What about you? How do you go about making purchasing decisions for yourself and your nonprofit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a \u201cwing it and go\u201d sort of person, then full speed ahead and good luck! But if you\u2019re a \u201clet\u2019s take the time and think through this\u201d type, well then, stay with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to finding the right software, knowledge is buying power. Understanding what you need, why you need it, and how each software program can help you and your nonprofit community will save you time and money in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ask these 7 questions (and follow the checklist below) to help determine the right peer-to-peer fundraising software for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Will You, Your Fundraisers, And Your Donors Feel Comfortable Using It?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Here at CauseVox, we\u2019ve analyzed hundreds and thousands of peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns with one mission: uncover what works and what doesn\u2019t. Through our research, it quickly became apparent that the single biggest factor in the success of a campaign is experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you, your fundraisers, and your supporters have a good experience giving, fundraising, and sharing, then it\u2019s more likely to be successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With all that being said, the most important question to ask when evaluating peer-to-peer fundraising software is: Is it easy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ease of use ensures 1. You don\u2019t have to spend hours upon hours learning, setting up and managing the program. 2. Your eager, go-getter fundraisers don\u2019t give up the fundraising process halfway through. 3. Your donors follow through while making a gift online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
True, \u201ccomfort\u201d and \u201cease\u201d are in the eye of the beholder. However, there are some common elements to an easy platform, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Clean and uncluttered appearance<\/li>
- Intuitive design<\/li>
- Uncomplicated, clear setup and donation progression<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
All in all, the main goal is ensure a smooth, seamless experience for you and your users regardless of device, generation, or tech savviness!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When looking at peer-to-peer fundraising software<\/a>, consider each age group that may participate. Would your parents or grandparents be able to use it? If so, you\u2019re on the right path. If not, it\u2019s back to the drawing board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"fundraising](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Testicular-Cancer-Foundation.png\")
The Testicular Cancer Foundation recruits fundraisers and inspires donors with their easy-to-use peer-to-peer fundraising websites.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n 2. Is It Personalizable?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ve worked hard to create and maintain your nonprofit\u2019s brand, and you may use a certain logo, motto, or specific color scheme. The last thing you want is for your fundraisers and donors to get confused or turned off by what appears to be a third-party website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s natural to wonder if the donations are actually going to the right place if the link redirects to an outside source or shows another company\u2019s logo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personalized peer-to-peer fundraising websites<\/a> remove this hurdle. Adding your logo, color scheme, and even creating a custom URL guarantees a seamless transition, ensuring everyone feels confident about supporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Did you know that fundraising powered by CauseVox is designed for you? Our design editor and white label approach guarantees all your communications, fundraising, and donation pages look and feel like they\u2019re coming from you. This ultimately drives up trust, improves conversion rates, and increases average gift sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"fundraising](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Personalized-Amigos.jpg\")
Amigos de las Americas uses similar branding on their website and peer-to-peer fundraising campaign sites.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n 3. Do I Need a Coding Degree To Set It Up?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Some say that learning the basics of software coding is easy, but that the mastery is quite difficult. I don\u2019t know about you, but the mere mention of \u201ccoding\u201d makes me anxious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thankfully, there are peer-to-peer fundraising software programs out there that don\u2019t require a software-developer job title to manage. As you evaluate your software options, consider those that handle all that back-end coding for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure the program offers embeddable website codes, hosts web pages on its own server, and features secure site access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At CauseVox, our platform has beautiful, flexible, and easy-to-use templates that can align with your brand and share your story. Anyone, regardless of tech skills, can create an effective campaign with a few clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"fundraising](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Tech-Polar-Plunge.jpg\")
It takes less than a minute to create an account and get started on a peer-to-peer website for CCAN\u2019s annual Polar Bear Plunge.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n 4. What Options Do I Have?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Many nonprofits start the peer-to-peer fundraising journey with a traditional online format. However, there are unlimited ways to run this type of community-driven fundraising: events, DIY fundraising, team fundraising, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ideally, the peer-to-peer fundraising software you choose should offer options when it comes to how you run your campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some key options include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Customizable donation fields<\/a><\/li>
- Donation tiers<\/li>
- Multiple campaigns<\/li>
- Donation tipping<\/li>
- Software integration<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s normal to start slow and adjust your process over subsequent campaigns, adding and removing options as needed. However, the more options you have, the more customized your campaigns will be for your unique donor base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"fundraising](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Options-Habitat.jpg\")
A donor for the Pensacola Habitat for Humanity uses donation tiers on her fundraising website.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n 5. Is The Data Accessible?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The data collected during the process of fundraising is yours, and it\u2019s invaluable when it comes time to thank and retain your donors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Information such as a donor\u2019s name, gift amount, address, and email should always be accessible, easily downloaded, and managed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So why is it that some peer-to-peer fundraising software programs hold this information hostage unless you specifically ask for it? Before you commit to a peer-to-peer fundraising software, explore each option\u2019s data collection and management<\/a> practices, and avoid any programs that don\u2019t allow for immediate access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CauseVox gives nonprofits quick access to donor and donation data, helping you improve your retention efforts through better communication and relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"fundraising](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/donor-data.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n6. Where Do I Communicate With Supporters?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Communication fuels fundraising. It\u2019s the stories you and your personal fundraisers share that inspire others to give. So naturally, storytelling features are a must-have in peer-to-peer fundraising software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best peer-to-peer fundraising software programs have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- A place to share your (or your supporter\u2019s) story that is front and center<\/li>
- The ability to add images and video<\/li>
- An impact meter to track campaign progress in real time<\/li>
- A blog feature to keep your audience up to date on what\u2019s happening with the campaign<\/li>
- Social sharing buttons to make sharing these stories easy<\/li>
- Automatic, personalized donation receipts<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
A strong nonprofit-to-donor relationship starts with honest, emotion-inducing communication <\/a>and is made stronger with updates, messages of appreciation, and continued follow-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CauseVox provides multiple ways for you to communicate with supporters, including importing contacts and messaging, a blog feature, email communication, and social sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"fundraising](\"https:\/\/causevox.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Communication.jpg\")
CauseVox gives you and your supporters numerous ways to connect.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n 7. What Support Is Available?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you and your supporters are relatively new to online fundraising, questions about the process are bound to arise. You may wonder about the best practices for setting up a website or need initial assistance navigating the dashboard. Some fundraisers and donors are likely to have questions along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small and medium-sized nonprofits often don\u2019t have the capacity and resources to be on-call to answer these tech-related questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To ensure everyone gets the support they need to ace peer-to-peer fundraising, find a software program that offer person-to-person support.<\/a> Ideally, you want the program to have multiple ways to connect to customer service, including email, in-app messaging, and one-on-one service. A robust resource library and tutorials are important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes time to narrow your search and select a peer-to-peer fundraising software, look for one that meets the requirements outlined in this post. By taking the time to understand your options and find one that fits your nonprofit\u2019s needs, you\u2019re on your way to experiencing a positive peer-to-peer fundraising experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Customizable donation fields<\/a><\/li>