The summer season may bring an influx of visitors to your church, but it can also bring a shift in attendance due to vacations, camps and holiday travel. Creating a plan that will enable your church to stabilize its giving throughout the summer months can be done with ease thanks to the implementation and use of Online Giving.
Here are some helpful tips to help your church prepare for summer giving:
Create and Implement a Giving Plan
You are already aware of the variation of donations during the summer season, and making a plan early will ensure better consistency in total giving amounts. Now is the time to meet with your church staff members to determine the best methods of communicating the importance of giving to your congregation members. Weekly or monthly announcements via your bulletin or pre-service updates, emails and social media posts that outline exactly how your church members can donate is very effective. Showing them how they can give versus simply asking for donations can have a significant impact on giving amounts. Creating a video tutorial on your Online Giving services can also be an impactful resource. Outline your specific plan early on, that way you can stay ahead of any potential decrease in donations.
Reach Out to Regular Givers
Depending on the Giving provider your church uses, you may be able to see a list of those who currently use your church’s Online Giving tools. Those who donate via your website, kiosks or text may not know that they can set up a recurring donation. This is a great time to send a message to let them know how easy and convenient it is to set up a recurring donation, especially with the hustle and bustle of the summer months! We make it easy for them to set this up quickly, and the donation amounts or frequency can be changed by an individual at any time.
Create a Mid-Year Report
Many organizations produce an annual report, but why does it only have to be once per year? Studies confirm that donors will give more, and more regularly, when they understand where their dollars are going. Take the opportunity to share the great things happening in your ministry, and THANK donors for making them possible. Consider also sharing tangible goals for your organization during the second half of 2015, connecting the need with the appeal.
Utilize Giving Tools
When using an Online Giving service, you are offered a variety of different tools. Use these to your advantage! Text Giving, mobile apps and Giving kiosks are some of the tools provided by some of the major Giving brands, and these can definitely help you to increase your church’s overall Giving amounts. Making it convenient for your church congregation members to give is a good starting point, and implementing a kiosk or texting option is easy.
What kind of summer giving plan has your church created in the past, and how has it helped your ministry? Let us know in the comment section below!
