For fundraisers, finding innovative ways to secure donations is critical to sustaining and growing the impact of their work. One fundraising avenue that’s been gaining momentum is promoting online will writing platforms to support legacy giving. But as with any tool, fundraisers must evaluate its potential benefits and drawbacks. Is investing time and resources into online will writing platforms worth it for your charity? Let’s explore.
What Are Online Will Writing Platforms?
Online will writing platforms provide individuals with a digital solution to create their wills. These platforms make the process of writing a will more accessible, affordable, and straightforward compared to traditional methods involving legal professionals.
Typically, potential users complete a step-by-step questionnaire that asks for details about their assets and how they wish to distribute them. Some leading platforms integrate options for legacy giving, allowing individuals to allocate part of their estate to a charity of their choice. From a fundraiser’s perspective, this opens up unique opportunities to secure gifts for the future.
The Advantages for Charities
1. Expanding Legacy Giving Opportunities
Online will writing platforms lower barriers to entry for individuals who might never have considered writing a will. By partnering with these platforms, charities can position themselves as legacy-giving options in their supporters’ minds.
Statistically speaking:
- Over 60% of Americans do not have a will.
- Yet, of those who do, many express interest in including charities when prompted.
By engaging with an online will service, charities can tap into an untapped demographic, inspiring donors to create wills and include your organization in their plans.
2. Accessibility and Convenience for Donors
Supporters who might feel overwhelmed by traditional estate planning processes are far more likely to consider online will writing platforms due to their simplicity and low cost. Most services are mobile-friendly, enabling users to write wills from the comfort of their homes.
Offering your audience the option to use online will tools not only adds value for them but also positions your charity as forward-thinking and supportive.
3. Cost-Effective Legacy Promotions
Traditional legacy campaigns tend to be resource-intensive, requiring a significant investment in face-to-face legacy events or campaigns run in collaboration with costly legal services. Online platforms offer a scalable solution that’s digital-first, making it easier to target wider audiences while controlling costs.
The Challenges for Charities
1. Donor Conversion Rates
While online will platforms bring in new audiences, not every user will leave a charitable gift. Fundraisers must consider how much effort it might take to connect with platform users and lead them to designate your charity as a beneficiary.
Conversion rates often hinge on how well charities market the initiative before the user selects the platform. Compelling messaging and targeted promotions are key elements necessary to close the gap.
2. Platform Vetting & Alignment
Not all online will writing platforms are created equally, and fundraisers need to ensure the right fit. Look for platforms that:
- Prioritize data privacy.
- Offer full transparency about their fees and how they share donor data.
- Feature clear legacy-giving prompts during the will-writing process.
Some platforms might only allow charities to be included as a one-time option unless integrated directly into their services, creating a potential obstacle.
3. Maintaining Relationships with Legacy Donors
Legacy giving is inherently relationship-driven. When a charity supports in-person estate planning, it creates opportunities to deepen ties with potential legacy donors through direct, trusted conversations. With online will writing services, these touch points are limited. There’s a risk of becoming reliant on third-party tools without maintaining that relational engagement directly.
How to Make Online Will Platforms Work for Your Charity
For those fundraisers curious about online will writing partnerships but unsure how to proceed, here are key strategies to maximize opportunities:
Educate Your Donors
Make a strong case for the importance of legacy giving. Use email campaigns, social media, and your website to explain how legacy giving enables sustainable change. Provide examples of impactful donations estate gifts have provided.
Choose the Right Platform
Thoroughly research and vet online will services before recommending them to your donors. Consider platforms that offer strong reporting functions and seamlessly incorporate charitable giving within their user experiences.
Stay Engaged with Supporters
While the platform handles the transactional aspect of will writing, ensure your charity is still fostering relationships with legacy donors. Send follow-up thank-yous, legacy newsletters, and updates on how their future gift will help.
Test the Waters
If you’re new to online will platforms, consider starting small. Pilot the tool with a limited marketing campaign to gauge donor response before committing additional resources.
Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?
The answer will depend on your charity’s goals, resources, and capacity to foster relationships through a digital-first solution. When implemented thoughtfully, online will writing platforms can be a game-changer for increasing legacy gifts and making the will-writing process less intimidating for your supporters. If you’re unsure where to begin, consider consulting with industry professionals.