The Psychology Behind Donation Pages

Howard Levy — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 12:48:58 +0000

Nonprofits rely heavily on their donors. But, some are still relying on outdated, underdeveloped donation pages, potentially causing them to miss out on revenue.

The Easier, The Better

A donation page needs to not only grab the donor’s attention, but also be easy to navigate. You want as few steps between the donor getting on the page and making the donation. The more pages you send them through, the more frustrated they can become, and the more time you’re giving them to rethink their decision.

Every Penny Helps

Every donor wants to feel that their donation makes a difference. According to the site Quirkology, during their experiment on charity donations, a box with the phrase “Every penny helps” accounted for 62% of the donations made. The phrase “every penny helps” makes every donor, no matter how small the donation, feel their contribution will make an impact.

Donate Now to Change a Life

Give the donors a sense of urgency. They are more willing to donate if they think it needs to happen right away. If they think they can put it off, it gives them the opportunity to put it aside and possibly forget to come back to it later.

Your Donation Goes Right Here

Donors also want to know where their donation is going. Given the financial scandals over the past several years, donors need to trust charities to use their money appropriately. Showing a simple pie chart of how the money from donations is allocated throughout the organization can build trust among your donors.

The Donor Is In Control

Donors like to feel as though they are in control of the amount they are donating. Research shows that if donors are allowed to choose the amount they are donating, they will donate more. If they are given a group of suggested donations statistically they are more likely to pick the moderate number. Some charities have taken advantage of these finding and are using interactive scales to allow their donors to chose a donation amount on the scale.

Join The Community

People who donate want to feel as though they are part of a community of donors. This is being referred to by many as social donating. Some organizations are creating communities on their donation pages by displaying posts from other donors with their comments for why they donated. This makes donors feel connect to other donors who share their interests and values.

Say “Thank You!”

The most important part of the donor process is retaining your donors. Donors need reassurance that their donation was appreciated. Organizations that establish an ongoing relationship with their donors are able to retain a community of recurring donors. After a donation is made, make sure to thank your donor. Then follow up with a message about how their donation has had an impact. This paves the way for future solicitations.

These small steps can help you maximize the effectiveness of your donation page and retain your donors to help your organization grow and have more impact.

By Nicole Gagen, Marketing Intern at Red Rooster Group.

FUNDRAISING: Lessons from a Charity

Howard Levy — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 02:34:34 +0000

Amidst all the recent financial gloom and doom, I thought it’s worthwhile to report a blip of good news on the fundraising front and relate the lessons that can be learned from it. The New York Times reported today that its Neediest Cases Fund has increased its contributions significantly over last year. The number of donors has jumped 53% from 2,955 to 4,518, and the fund is $500,000 ahead of where it was this time last year (a total of $3.7 million was raised so far). Apparently the heightened awareness of the needs of those living in poverty has touched the middle class, despite their own financial concerns.

Some comments from donors are telling:

“I lost a considerable amount of income this year, but I figure what I have will last me, and my situation is much better than that of many other people right now.”

“It’s one of the few funds where a New Yorker can feel they’re helping another New Yorker.”

“I can’t solve Wall Street, but maybe I can keep somebody off the street.”

WAKE-UP CALL: The lesson here is that people want to help, they just need to be shown the best way. The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund has been successful in creating a sense of community among New Yorkers. Here’s how:

1. Keep it close to home. People identify best with those in the areas they are familiar with – in this case New York. The “paper of record’ helped create a sense of community through the concept of a shared city (i.e., “helping your neighbor”).

2. Use case studies to personalize and dramatize the need. The editorial format provides the luxury for showcasing individual stories, as well as the journalistic context to provide credibility. Nonprofits can use their websites and newsletters to tell in depth stories, and can go a step further in using videos and other interactive media to evoke emotional responses.

3. Connect your donors with those in need by drawing parallels between the two groups. Donors to the Times’ cause are the working and middle-class who relate to the core needs of the poor. The Fund did a good job of showing how people share the same basic needs in housing, healthcare, education and the desire for the opportunity of advancement.

SOURCE: In a Time of Crisis, More Donors Decide to Give to the Needy

donations – Red Rooster Group