17 systems to design a delightful donor experience

It’s easier and (much) cheaper to retain your existing donors than it is to go out and find new donors.

And yet, more effort and budget is usually allocated to recruiting new donors than to keeping the donors who are already contributing.

There is a better way.

Being intentional in your approach to engaging with and caring for your existing donors has only up sides:

1. Your donors will feel appreciated and acknowledged.
2. Your donors are more likely to feel engaged.
3. Your donors are more likely to give more.
4. Your donors are more likely to support the cause for a longer period.
5. Your donors are more likely to promote the cause to their friends.
6. You will be able to spend less money on donor recruitment (and contribute more money to the cause).

Donor Delight Checklist

Delighting donors doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens when the key moments of a donor’s experience with your organisation are mapped out and carefully designed.

This checklist will help you identify gaps and design an experience that will delight your donors and deliver for your cause.

1. Thanking people when they make their first donation. 🙏
2. Thanking people when they start a recurring donation. 🙏
3. Thanking people when they increase their recurring donation. 🙏
4. Thanking donors who promote the cause (e.g. on social media). 🙏
5. Checking in with people when they reduce their recurring donation. 📞
6. Checking in with people when they cancel their recurring donation. 📞
7. Expressing gratitude to people after they have cancelled their recurring donation. 🙏
8. Listening and responding to donors when they post a review or mention on social media. 👂
9. Recognising the contributions of donors at key milestones (e.g. 12 months, 5 years). 🎉
10. Responding to the questions donors ask and providing a consistent experience across different channels (phone, email, social media, live chat). 💬
11. Discovering the communication preferences of donors (how often, what channels). 📆
12. Delivering donor communication according to their preferences. 📮
13. Discovering the motivations of donors (why they give). 📍
14. Personalising donor communications according to donor motivations and interests. 🥷
15. Regularly seeking donor feedback about their experience and satisfaction. 📊
16. Actioning the feedback that donors provide. ✅
17. Looping back to share with donors how their feedback has been actioned. 👍

Which of these systems does your non-profit need in order to retain more of your existing donors in 2022?