Donor experience (DX) or sustainer experience (SX) is quickly growing among nonprofits as an opportunity to help retain donors.
However, nonprofits often focus resources on curating experiences for donors at the very top of their pyramid and forget about bringing that magic to donors at all levels. Of course, it is important to develop tailored experiences to donors at the top tier, but it is just as vital to recognize that even annual donor transactions can be turned into memorable experiences.
It is important not to treat annual or sustaining donors as a commodity. The commodity mindset thinks about simply performing a function instead of viewing it as a chance to deliver an experience. If Walt Disney World simply saw itself as an amusement ride operator, it would be a radically different company. Rather, Disney intentionally designs and curates the time their guests spend with them in great detail.
Think about a stellar customer service experience you have had and often you will find it is something small that elevates the experience. Perhaps when you called in to your insurance provider, the service agent pulled up your record and referenced the past three calls you had made so you didn’t have to explain your situation for the 20th time. Or perhaps the local florist you frequent happens to remember you love tulips, so she takes the time to call you when her first shipment of the season arrives. Disney could easily serve you a regular tomato slice, but instead, they serve you a tomato slice shaped like the famous mouse.
Taking the time to intentionally design the time your donors spend with you is an important yet often overlooked step. Start by pausing to evaluate your current donor experience. Then, work to identify areas of opportunity to elevate the experience, even in small ways. You will likely be unable to implement all the changes at once, so prioritize them and work to continue to elevate as you are able.
Four ways to deepen experience
- Look for inspiration all around. When you have an experience dining out, shopping online, or in a customer service setting, pause and identify what made that experience stand out and how you can translate that to your work. The opposite is also true: What can you learn from a bad experience? What do you wish had been done differently to make that experience positive?
- Start small. Handwriting a personal note to every donor might not be feasible. Instead, randomly pick one donor a day from among your annual donors to thank. Pick up the phone, jot them a note, or send an email simply thanking them for their support. If you pick just one donor a day, think how fast that adds up over the course of a year. And it only takes five minutes. Challenge your teammates to do the same.
- When planning an event, think about adding one small detail to kick it up a notch. Perhaps the event is being held on a hot day. As the attendees leave the comfort of your air conditioning to head outside to their hot car, hand them a cold bottle of water for the drive home.
- Incorporate the five senses to bring an experience to life on a variety of levels. Think about a trip to the movies: You can smell the popcorn, feel the sticky theatre floor, hear the sound from the powerful speakers, see the action on the big screen, and taste the licorice you smuggled in. Combined, these made for a powerful experience. How can you do the same when engaging your donors? A scent machine at an event, using immersive technology, or creating interactive activities instead of a panel of talking heads are all ways to engage donors using a variety of senses.
Dive Deeper and Celebrate Your Wins
Making small enhancements over time can add up to an improved donor experience in the long run. Have you implemented a change you are proud of? I’d love to hear about the wins you have seen. Are you still unsure how to tackle this? Let’s talk through it. Ready to dive deeper into improving your donor retention stats? Send an email my way at aaltamore@bwf.com. I’m eager to pursue the extraordinary with you.
