Crisis Strikes
Hopefully most nonprofits will never face the sort of devastating public confidence breakdown that JetBlue has recently suffered in the commercial world.
Still, **** happens.
Someone up in the executive suite, down in accounting, or out in the field embezzles some money (e.g., the Red Cross). The media claims, fairly or otherwise, that services are not being delivered or funds are not being spent in the manner promised to donors and the public (e.g., Habitat for Humanity). Or internal dissension within an organization boils over into public view (e.g., ACLU).
How does an organization respond?
In our view …
1. With alacrity
2. From the top leadership
3. With humble firmness, not aggressiveness or defensiveness
4. With total candor and transparency
5. With all communications channels through which your constituency engages your organization.
6. With redress, not just words
And if the breakdown, mis-step or grievance is for real …
4. With explicit, decisive corrective measures
5. With genuine apology (and, where relevant, generous compensation).
Note that we don't use the term “crisis communications” … this term implies that an organization can “talk” or “explain” its way out of trouble. How you communicate can indeed be crucial to successful crisis management. But truly resolving the crisis requires facing up to and addressing the underlying problem that underlies the crisis. No amount of talk can remedy a failure to act. But the wrong kind of talk can certainly compound the injury.
Here is a potpourri of articles with advice on crisis management. All this free advice was offered specifically to JetBlue, but the principles are universally applicable.
Jet Blues – How NOT to Do Crisis Communications, from Nancy Schwartz at Getting Attention
Ten Steps to Recovery for 'Jet Black and Blue', from Jeanne Bliss of CustomerBLISS
Jet Blue's Blues, from Elaine Fogel of Solutions Marketing & Consulting
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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