Do your donors think you're indifferent?
Want to know the quickest way to get rid of donors? Here's a hint from the CustomersAreAlways blog in The One Thing That Scares Customers Away. The post cites a study on the reasons customers stopped doing business with a given company. They were:
- Death - 1%
- A move or relocation - 2%
- A relationship with a salesperson - 4%
- Price and other relevant costs - 11%
- Dissatisfaction with the product - 14%
- Attitude of indifference from someone representing the company - 68%
Perceived indifference is by far the most common reason customers give up on a company. It sends customers away nearly five times more often than dissatisfaction with a product.
It's important to note here that indifference only be perceived. People cannot know other people's motives; they can only deduce them from the actions they see. So you can care passionately and still be perceived as indifferent.
Nonprofits don't usually have intense face-to-face interactions with donors. But there's a critical point in the donor relationship where they can easily appear indifference: That point is what happens immediately after a donor gives. It can play out in these ways:
- Late (or non-existent) receipt.
- Thank you letters that are more intent on educating the donor than thanking her.
- Lack of (or just lackluster) reporting back on the impact of the donor's giving.
These things signal indifference; they're the charity equivalent of the airline gate agent who shrugs off the fact that you aren't getting home tonight.
The donor took a risk (she doesn't know for sure that you're legitimate), grasped your issue, caught your passion, and made a sacrifice to send you a gift. Did you acknowledge that -- or did you shrug and say "eh"?
Technorati Tags: fundraising, philanthropy
Hi Jeff!
Being perceived as indifferent is by far the worst thing you can do - especially in the non-profit sector where every little bit counts!
Thanks for the mention here ;)
Posted by: Maria Palma | 18 May 2007 at 16:58