They’ve heard the right song at the right time. They’ve been encouraged and inspired by your personalities. And when you ask them to give a financial gift, they are compelled to respond. Are you making it as simple as possible for your listeners to give a recurring gift and keep on giving? 

Here are 5 keys to make it easy for your listeners to become recurring donors and stick around:

1. Promote Year-Round

In your on-air messaging, highlight recurring giving year-round by thanking your monthly supporters in on-air promos and liners. Make it clear that monthly financial gifts are the lifeblood of the station. All the amazing stories of impact are made possible by listeners like them who give monthly.

2. Keep It Simple

Make giving as simple and obvious as possible on your station website and app. Once on the giving page, pre-select recurring as the default option. Is donating a monthly gift as easy as buying something on Amazon (i.e. 1-Click Ordering)? Test out your giving page on multiple devices and browsers. Give a volunteer your credit card and ask them to sign up to give $40 a month to your station on their computer. How many clicks does it take to make a gift? If it’s more than one, why?

3. Make It The Default Option 

On your app and website, make recurring giving the default option. You get what you normalize. Even in matters of life and death, the default option makes a massive difference in response. For example, when it comes to organ donations in countries that make organ donation automatic donations unless you opt-out, they get over a 90% opt-in. In countries that require individuals to manually opt-in, they fail to reach 15%.

4. Welcome & Invite Everyone You Meet

Create a welcome series for listeners you meet through contesting or those who give single gifts. After you have shared at least 5 pieces of meaningful content and stories of hope, ask the people who have opened your previous emails to join you in sharing hope by becoming a monthly giving partner. The people who open your emails care about your organization. We have not because we ask not at the appropriate time. You don’t have to spray and pray your email database during an on-fundraiser.

5. Proactively Update Expiring Credit Cards

Do you know how many recurring donations are lapsed due to an expired credit card or change of address? If you don’t know, find out! You might be surprised by the thousands of dollars lost each year. You can proactively reach out to donors via email, mail, and phone to ask them to update their card. Here’s an excellent example of an email I received from a newsletter I subscribed letting me know the credit card I used was expired:

Notice how they clearly outline the issue and even include a visual about how to update my account. Your donors want to support the ministry. If you don’t reach them before their credit card expires, call them! Most will thank you for letting them know and helping them to continue to fulfill their desire to support your ministry.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss ways the Vidare team can help you gain and retain more donors, send me an email paul@vidarecreative.com and let me know!