Why forms kill donations, and how to fix them

For many non-profits, donation forms are the bane of existence. You do all the hard work of attracting and inspiring supporters, and at the sight of the form, they bail.

There are two main reasons donation forms send donors running:

1.     You’re asking too much

Most people hate filling in forms. We know that people are wary of giving out their personal information.

Check out this article: Why you should never have to fill out a form.

Many charities see the donation form as an opportunity to collect as much information as possible about their supporters. But when you’re asking people to give you their money, it’s vital that you make the process as quick, easy and safe as possible. That means only asking for essential information, and treating it with care and respect. 

Yes, it’s nice to know who your donors are and what inspired them to respond to your appeal – but save those questions until after they’ve made their gift. You can always follow up with a survey when you thank them.

2.     People are busy, and mobile

Many of your recipients will receive and respond to your appeal on their mobile or tablet. That means they’re typing one-fingered on a pop-up keyboard, fighting autocorrect every step of the way.

If your donation form is an endless expanse of empty fields, it can just feel like too much hassle. Who has that much time on their hands? Many people will take one look and just walk away.

Committed donors might plan to come back to it later, when they’re near a real keyboard – but all too often, good intentions get lost along the way, and the donations never get made.

GiveEasy goes beyond the ordinary form

At GiveEasy, we have developed one click eDM and SMS solutions to improve the donation experience. In fact, we provide personalised URLs to help reduce lost donations across your digital channels.

Click to find out: How personalised donation forms are breaking new ground.