Giving online could be such a wonderful experience, far more rich and personal than writing a check and putting it in the mail.
But it's not going to be nice at all unless we make it so.
Here's a very useful post at the Humanising Technology blog that takes a hard look at the thanking part of online giving: Why thanking donors online is powerful.
Here are some tips for a good thank-you page -- that is, the page a donor sees immediately after she has completed an online giving transaction:
- Say "thank you"
- Make it personal
- Show them the difference their donation will make
- Provide concrete ways to spread the word
- Provide clear next steps for engaging further
- Provide contact details
This post is very long and detailed, and if you have anything to do with online giving, you really need to read it.
Thanks to About Nonprofit Charitable Orgs for the tip.