This article was written by Sally Grantham of ACS Technologies. Sally is Texas-raised and loves real cloth napkins, handwritten thank you notes, monograms and helping churches further their work through increased giving.
With Sally’s dedication to the church and her knowledge of church technology, she’s encountered a variety of different giving solutions and witnessed many church member experiences.
Growing up, I lived in a traditional Southern household. My mother is a true Southern Lady who believes in having her tea in a china teacup and putting on her pearls every morning. So naturally, she enjoys and excels at the fine art of entertaining.
Over the years, she has taught me many lessons beyond the food you might serve or the welcome greeting you should give. She taught me to put myself in the shoes of my guests and practice the experience from parking your car, walking to the front door, and leaving at the end of the night. Before any gathering you host, it is very important to enter and exit your home as if you were a guest.
That’s right, I physically exit the house and go to where a guest might park. Then, I enter just as they would and walk through the areas that might be part of the gathering. From this perspective, you will spot something you didn’t see in the hustle and bustle of setup. It might be a garden hose next to the front steps that needs to be stored more discreetly. You may realize the lighting is too dark in the foyer, so you may need to light a lamp. You may realize you forgot to set out napkins on a side table or your drink bar isn’t approachable. These may seem like small details, but if they aren’t resolved before guests arrive, the ambiance of the gathering could be affected.
This same approach can and should be applied to your e-Giving solution in your church and how it is promoted or exemplified on your website. Today many churches have launched an e-Giving solution and provided access to it on their website. For some, it lives right on the homepage, front and center and hard to miss. For others, it lives on a back page that is hard to find, but is also not screaming at your visitors to give money.
As a church staff member, you know exactly where to find your e-Giving solution on your website because you helped set it up. You arranged the pieces and worked with the developer to make it a reality.
However, have you put yourself in the shoes of your visitors lately to see what they experience when navigating your website to find and give through your e-Giving solution? Think about these questions when making it available on your site:
• How easy is it to find the e-Giving solution on your church’s website?
• Is there a clear navigational structure or distinct path to where the contributor should go?
• Do your members feel welcome when they see your e-Giving messages?
• Is the copy clear, consistent and concise?
• Does your website communicate where the contributions will be allocated?
• When a member gives, what kind of confirmation do they receive? Is it just a quick thanks or does it tell more about the value of each gift?
Your website is the virtual face of your organization. My mom has always encouraged me to set the tone for the party. As the host, you aren’t putting your best foot forward if you aren’t greeting and welcoming your guests at the door. Your website should take the same special care and attention if you want your visitors to feel open to giving online.
Take a step back so you can come in with a new set of eyes to catch the discrepancies and create a welcoming experience for all. Discover what you can and can’t find, as well as the little pieces that affect the overall experience. By making every contributor feel like a “special guest” and making the whole online giving process welcoming and easy, churches benefit by increased giving and greater contributor satisfaction.
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