Are You Giving Your Donors a Bumpy Ride?

Create a Smooth Experience Instead

Building a strong base of donors is key to the health of every nonprofit. Wouldn’t you agree?

Think of your donors like rock stars—and then treat them that way! In this increasingly sophisticated and competitive philanthropic world, no detail is too small when enhancing your donor’s experience. From staff meetings to online giving, consider each and every interaction to ensure they have a smooth and pleasant experience.

It’s gut check time. 

Use these questions as a guide to create a seamless and enjoyable experience for your donors:

• How engaged are you with your donors? (Be honest!) Do you take the time to get to know them by name, or are they just a random person in your database?
• Are you available and accessible? When you talk with prospects about their giving plans, do you make a special trip to their turf or do you wait until they are visiting your facility and grab them in the hallway after a meeting?
• Are the data presented in your annual reports, newsletters, and brochures inviting and straightforward, or do they require a PhD to understand?
• Do your donor recognition events leave people inspired to give—or to make a hasty and uncomfortable dash for the door?
• Are your direct mail, electronic, and social media solicitations telling compelling stories, or are they filled with numbers, graphs, and data?
• Is your online giving site easy and intuitive, or is it clunky and frustrating?
• Can your technology facilitate automatic monthly (or quarterly) credit card or debit card gifts online?
• Is your organization prompt with gift acknowledgements, or is it something you’ll “get to when you have the time?”

Try to see yourself from their perspective, and think about all the little ways you can show you respect them, their talents, and their time—not just their wallets. That’s a lot of attention to detail, but it does pay off. The benefit? An easy and enjoyable process for your donors and more gifts for your hospital!