Does your website suck?

Did you know that more money is raised online during the last two weeks of the year than during the rest of the year put together?  Are you ready to take advantage of those last weeks of fundraising? If your website sucks, you may not be as successful as you’d like.

I’ve looked at a lot of nonprofit websites. Many look as though they were thrown together at the last minute or were done in response to someone saying “We need a website.” Some are design nightmares – hard to read with too many fonts and too much text on each page. Remember that people are very impatient online – don’t make them work hard to find the information they want on your site. Others haven’t been updated in years.

Here are some things you can do now to get your website up to snuff.

1. Make sure your organization is clearly identifed on the website. Your name and logo should be clearly visible.

2. Include a photo and story of someone your organization has helped.  Put it on the top of the first page.  Make the story short and concise.  Write it with heart and feeling to engage the reader emotionally.

3. Put a list of your organization’s accomplishments somewhere on the website.  Some people will want to know what you’ve done up to now.

4. Put a large “Donate Now” button toward the top of the navigation bar on every page.  I mean it – every page!

5. Offer information about how the visitor can get more involved. List volunteer opportunities along with an easy way for them to sign up.

There are SOOOO many more things you need to do, like make your site clean and easy to read, but this will get your website unsucked and on the road to receiving donations.

Raise money online this year

As we approach the deep fundraising season, many folks are asking about online fundraising, so I wanted to share a few things.

Remember that the internet is a tool you can use to raise money.  Just like any other tool, it’s the your skill in using the tool that will determine success – not the tool itself.

It’s definitely NOT a “build it and they will come” model.  Just because you have a website or a Facebook page does not mean people will flock to it and give you money.

Lots of people have asked me how to raise money online and I get the sense that they think it’s something hard or mystical. Actually, it’s not anything magical at all.  It’s simply fundraising using the Internet as a tool.

To make it really easy, I’ve got seven simple steps you can take to get started or crank up your online fundraising efforts.

  1. Collect email addresses at every opportunity. Since email will be your primary communications mechanism, ask every chance you get, both online and off.  Make sure you have a sign-up box on your website for people to enter their name and email.
  2. Communicate. Send regular, consistent newsletters and updates. You can send a once-monthly newsletter or a twice-monthly update. The key is to send regular information that your audience will be interested in.
  3. Have a big, easy-to-see “Donate Now” button on your website. Put it toward the top of the page and make sure it shows up on every page. Make it easy for your website visitors to find the button and respond to it.
  4. Tell your story on your website. Make sure your website clearly states who your organization is and the need your organization is working to fill. Don’t make your website visitors wonder who you are or what you’re trying to do. Be sure to include some compelling photos to illustrate your work.
  5. Be concise. People are impatient online so keep the text short and to the point. This is not the time to share everything you know!
  6. Thank donors electronically. Be prepared to thank people via email when they give online. You’ll likely want to invest in a software or service that can do this for you.
  7. Leverage your social media. Use your Facebook and Twitter accounts to encourage people to visit your website and sign up for your email newsletter. This is known as “driving traffic” and helps build awareness for your cause.

Implement these simple tips and your online fundraising efforts will pay off in dollars and time.

7 simple steps to online fundraising

Lots of people have asked me how to raise money online and I get the sense that they think it’s something hard or mystical. Actually, it’s not anything magical at all.  It’s simply fundraising using the internet as a tool.

To make it really easy, I’ve got 7 simple steps you can take to get started or crank up your online fundraising efforts.

1.  Collect email addresses at every opportunity. Since email will be your primary communications mechanism, focus on collecting them.  Ask every chance you get, both online and off.  Make sure you have a sign-up box on your website for people to enter their name and email.

2.  Communicate. Send regular, consistent newsletters and updates.  You can send a once-monthly newsletter or a twice-monthly update.  The key is to send regular information that your audience will be interested in.

3.  Have a big, easy-to-see “Donate” button on your website. Put it toward the top of the page and make sure it shows up on every page.  Make it easy for your website visitors to find the button and respond to it.

4.  Tell your story on your website. Make sure your website clearly states who your organization is and the need your organization is working to fill.  Don’t make your web visitors wonder who you are or what you’re trying to do.  be sure to include some compelling photos to illustrate your work.

5.  Be concise. People are impatient online so keep the text short and to the point.  This is not the time to share everything you know!

6. Thank donors electronically. Be prepared to thank people via email when they give online.  You’ll likely want to invest in a software or service that can do this for you.

7. Leverage your social media. Use your Facebook and Twitter accounts to encourage people to visit your website and sign up for your email newsletter.  This is known as “driving traffic” and helps build awareness for your cause.