Instant Donation Pages are the “secret sauce” of the 5-Step Donor Acquisition Model.
If you aren’t already using them, instant donation pages can transform your ability to acquire more donors and keep your mission moving forward.
How they work: When someone says ‘yes’ to your lead magnet, momentum is being built as you prime them to respond favorably to future donation appeals by delivering upfront value.
This is where your instant donation page comes into play.
What is an instant donation page?
After someone fills out a form to accept your lead magnet, they are redirected to an instant donation page rather than your standard confirmation page.
An “instant donation page“, specifically, is a confirmation page that also gives potential donors the opportunity to give then and there.
And while you won’t see massive conversion rates of 50-60%, instant donation pages will allow you to start converting your brand-new subscribers into new donors instantly.
How an instant donation page differs from other donation pages
The key difference between instant donation pages and other donation pages is motivation.
Someone visiting your general donation page has navigated there to donate or is at least considering donating. They need less convincing.
Someone visiting a campaign donation page has been prompted by something like an email appeal. They’re coming to the page with a specific reason for giving.
Someone visiting your instant donation page, however, has landed there after engaging with content (usually by accepting a lead magnet).
They have not clicked a clear call to action, and so this page must fundamentally different.
Therefore, the key to a successful instant donation page is the copy and the angle of your messaging.
First, you MUST clarify, right away, at the top of your instant donation page, that nothing else is needed in order to get the free offer.
Something like: “Congrats! Your offer is on its way.”
Then, you need to clearly (and quickly) make your donation ask. Keep in mind: your visitor didn’t land here expecting to be asked to give.
As a result, we can’t slow them down with a long and drawn-out explanation of why they should give (like you might on a campaign page).
At the same time, we can’t just list why they should give in bullets (like you might on a general donation page) — or else they’ll never understand why they should give.
We have to meet in the middle.
In one experiment, an organization’s original instant donation page spent about 50% of the copy explaining what the subscriber can expect to happen next with their free course.
In the treatment, they spent just 2 sentences talking about what happens next with the course. And the rest of the copy focused on the donation appeal.
Spending less time on the “logistics” and more time on the appeal led to a 165% increase in donor acquisition.
You also want to be sure to make the donation request relevant to the offer your potential donor just received.
You want to make a direct connection between your donation request and the offer your potential donor has just downloaded.
If someone has just downloaded an eBook, or signed a petition, or activated a free course, they have given you critical information about what they value.
Your instant donation page should then make a donation ask based on the interests and values presented in the free offer.
For example, in one experiment, a nonprofit had offered a free online course. The original instant donation page focused on donating to get a companion guide for the course.
In the treatment, they wondered if focusing the donation ask on reaching more people with this valuable course could actually lead to more donations.
And sure enough, the appeal focused on impacting others with this valuable resource led to a 164% increase in donations.
The 16 core elements of an instant donation page
Let’s take a look at the 16 core elements that can help you create an effective instant donation page.
1. Use a simple, no-nonsense page header without navigation or extra donate buttons.
2. If you use a background image, make sure it focuses on your cause
3. Write a headline that clearly acknowledges the previous action.
4. Write brief intro sentence or two that outlines the immediate next steps.
5. Write a brief transition paragraph that gives reasons to donate closely related to the original offer.
6. Use brief, direct paragraphs and bolding on key words or phrases.
7. Avoid in-line supporting content such as: videos, links that lead away from the page, countdown clocks, in-line reviews.
8. Use a premium offer only if you want to increase average gift. Beware…it may decrease your conversion rates.
9. Write a call-to-action header that reiterates the donation ask and how it advances your cause.
10. Use a gift array with big buttons. Make sure your first option is below your average gift size.
11. Keep these three things in mind when laying out your donation form:
- Use headers with numbers to clarify decision points.Arrange form fields to reduce page length.
- Avoid adaptive place holders or other fancy form field technology.
- Pre-populate form fields with first name and last name if possible.
12. Pre-populate form fields with first name and last name if possible.
13. Visually separate credit card fields and add a lock icon to indicate that your page is secure.
14. Test adding supporting content (i.e. testimonials or endorsements) in a right column.
15. Add third-party credibility indicators (GuideStar, Charity Navigator, etc.) near the call-to-action button.
16. Eliminate any gift verification pages.
These 16 elements will help you make instant donation pages that convert. This free PDF can help you visualize these recommendations.
Conclusion
Instant donation pages can transform your ability to acquire more donors. They work by leveraging the principle of reciprocity to prime your potential donor to make a donation by delivering up-front value.
An instant donation page makes a donation request on the confirmation page that follows a website visitor accepting a lead magnet and they are distinct from general donation pages and campaign donation pages.
There are 16 elements to an effective instant donation page but your biggest opportunity lies in positioning the donation page copy to relate to the content your potential donor just requested.
Worried your mission is at risk? Book a free discovery call and let’s do this together.
