the signage at your events
Do you want donors to make gifts to you while at your events? Of course you do! Make it easy for them by posting your donation page URL where it can be seen. Want to make it even easier to reach? Include a QR code or a text message opt-in to deliver the URL directly into their phones for easy mobile giving.
Where else would you place a link to your donation page?
