Just Because You Built It, It Doesn’t Mean Squat

We have all heard that line made famous in the movie “Field of Dreams”…

“If you build it, they will come.”

That may work in Hollywood, however, in the reality of life building “it” only gets you half way there.

If you recently added YODA – Your Online Donation App – (or any comprehensive online giving solution) to your church website, you’ve done the “build it” part.

However, you need to promote it for it to be successful.

Below are 5 things you should do to promote YODA to your members:

1. If you have an image slider on your website, dedicate one of the slides to the new online giving solution and link the slide to your “Give” page.
2. If you don’t have an image slider on your church website, add a graphic to your homepage promoting the new way of giving and link it to your “Give” page.
3. Announce it every week at church, FOREVER!  Every time you are taking up tithes and offerings, let people know that you have an easy way for them to give and that they can securely do it from their phone right then!
4. If you have a projector screen at your church, create a slide that promotes online giving through a mobile phone or computer.
5. Email it to your members, 3 times.  If you send weekly or monthly emails/eNewsletters, promote it in at least 3 consecutive emails.

Studies have shown that it takes at least 7 touches to move someone from observer to participant.

Typically, that principle is about selling products or services, but the same principle applies to nearly everything in life, even online giving.

If you implement the above steps, you will be able to “touch” members of your church 7 times within a few months, if not sooner.

“If you build it AND promote it, then they will come.”  – Mark Steinbrueck

What other suggestions do you have to help promote online giving?  Please post your comments and questions below.

If you want to talk about getting a new website or making a change from your current site, contact me here.