How to Generate More Online Donations

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Make your donation process easy to find in 1 to 2 seconds.

   - If it takes a friend or relative more than 2 seconds to find your donate button, you need to place your button in a far more prominent position.
   
   Make it central to the page, making sure it’s above the fold, big, colorful, and impossible to miss.
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   Step 2: Frame your donate button 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? ,
   - 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. ,
   - 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.
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   Step 3: Create a sense of immediacy around your donate button.

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   Step 4: Make sure your website gives you and your potential donor the opportunity to form a relationship.

Detailed Guide

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