Your Planned Giving Website Is a Warmup Band

I used to be a big Van Halen fan, so when I learned they were coming to Scranton, I bought a couple of tickets and put the date on my calendar. But on the day of the concert, I wasn’t excited. I was tired. I had worked all day. I had a two-hour drive ahead of me. To be honest, I almost bailed.

I expected the warm up band to be terrible—loud and over animated from trying to make a name for themselves.

Instead, they came out talking about how great Van Halen was! They shared behind the scenes stories of Eddie Van Halen. They spoke of how inspired and hopeful they felt in the presence of such stars. They got me excited because they connected to something that was important to me: and they reminded me why I was there.

Their intro warmed me up, just as it was meant to so by the time Van Halen made it to stage, I forgot all about being tired, and I jumped out of my seat, shouting and clapping in anticipation of the show.

And it occurred to me: fundraisers need a warm-up band, too! Someone (or something) that will get donor excited about you–even before they see you!

Think of your planned giving website as the warm-up band. This is where you get to prime your prospects.

What if, instead of a warmup band, the event organizers had hired a statistician to come on stage and start reading off a list of facts. “You’re about to hear from Eddie Van Halen, born on such and such date in Anytown, USA, to parents So and So. Eddie grew up in … ” blah, blah, blah

I’d have been bored out of my mind, and maybe even dozed into a quick nap.

Even at an event like a concert, people need help transitioning from one frame of mind to the next. And the way you help someone transition is to help their mind anticipate (look forward to!) what’s next.

YOUR PLANNED GIVING WEBSITE SHOULD PREPARE YOUR PROSPECTS

More than ever before in our history, people are busy, busy, busy. Think about the intense demands on our time. Think of how the digital age has crushed us with information overload.

Our brains are fatigued.

As a fundraiser, it’s important to remember your prospects’ state of mind when they land on your planned giving website. When we have the privilege of their attention, it’s vital to meet them where they are. The job of the planned giving website is to “warm them up” so they’re eager for the “headliner”—that’s YOU!

But, too often, planned giving websites try to be the heavy hitter: TONS of information. Boring legal facts. Generic content.

These planned giving websites overload people with information before they even make a connection!

Are you thinking about your site? Are you trying to ignore your website problems?

I have good news for you: it’s a very simple process to transform your planned giving website from a boring, information-depot into a welcoming, nurturing warm-up set.

PGMicrosites™ ARE THE PLANNED GIVING WEBSITE OF THE FUTURE

In the past, planned giving websites were used as a digital storage facility. All types of information was posted, just in case someone, somewhere, someday might find it interesting.

That’s not how things are done anymore. Planned giving websites need to be sleek, easy, clean, and accessible. So that when someone lands on it, they relax. They linger. They are able to shift from confusion to clarity.

We sat down with our digital marketing experts and web designers and asked them how we could help fundraisers, “Our clients deserve a planned giving website that is modern, beautiful—and useful!”

And guess what? We created one!

They dismantled the entire concept of a planned giving website. Instead of believing a site needs to be bloated with information and legal jargon, they looked at it as a prospect-nurturing tool. They transformed the planned giving website so people who land there feel welcomed and inspired.

The new model for the planned giving website, the PGMicrosite™, is designed to guide prospects to take the next step: to contact you.

In the past, fundraisers were asking too much of the website. They expected the website to turn prospects into donors. But that’s not how relationships work.

When we start to see the website as a tool, we can start seeing better results and start talking to more people.

THE PLANNED GIVING WEBSITE THAT GIVES YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED AND NOTHING THAT YOU DON’T

The PGMicrosite™ is different from any other planned giving website because we keep it clean and clear—and include a call to action. So prospects contact you!

When you choose a PGMicrosite™ to attract prospects, here’s what you can expect:

Simplicity

Donors don’t come to a planned giving website to learn about the intricate mechanics of a CRUT, or how to give a tax break to their heirs. They are looking for ways to support your mission, and they want to know their gifts will make a difference! Once they realize they can have an impact, they’re eager to contact you. 

Inspiring Content

We’ll help you craft donor stories using a framework that’s used by expert storytellers so prospects relate to your current donors and are inspired to become one of them.

Content that Speaks to the True Audience

No one knows better than you that a planned gift comes from a unique type of donor. So, we show you how to tailor your content to appeal to that prospect. By specifically focusing on the ideal donor, and only on the ideal donor, the message can be clear, personal, and effective.

Digital Marketing Best Practices

Our web developers will ensure your site complies with digital guidelines that guarantee you won’t be blocked by Google for having a site that lags, is unnecessarily repetitive, or fails to meet guidelines for viewing on mobile devices.

Customized & Branded

You’ll be able to use your own custom web address so people recognize your organization or legacy society. And guess what? Even though it’s personalized, it takes ZERO support from your IT department. We’ll take care of everything so you can avoid technical headaches.

Responsive, Modern Design

Your PGMicrosite™ will automatically configure itself to look beautiful on any device, including a desktop, laptop, phone, or tablet. This is so important. This ensures the user has a full experience no matter how they land on your site. But, just as important, it also protects you from Google. See, Google frowns on sites that haven’t made it easy to use mobile devices. Very often, they punish websites that haven’t adapted to our mobile world by burying them in the search results.

Service & Support

Our job is to make your job easier. We’ll be responsive and accessible to you so you get one-on-one assistance when you call or email us—all the time, every time. When you want help, you can depend on us. Period.

Fair and Transparent Pricing

You don’t need to break your budget on a planned giving website. You can have a modern, effective website—designed specifically for your planned living prospect for only a fraction of the cost of most sites. We ask for a one-time setup fee of only $500. After that initial investment, the cost of your site is only $1,995 per year. And here’s the best part: you’re never locked in. Our year-to-year subscription means you’re never burdened by a multi-year contract!

 As you can see, a PGMicrosite™ provides exactly what you need and nothing that you don’t. If you’ve been holding off on subscribing to other services because of the prohibitive costs, or you’ve been struggling to create this content yourself, this is the solution you’ve been looking for!

It’s so simple to get started: just give us a call at 484-680-7600 or schedule a time to talk with someone on our team.