Sweating The Details
Thanks to Marketing Profs for pointing us to this in-flight safety video from Virgin America.
MPs' point is: if the airline is so attentive to pleasing its customers that it went to the trouble of making more bearable the conventional safety video none of us watch, think how careful they must be about improving the rest of the flying experience.
Good point.
(And by the way, Virgin America deftly underscores this attitude with its tagline … “creating an airline people love”)
Do you apply this principle to the operations of your nonprofit?
Think about the simplest procedures and practices that create an impression about your organization …
- How does your receptionist answer the phone? (And what about the rest of your staff?! If you have an in-bound 800# or service, what impression does it leave?)
- Do you acknowledge donations promptly and with anything resembling sincerity?
- Do you follow-up promptly on administrative requests, like “do not call” and address changes?
- Are your basic public documents well-proofed and graphically appealing?
If your handling of the basics doesn't create a positive impression, why should anyone think you do the heavy lifting well?
Richard Branson, as much as you don't need one, you deserve a raise!
Tom
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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