A reader asked:
Why might one give to a charity online when a check costs the charity less money to process?
Now, that is a good question–and a thoughtful donor! Yes, the nonprofit organization you want to help will get and keep more of your donation if you send a check. Why?
The companies that process online donations (by credit card, Paypal, etc.) don’t do it out of the goodness of their hearts. They charge the nonprofit a percentage of each gift. When you donate to your favorite charity, Aardvarks for Peace, the aardvarks get more of it if you write a check than if you give online.
Why Nonprofits Welcome Online Gifts
Even if it costs them a little bit more, nonprofits should welcome online gifts.
Some donors do all their business online.
If you ask them to write a check, they’ll look at you aghast and then give their donation to some other nonprofit.
Most donors find online gifts more convenient.
If the donor is suddenly struck with the urge to donate, it takes less time to go the organization’s website, find the donation page, type in credit card information, and hit send than it would to take out the checkbook, find a pen, write the check, record it in a check register, stuff, seal, and stamp the envelope, and dump it in the mail.
Monthly donors find online MUCH more convenient–and you want monthly donors!
Imagine writing a check every single month. Now, imagine setting up a monthly donation online that will go out automatically. Which is more convenient for the donor? There’s no comparison.
And you want to encourage people who have already shown some commitment to your nonprofit to solidify that commitment by becoming monthly donors.
About 90% of monthly donors renew their donation the next year. That solves a big problem for your nonprofit.
- If a donor gave to you once last year and not at all since then, the chances are less than 30% that they will renew.
- Even if they gave to you two years running, the statistics show that only about 60% will renew the third time. That means you’re losing something like one donor out of three!
- Monthly donors are your most loyal supporters. Thank them over and over, communicate their success, and you may keep them forever. Their lifetime value will far exceed any fees you pay for accepting donations online!
Do you want to make your online donations page produce more gifts? Do you need a strategy for creating “forever donors”? Email me and let’s set up a time to talk.
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