We “sat down” last Friday with two experts in the online processing space to discuss the current giving environment. During our conversation we asked them to provide any recommendations they felt were especially important for churches that wanted to be more successful with their online giving efforts right now. Our interviewees have many years of experience in the field, have worked with thousands of churches, and have a very clear view of what works and what doesn’t. They shared some valuable insights and online giving tips with us to pass along to our church clients. We hope you find this helpful!

An Interview with Heiko Henning of Vision 2 Systems

What do you see as the top obstacle for members adopting online giving options?

It’s really about how to make it easy to find and easy to use. It’s about how to make it simple to overcome some of the barriers that intimidate first-time online givers. So, taking the fear and confusion out of the process is critical.  It’s not that people don’t want to give this way; you just have to help them over the hurdles. Plus, for many it’s still important that it feel like an of worship as opposed to paying a utility bill. So, the more personalized content, descriptions, and messaging you can include from the pastors, the better.

What are you seeing as the top 1-3 things a church can do to help their members and contributors shift to using online giving solutions?

We are working with a number of our churches to convert their offline givers.

1. It may sound a bit obvious, but first, you must know your offline givers and their giving patterns. You also want to communicate to different segments differently. For example, targeting high frequency or high generosity givers with a somewhat more customized approach, e.g. calling campaigns.
2. Second, it’s critical that you have multiple channels to communicate to your people, and you must make the communications a genuine, personal message from church leadership. Email may work for some (assuming you have the email addresses) but you also need to leverage direct mail and even calling/dialing services. And where you can, embed a personal message from the pastor, even a short video.
3. Third, give them simple, step-by-step directions that walk them through how to give online, how to set up an account, and how to set up a scheduled gift, etc. It may seem obvious to those of us used to doing things online, but it’s not at all for many donors.

How can churches help their members who have concerns for security in online transactions?

The more they can see and confirm that they are working directly with the church the better. If possible, don’t redirect them off your site to other sites, or to an unfamiliar processor name. This can be a major reason for dropping out. Even if that’s not an option, ensure that there is clear communication in the messaging you send from leadership that addresses this head-on and reminds them that the giving solution you are using is as rigorous and secure and well managed as if they were shopping online at Amazon. This assumes of course that you’re using a fully PCI Compliant solution. If that’s not the case, you need to immediate look for options and quickly spin up a secure giving solution!

What is the first step a church should take if they don’t currently have an online giving solution?

Standing up an online giving solution can be a very quick process. We are currently working with customers and getting them live in just a few days. We of course would be happy to help any church. Because we are the processor, that allows us to quickly stand-up the accounts and the bank ids required. As a first step, I would always encourage churches to compare a couple of options and really get a feel for what the donor experience will be like. It’s so important for you to see it and walk through it! That should take no more than a day or two. Then, confirm with the provider what the real start-to-finish timeframes are for getting live, including all the underwriting and account set-up.

Any other quick to implement suggestions you’d make?

Focus, and don’t over-complicate things. Get your communications out there, especially to your offline givers, and then learn and iterate. Don’t get caught in ‘analysis paralysis’. Act. Learn from the responses and then adjust your communications and messaging. Now, more than ever, making the giving experience and the conversion to online giving a friendly, well defined, well understood process is so important. You just can’t underestimate the guidance required nor overdo the communications and support needed to make the online experience easy and compelling. Targeted, personalized communication is so important, both before and after the gift. Make sure to refresh communications regularly, if not weekly.

An Interview with Stephen Ballard of OnlineGiving.org

What do you see as the top obstacle for members adopting online giving options?

We recommend encouraging and educating those who have yet to make the switch by continuing to talk about giving on all media, including live streaming. Pastors and church staff are working harder than ever to find new and creative ways to minister to their communities in this climate. The church body must understand that even though there are no physical services (or offering plate) on the weekend, that ministry is still happening and needs funding from its members.

What are you seeing as the top 1-3 things a church can do to help their members and contributors shift to using online giving solutions?

1. Make it as easy as possible to access ways to give. Create a “ways-to-give” page on your church website. Publish giving links on all of your digital media, including social media and live streaming pages.
2. Create a video that talks about the different ways people can contribute to the church. For example, walk people through how to give online, text message giving, mobile app giving, or similar. Demonstrate how easy it can be to give digitally.
3. Engage your church in new ways. OnlineGiving.org’s Church chatbot is an innovative vital tool for reaching and retaining guests. Connect the congregation and grow your church with text messages. Text marketing offers so much in the way of communication. Not only that, but text giving is one of the fastest and easiest ways to give.

How can churches help their members who have concerns for security in online transactions?

The church must verify they are currently using a giving provider that is both safe and easy to use. Once verified, let church members know their digital gift will be processed using a secure and encrypted internet connection using today’s latest security practices and standards.

What is the first step a church should take if they don’t currently have an Online Giving solution?

It’s time to start shopping for a digital giving provider that is committed to serving the church. Visit today’s top giving providers such as OnlineGiving.org and make a feature comparison chart based on the ways and ease of use to give. Find out if the provider offers any integration into your ChMS. Get upfront rate quotes and ask for references local to your area.

Make sure your giving provider does Not require a contract. They should earn your business, not lock you into a contract. See if they offer any additional engagement tools such as text marketing, church chatbots, or mobile apps.

Finally, make a choice and be dedicated to embracing the onboarding process entirely. Obtaining a giving solution is only beneficial to the church if the church adopts the system as a whole.

Any other quick to implement suggestions you’d make?

As noted above, obtaining a giving solution is only beneficial to the church if the church adopts the system as a whole. Make sure to create a “ways-to-give page”, link to giving from all digital media platforms, and, most importantly, communicate to the church regularly about the importance of giving and how to give.