by Monica Senator
Non-profit organizations can sometimes seem nervous about
asking for feedback. They want to improve, but they also want donors to see the
organization in the most positive light possible. More and more often, however,
it’s the donors – and customers – asking for transparency in feedback.
There
are a few primary reasons organizations are now shedding the old method of
annually asking for a long survey and turning to asking your opinion after each
event or a few times a year:
- Social donors want to see their impact before they will give again. Social Donors support different causes and organizations by participating in event, sponsor, and / or occasion / challenge donations. Most social donors hear about donation opportunities through word of mouth and social media (46%), and only 26% hear from the nonprofit. When potential donors finally hear about a donation opportunity, their top motives are to learn about the nonprofit’s mission, impact, and ease. If the donor already has a donation opportunity, the top three reasons that they donate are the following: it was easy to do (64%), they cared about the mission (60%), and they believed that their money would make a difference (59%). Most social donations average of $197.90, which can add up quickly for small and medium organizations.
- Demographics help refine programs and lend credibility. Some data that is significant for nonprofits to understand and gather is demographics for both donors and for customers. According to Edge Research, Females tend to donate more than men, which should make them a prime target for development teams. Millennials and people with an income of 50K-100K also donate more, which shows the impact of how social media can persuade and inform donors.
- Operations and finance data is crucial in budgeting and long-term decisions. Impact data – how donor money is used in the community – is important to generate and report. In doing so, potential donors feel more attracted because they get a sense of trust and credibility. This type of data will not only motivate your potential donors, but the team that is working within the organization. The opposite is also true: organizations need to collect data on what is not working as well. If a nonprofit does this, they are better able to test hypotheses and change what isn’t working, building additional trust in the community.
- Feedback loops ensure the customer is being heard, making them feel included. The National Council of Nonprofits suggests to use either a suggestion box, or feedback loops in order to improve and diagnose what kind of changes need to be made. According to the Harvard Business Review, a survey found that 88% of 1986 organizations polled reported gathering feedback was one of their top priorities in measuring impact. Listen for Good, an internal survey tool, reported that companies that use their tool have customers that feel more included because their voices are being heard and they see changes within the company, as well as helping current staffers do their job better. In making customers lives easier, it’ll keep them coming back, and keep them pleased.
Your
favorite organization – or one you would like to see improve – is becoming more
inclined to tailor programs to meet the needs of the community. It makes
economic and operational sense to them, and it balances the slight risk of one
errant negative review against the positive gains of demonstrating impactful
programming. Secure, anonymous feedback (like on www.pathfinder.vet) can do a world of good
for the community.
So
the next time an organization asks for quick feedback, hopefully on a
transparent and anonymous forum, take a moment and share your thoughts. And if
you are part of the organization, be sure and ask for feedback often so you can
use it as a key part of your engagement and fundraising. The voice of the
customer matters in more ways than one.