As online giving trends continue to outpace traditional offertory methods, parishes are responding positively (and quickly!) to the demand. But this is only half the equation!
Once a parish initiates online giving, developing a strategy to generate awareness and continually encourage members to sign up is essential. Many experts say the “secret sauce” to an effective communication strategy is not only messaging but also repetition!
Studies show that for a message to stick, your audience needs to hear it at least seven times before they take action.
As you begin working on your strategy, here are seven unique ways to promote online giving and inspire generosity in your parish community.
1
Make giving easily accessible on your website
You can do this simply by placing a bold Give Now or Donate button in your website’s main navigation. So no matter where your visitors click, your giving feature is front-and-center. And don’t hesitate to sprinkle a few giving links on pages throughout your website. Your goal here is to increase visibility and reduce every obstacle imaginable to giving online.
As an eCatholic Online Giving + Payments customer, you’ll have access to our built-in features that allow you to embed a donation form on your eCatholic-powered website. Each form is directly connected to your parish account, making secure deposits fast and simple. Together we can provide generous donors with a seamless experience while giving them the confidence to know their contribution is going to the right place…every time!
Now parishioners can self-manage their contributions with ease
With eCatholic Online Giving + Payments, parishioners can set up their account in just a few clicks to determine how much and how frequently they wish to give. Learn more about this feature and others by scheduling a demo with an eCatholic team member.
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2
Educate parish staff and volunteers on all online giving options
Every parish team member should have some working knowledge of all the online giving options, how to access them, and be actively promoting it every opportunity they get. Whether it's learning the URL to your giving landing page or how to scan a QR code with a smartphone, it's important to equip your staff with the skillset to reduce confusion and make online giving a breeze.
3
Include messaging in your pulpit announcements
In addition to the announcements before and after Sunday Masses, don't be afraid to offer an occasional faithful reminder to parishioners about available options for online giving. And be sure to emphasize how much their contributions impact the parish’s good works through ministries and outreach services funded by their generosity. People like to know where their money goes, especially to charitable causes that are important to them. Regular announcements also provide transparency and create a solid foundation of trust with your parishioners.
4
Place instructional posters in high-traffic areas
Like the billboards you see on the highway, hanging posters with a scannable QR code and instructions on how to give online in high-traffic areas around the parish campus can work to your advantage. This way each time parishioners walk into the sanctuary they are reminded of their commitment to stewardship and how easy your online giving technology has made it for them to be generous.
Not a designer? Don’t worry! As an eCatholic Online Giving + Payments customer, we’ll provide you with a free (yes, FREE!) marketing resource kit – including print and digital – to help raise awareness and boost your weekly online offertory.
5
Set up kiosks and distribute “online giving” guides before and after Sunday Masses
On select Sundays during the month, designate a group of volunteers to set up tables outside every entrance to your church to greet fellow parishioners and hand out small printed guides on how to give online (we can provide those, too!). A personal invitation by fellow parishioners to give sends a strong message to other members. It demonstrates strength in numbers when it comes to supporting the needs of your parish community.
6
Include online giving instructions in your parish bulletin or newsletter
Never pass up an opportunity to create greater visibility for online giving than in your parish bulletin. Inserting a scannable QR code with some well-crafted messaging is a quick and convenient way to invite parishioners to set up single or recurring gifts from their smartphones.
We understand every inch of a parish bulletin is precious real estate. Hence, as part of your eCatholic Online Giving + Payments subscription, we made sure to include bulletin inserts with a QR code linked to your giving landing page as part of your free resource kit. It’s our little way of showing love to all our bulletin editors!
If your parish has a weekly or quarterly newsletter, this is another way to expose parishioners to available online giving options. Also, when it comes to charitable giving, it’s vital always to connect it to a specific need or missionary outreach. People’s generosity often peaks when they feel their contribution makes a difference. And certainly, use this opportunity to express your gratitude for their generous support, which ultimately makes the work of evangelization possible.
7
Partner with our eCatholic Success Manager to achieve online giving stardom!
By becoming an eCatholic Online Giving + Payments customer, you’ll get to work with Kim, our eCatholic Success Manager with more than 15 years of experience working in a parish setting. She’s now made it her mission to help you boost online giving for your parish, school, or ministry. Schedule a free demo and kickstart your journey to the digital frontier of charitable giving.
For a sneak peek at how Kim can help you succeed, check out this introductory segment from a recent webinar we did for current eCatholic customers:
Did you find these tips helpful? What other creative strategies have you used to promote online giving in your parish? We want to hear from you! Tell us more about it in the comments section below.
Original source can be found here.
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