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How to raise your average online donation size

Online donation pages make it easy for donors to contribute to your cause and with so many nonprofits taking advantage of this way to solicit funds, how can you earn an edge? A focus on telling your organization’s story through customized content and donation pages/forms is a start. Using online fundraising platforms that help do just that can also lead to an increase in average online donation size.

The following three simple strategies can help you increase your nonprofit’s online donation sizes in conjunction with a customizable online fundraising platform.

Create simple, branded donation pages

Your donation pages provide an opportunity to tell your story through both visual elements and copy. Generic check-out carts, bland forms or PayPal options won’t cut it. Think about a catchy headline. A supporting appeal. An image that elicits an emotional connection. Branded colors and logos. You have their undivided attention on your page—how will you keep it and encourage them to act?

Share your why, craft your “pitch”

Why should donors give? What influence, support and services do you provide to the community? How can you showcase the value and change you make through donors like them? Start with, “Because of donors like you…” as a way to brainstorm ideas on how to finish that sentence. Use that information on your online donation pages to tell your story and show impact. Larger gifts will come with strong value propositions.

Suggest donation levels and what an increase means to your constituents

Talk about average donation sizes in a way that resonates with your donors. Something like, “Because our monthly donors give an average of $35 a month, we are able to provide 5 new backpacks and school supplies to families in need per donor, per month—that’s 60 new backpacks for children each year per individual donor!”

Then showcase what “a little more” can do. In your fundraising appeal show what $10 more in a gift could do/how it could influence those that benefit from your organization’s support and services. Set up the suggested and default donation amounts on your donation page with this increase in mind.

How does your donation page measure up?

At 4aGoodCause, we are committed to providing an online giving platform that works with you—that you can customize with all of the above in order to increase your online donations. Our clients are receiving well above the national averages for online gift amounts. In fact, thanks to our user-friendly donation pages, our clients see an average online one-time donation of $238.27 and average online recurring donations of $44.58. That’s nearly double the national averages as reported by the M+R Benchmark Report. In our minds, the story you tell and how you tell it is truly how you will engage your donors. We’re thankful for those amazing organizations we work with each day that show this to be true.

Need more tips? Looking for a way to raise more money on a platform that customizes to your needs? Contact us for a personalized tour and demo of our online fundraising platform and how we can work together.

Ronald Pruitt

Ronald Pruitt

Ronald is the President and Founder of 4aGoodCause, a simple and effective fundraising CRM that specializes in earning recurring revenue for nonprofits through monthly giving. For 25 years, Ronald has had the joy of doing what he loves, building online solutions that make a difference in the world. He’s helped raise millions of dollars online for small nonprofits across the country. Connect with Ronald on LinkedIn.

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