ONLINE GIVING LAUNCH GUIDE - Vanco Payments

ONLINE GIVING LAUNCH GUIDE

ONLINE GIVING LAUNCH GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Important Questions to Consider Before Setting Up Online Giving ............... 4 Step 1: Assemble the Launch Team ........................................................................................... 7 Step 2: Set Up Your Funds and Accounts .............................................................................. 7 Step 3: Integrate Your Systems ..................................................................................................... 7 Step 4: Prepare a Communication Plan ................................................................................ 8 Step 5: Update Your Website and Launch............................................................................ 9 Step 6: Use Your Church's Megaphone ................................................................................. 12 Step 7: Promote Recurring Giving ............................................................................................ 16 Step 8: Create a Process for Tracking Donations ......................................................... 18 Step 9: Analyze the Data................................................................................................................. 20 Step 10: Make Adjustments to Your Communication Plan and Outreach .............................................................................................................................. 21 Step 11: Giving Thanks ........................................................................................................................ 21

INTRODUCTION

Setting up online giving for your church will increase donations. At Vanco, we did an internal survey of our clients and found an average increase of 26% in total giving. The spectrum of success for each church really depends on the rollout, which is why we're sharing the most effective tips for setting up online giving for a church. These tips come from the 25,000 churches we work with.

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IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER BEFORE SETTING UP ONLINE GIVING

Your church wants to experience the gains online giving has to offer right away, while momentum is on your side. Discover how you can keep your launch from stalling. Make sure your church is prepared by working with your eGiving provider and the designated launch person in your church to answer the following questions before you begin.

1 Will you need help from an IT person to get started?

eGiving is incredibly easy to learn, even for non-tech savvy users. The entire set-up process should be simple, and support should be just a phone call away. A lot of the ease of use depends on your eGiving provider. Make sure your church has free support available to it. Otherwise, you may need to find a tech-savvy volunteer from your church to complete the process and pay for additional support.

2 What kind of training and support will you need?

Well-designed eGiving programs are user friendly and require minimal coaching and instruction. With any new piece of software, it's important to have responsive customer support to answer questions. Choose a donation processor that offers complimentary one-onone telephone training and ongoing support. Support should be available for the life of the relationship, not just the first couple of weeks.

3 What software and hardware requirements are there for your eGiving provider?

Most eGiving solutions require no additional software or hardware purchases, but it is important to check. Vanco's online giving solutions are easily managed from any internetconnected device and integrate with most church management systems.

4 What is your provider's admin portal like?

An admin portal is a flexible hub where payments are entered, reports are generated, and resources are downloaded. You want your online giving provider's admin portal to offer an easy experience. Otherwise it won't streamline your staff's work or increase donations.

5 What level of data security does your provider offer?

Your eGiving provider should comply with PCI level one standards. When an online giving provider is certified in PCI level one compliance, it means they follow the highest level of data security in the payment processing industry. This allows your members to manage their own donation activity with peace of mind.

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6 What integrations with church management systems does your online giving provider offer?

Wouldn't it be nice if you could access all your member data and their payment information in one place? With integrations between your online giving provider and your church management software it's possible. All you need to do is ask if your eGiving provider integrates with your church management software. If you're looking for providers, a great place to check is their website. Vanco displays the eGiving providers they work with front and center on their integrations page as do others.

7 What online giving options do they make available to churches?

There are plenty of ways for members and guests to give online, and several providers offer an entire suite of options. These options include text giving (where donors give with a text message), mobile app giving (where members donate with the assistance of a mobile app) and through an online giving page attached to your church's website. Even if you're not interested in all of the giving options right now, it's good to understand what's available. Oftentimes members and guests will see the convenience of eGiving once it's offered and request additional options.

8 If your eGiving provider doesn't meet your expectations, can you leave without penalty?

Some online giving providers will lock you into their services with a contract. This isn't a position any church wants to be in, especially if they find out the eGiving provider falls short of expectations. Several online giving platforms will operate based on a month-to-month agreement, which will allow you to seek the help of another provider if it doesn't work out.

9 Are reporting capabilities simple and straightforward within the online giving platform?

Daily reporting should be smooth and easy. Flexibility is essential. For example, you should be able to generate reports based on data range, payment type and by member. Don't hesitate to request sample reports from your provider or prospective providers.

After asking these questions, it's important for your church to consider if your provider is the best option moving forward. Though an online giving setup can be easy, it can be a long and tedious affair if your platform doesn't offer the support or integrations you need. Save yourself a ton of time, and likely a lot of money, by carefully considering before settling on your eGiving launch partner.

10 How transparent is your providers' pricing?

With eGiving providers, what you see isn't always what you get. There can be some additional fees you didn't expect to pay for. This could include charges for support and even charges per transaction. Be sure to look closely at the pricing details before committing as some providers will lock you into a long-term contract.

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