Recently it was reported that presidential candidate Rand Paul is now accepting Bitcoin campaign donations. This is a first for any POTUS candidate, but even their options are far and above those of many nonprofit organizations. Fearful of PayPal and leery of losing cash to fees, many charities still don’t allow donors to give online. And microdonations?
Never heard of them!
This is sad because all the indicators show that an increasing number of donors want to be able to give not only right from their computer, but right from their smart phone. Recently, at a Habitat For Humanity fundraiser, the emcee let the crowd know they could give on the spot using a specific text message. Those people raised five figures in five minutes just because they asked – and then made it easy. Could your organization use an extra ten grand at your next event? What about more? The easier you make it, the more money you can bring in. It’s just that simple.
And speaking of simple, not all online donation forms are created equal. You need to make the experience as user-friendly as possible. Yes, you will need their name, address and credit card information. But you don’t need to make them start from scratch if they make a mistake. And you don’t need to ask for unnecessary information or volunteer to sign them up for ten newsletters and a parting gift. If they click “submit” with anything on their mind other than the good they’ve done and how much you appreciate it—mission failed.
While all the new options may make you nervous, and, yes, it costs money to build a donation form correctly … most options are safe if you do your homework, and you will likely find that simple donation forms more than cover their cost.
So, ignore the options all you want. Yes, it’s “really not that hard” to mail a check or donate cash, but the reality is, many people in today’s world just don’t want to do it. But they are ready, willing and even eager to click their money right into your account.
Bottom line? Making it seem tough to give means leaving a ton of money on the table. Cash your organization needs to meet or exceed its goals this year.