Church Executive MAKE GIVING CLICK: Expert advice for using technol | Page 3

Make giving click
Expert advice for using technology to identify,
engage & cultivate first-time givers
Mark Walker
Former Pastor & Chief
Operating Officer
Generush Giving
Richard Bauer
eGiving Ambassador
GivePlus, a Vanco company
What does a first-time giver look like?
Mark Walker: We shouldn’t base our assumption on whether
people are young or new in the pew; first-time givers look different, in
different churches.
As leaders, we should have our finger on the pulse of our churches. We
need to know who’s new, who serves, and who doesn’t. Who gives and
who doesn’t.
Additionally, this information shouldn’t exist only in one person’s
head. There must be a system in place to detect and celebrate first-time
givers. A digital giving and donor management system gives us the tools
to be in the know, follow up with and engage them.
Jennifer Buckley: First-time givers vary depending on the makeup
of your church or parish. Sometimes, they’re the new faces you see in the
pews — but often, first-time givers are members or parishioners who
either haven’t been able to give in the past or aren’t aware of the different
giving options and needs at your organization. Most churches have a
small percentage of their regular attendees who give regularly (usually
about 10% to 25%), but that small percentage makes up more than half of
the total donations.
churchexecutive.com
Jennifer Buckley
Giving Specialist
ParishSOFT
So, if you want to know what a first-time giver looks like, look at all the
faces in the pews during mass, not just the new ones.
Richard Bauer: There is no "typical" first-time giver.
It’s easy to think that only young members and new members are
first-time givers, but the fact is, many people attend their church for a
considerable amount of time before making a gift.
This is why technology is so important when it comes to improving
giving at your church. Using church management systems and eGiving
tools, you can track who gives, how they give, and when they give.
It also can tell you which members you should approach about making
a first gift.
When a church leader considers ways to engage first-
time givers, technology probably isn’t the first thought.
But why should tech spring to mind in this instance?
Buckley: Historically, the Church has survived through physical
donations from parishioners who attend regularly. The introduction of
technology over the decades has changed the way people manage their
work time, personal time, and spend their money.
M A K E G I V I N G C L I C K • CHURCH EXECUTIVE
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