That’s the question nonprofit strategist Mike Bento asks in a two-part series on the importance of meeting prospects and donors where they are, not where you are. It’s a question every group – green or not – should be asking.

Mike’s rant is about relationship building — the perfect follow-up to Tom’s cheeky post of yesterday, raising the issue: Do donors really care?

Mike, former senior vice president with the National Park Foundation, and a veteran of the nonprofit world, is now a consultant for some household names among American charities and associations.

He’s clearly had it with the poor state of engagement skills when it comes to enlisting and involving online activists and then attempting to convert them to donors.

In Part One, Mike equates the fundamental ‘take action’ advocacy strategy of the environmental movement with the clumsy tactics of a creepy suitor.

“Too soon after meeting a romantic prospect the ‘creepy guy’ tries to close the deal. He hasn’t even bought you a drink at the hotel bar, but is already inviting you to his room.”

Mike cites the lack of courtship when it comes to enlisting activists and donors. “Surf on to almost any enviro group’s website and you’re bombarded by ‘TAKE ACTION’ buttons everywhere. Sign this petition. Send this letter to your Member of Congress.  Pledge to only wear clothes made of hemp.”

“You get the idea”, says Mike. “You just wandered in, and they’re trying to close the deal. You barely know them, you’re not sure you trust them, and they’re asking you to sign up for their cause, to surrender your personal information and put your name next to theirs.”

According to Mike, to make matters even worse, “once you’ve taken that first step, you might get a thank you, but most likely you’ll just get a hundred emails asking you to take a very similar step again. If you let them get to first base, they’re just gonna want to stay on first base. Or they’re going to dump your name into the fundraising pile. The nonprofit equivalent of dumping you onto their unattractive friend who can’t get dates on their own.”

Mike urges the sector to take a leaf from the commercial marketers with their “highly refined vision of the customer journey – the path an individual takes, starting with identifying a need, then beginning to research online, asking friends on social media, and then perhaps taking a first step, trying a small bite. After that, if the experience is good, you might buy the item, hopefully become a regular purchaser and perhaps even recommend the product to others.”

I especially call your attention to Part 2 of Mike’s post. The problem of placing false hopes in the ‘perfect message’ with the transformative power to, in Mike’s words, “convert Homer Simpson into Al Gore.”

Here are the key takeaways from Mike’s analysis:

• Conservation advocates are solemn believers in the absolute power of message.

• They spend millions on research and consultants looking for the perfect message.

• Research and consultants are fine per se, but real damage is caused by the false hope that there exists a magic set of words and phrases that will transform the world. Phrases like “Changing your light bulb will save the planet” … ”Save the drowning polar bear” … “Your barbeque grill is safe” … you name it.

• The problem is that the search for a single, perfect message – the perfect pickup line – isn’t just wrong, it’s doubly wrong because it also assumes there’s just one audience.

Mike’s recommendation: “It’s time that conservation advocates moved out of their parents’ basement, learned the value of authentic engagement with their intended, and practice some adult relationship skills.”

I don’t think conservation advocates are the only villains in the “authentic engagement” and “adult relationship skills” department. Do you?

Let’s hear some of your pet peeves.

Roger

P.S. And here’s a recommendation from Mike that’s not only valuable but, if acted upon, will assuage the guilt of the shopaholics among us.

“The best thing the advocates for conservation action could do would be to spend more time shopping online – I recommend Amazon. Notice how they cultivate their customers. Notice how they survey you – Did you like your purchase? Were you satisfied with how it arrived?

“And they don’t just ask you those questions to make you think they care, they actually act on the data to improve their customer experience and to improve their stewardship of you. They are constantly attuned to how they can take friction out of their systems and make it easier for their customer to take the journey.”