5 Simple Ways To Encourage First-Time Givers To Donate Again

Donor retention is an essential aspect of doing ministry. It helps church leaders evaluate how well they build lasting relationships with new church-goers and members. Building a positive connection with them not only increases influence but also assists in transitioning first-time givers to long-term supporters.

When an attendee donates to your church for the first time, it is a great first step that can lead to a faithful and dependable member. It reflects their will and personal desire to take part in your mission, which is an integral part of nurturing a mature Christian faith. 

However, there’s still a palpable difference between a regular giver and a first-time giver. So if you’re aiming to turn your church’s first-time givers into loyal contributors, you have to sustain engagement with them and instill the value of sharing. Although sustained engagement and inculcated positive behavior are some of the ways in transitioning them, there are specific steps to help you do so. In this blog, we present the five distinct steps that will develop and sustain donor retention.

1.  Make giving hassle-free

Almost everything is cashless today. Most church-goers do not walk through the doors with cash in their pockets To keep up with the technological advancements of our cashless society, it is vital to build a responsive and easy-to-use online giving platform. You can do this by enabling recurring donations on your website, and making this an accessible and obvious option. 

Additionally, here are a few other next-level tips to make giving as frictionless as possible: 

1. Allocate a specific portion of your homepage for recurring donations – By featuring the different giving plans in a spotlight on your homepage, website visitors will be able to notice right away.
2. Establish a church app as a counterpart – Considering that most of us own mobile phones, it’s key that your website platform has a robust mobile app counterpart. This makes it easy for first-time givers, attendees, and members to access your church virtually, and also helps you and your church staff to manage online donations on the go.

2. Recognize and appreciate gifts (of any size)

Confirmation emails can do more than just acting as a receipt. Exhibit your appreciation by reaching out further and appreciating the givers. Although confirmation emails are a great opportunity to be in touch with someone after donating to your church, you can extend the stream of conversation by communicating more. The content may entail a customized message of gratitude and appreciation or even an image showing how far their donations can go.

Apart from confirmation emails, you may also explore text confirmations. Some church-goers prefer text messaging over phone calls and email. Embedding a tailor-made message to your church texting service can become an asset too. Features such as two-way messaging and text blasts can even help you create awareness and express gratitude to your entire congregation. 

3. Show them where their contributions go

When it comes to church giving, givers usually want to know whether their donations  are making a positive impact. Therefore, it is important for them to notice through your chosen platform that their contributions, whether big or small, have been making a difference. The knowledge that they’re helping others is immensely empowering and in turn, can also make them feel more fulfilled.

4. Appeal to their enthusiasm and compassion

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Goal-setting is an intrinsic aspect of ministry leadership. The identified goals are usually reflected through your church initiatives to help others and develop the culture of volunteerism. These projects can be a great entry point for you to encourage people to impart their experiences and testimonies during church activities and causes. By doing so, givers will see that their kind investments meet fruitful returns to the church community.

This strategy often connects the donor to his or her values, which ultimately includes genuine compassion and generosity. The more you show progress updates and actual testimonials to first-time givers, the more likely they’ll get motivated to pursue their membership journey and share their blessings more. 

5. Make it simple for recurring donors to change their minds

Considering that our financial circumstances may vary from time to time, you’ll better serve both your church and your donors if you clearly convey that signing up for recurring giving isn’t mandatory. It’s perfectly okay to highlight that givers are under no responsibility and can tweak the amount or call off donation anytime. It’s a good thing that there are digital tools online such as Tithely that allow church members, and even first-time givers, to easily commit to regular and automated tithing of a predetermined amount until they opt to discontinue their donations. 

The Key Takeaway:

For first-time givers, the act of giving might be a baby step towards leading a meaningful membership journey with your church, but they need your full support and motivation to keep sharing. As a church leader, you also need to show them why generosity is an expression of their spiritual journey and faith. When implemented properly, retention among first-time givers can encourage persistent involvement, not only through sharing, but also in terms of improving their overall Christian life. 

It may be a handful during the initial stages, but it’s certainly worth all the efforts to sustain your organization’s growth. Opting to utilize advanced digital tools like Tithely helps you increase online giving, not only among first-time givers, but among church-goers and members in general. It can also simplify the lives of your staff with tools custom-made for churches. Get started today by reaching out!