People love supporting ministries with a strong vision, joining hand-in-hand to reach the world. But what avenues inspire them to give? The 2018 Global Trends in Giving Report reveals insightful trends vital to your ministry’s communication efforts that show which channels are most likely to inspire your donors.
Donors Give when Inspired on Social Media
At the top of the list, especially for women (32%), is social media. When logging onto Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and other social sites, people often find the inspiration they’re looking for that spurs them to give—at that moment—to a ministry organization. Powerful quotes, videos of workers in the field, teaching videos, and more lead viewers to take action. If you don’t have a strong social media strategy, now’s the time to create one or risk missing out on one of the most popular communication channels available today.
Donors Give when Inspired through Email
Trailing behind social media for women (26%), but more important to men (30%), is email. People tend to move through their inbox like a to-do list, checking every single item and at least giving it a few seconds preview. By writing emails with must-open subject lines and then offering compelling, informative, and valuable information inside that doesn’t disappoint, you can entice donors in a cost-effective, trackable way.
Donors Give when Inspired by Your Website
Gone are the days when a website was nothing more than a calling card for getting people to contact you by phone or mail. Now websites are the direct contact, and men and women are almost equally inspired (19% and 17% respectively) by the content available on your website. By keeping it continually up-to-date and adding new material that is valuable to people as they search for answers and information, you can present a powerful platform that moves your visitors to partnership.
Donors Give when Inspired by Direct Mail
Surprisingly, while men and women are both inspired by the tried-and-true avenues of direct mail, its influence has dropped significantly behind online options. Thirteen percent of men and 11% of women are most inspired by direct mail—a number that has decreased significantly as online options have become more popular and convenient. That’s not to say snail mail is dead, quite the contrary. This group of donors still gives faithfully and many times it’s the printed word that inspires them to give online. However your donors want to give to your ministry, you want to be sure you have secure, trackable means ready for them to use. If you would like to see how a CMS like DonorDirect can help you inspire your donors through social media, email, your website, and direct mail, schedule a personalized demo with our team today. We look forward to working with you!
