Why should you build a charity website business case?
Let’s face it, nobody is in a rush to impart with a substantial sum of money, unless it is for a good reason. The Board of your charity organisation will be no exception. When it comes to investing in a piece of software – that you know will support the development of your charity – it is paramount that you are able to outline the reasons why. And a charity website business case is the best method of effectively putting your point across.
As the key stakeholder composing the charity website business case, your role is to provide the Board with all the key information they require to make an informed decision. This means building a strong case, where you identify your charity’s current weakness and pain points, before presenting how a charity website builder can be the solution to these obstacles.
What areas should you identify in your charity website business case?
When conducting your charity website business case, it’s essential that you do your homework and pinpoint the key areas that will resonate with the Board and ultimately strengthen your case. We break this down by encouraging you to ask the following questions about your charity.
How is our charity performing?
Your first step should be to gain a clear insight into how your charity is performing. This will determine the strength your message resonates with your supporters. If your charity isn’t gaining a sufficient nationwide or local community interest, then this would be a strong argument to invest in a website builder that will help to amplify your online presence.
- With this in mind, looking into your analytics is a great starting point, to help you consider the following:
- How many people visit your site every month and what are the trends?
- What devices are people using, and is your site responsive?
- How much money do you raise in online donations?
- What’s your conversion rate? How many people are you losing and where?
How is the current user experience?
Feedback is essential when building a competent business case. If you currently have a charity website builder, you should ask individuals to provide feedback on their user experience. This includes the experience of both your supporters and stakeholders within your charity. Regarding the former, insightful questions to ask could include:
- How long does it take to find specific information?
- Do you feel comfortable making an online donation?
- Is the website simple to navigate around?
- Do you find the website engaging and attractive to look at?
- What is your overall impression of the website?
In relation to your stakeholders across several departments, don’t forget to talk to those responsible for managing your site. The key aspect here is finding out much time they spend on it and how much it costs.
What do we want to gain from the investment?
Next, you need to benchmark against industry and peer standards. This will help you understand how your website compares to others, shine a light on priority developments and set realistic targets. Whether you’re looking to outsource the project or buy a website builder, you can use this information to engage with providers and create a detailed budget (with contingency!).
Split the quote, so that your Board know what they’re buying, and be sure to highlight key project outcomes, such as:
- Increased traffic: raising brand profile and creating opportunity to engage new supporters
- Improved user experience: leading to lower bounce rates and more online donations
- Better handling: a good CMS and integrated charity CRM will save time and provide your team with easy access to powerful data
- Future-proofing: will help your charity respond to emerging digital trends
- Consent management: supports GDPR compliance and puts your donors back in control
Determine the long-term return on investment (ROI)
- Finally, take some time to consider the long-term financial benefits of redeveloping your website, including:
- New money raised through online donations and transactions
- Direct savings through reduced reliance on fee-based third parties
- Staff time and the associated cost-benefit
- Overall return on investment
This is your bottom line. So, get to know your numbers, practice your pitch and prepare supporting documentation. Don’t shy away from the risks. Detail them. Mitigate them. Your Board has the charity’s best interests at heart. If you present a considered business case that offers true value for money, then there is no reason why you can’t emerge from the Den triumphant.
Speak to one of our experts about your charity website business case
Choosing the right charity website and building a supporting business case can feel like a daunting and overwhelming task. But it doesn’t have to be. By following the steps outlined in this online guide, you’ll be able to set the foundations you need to start moving forward and presenting a considered, researched, and rational argument.
Require further support with your charity website business case? No problem. Our expert team is on-hand to answer your questions, and provide the information you require to build a successful case for investment.
