Nonprofits Need to Embrace Email Channel
I got a call this week from a charitable organization. Their cause sounded very, very worthy.
But this is what happened. I asked them: If I made a donation, would they email me a receipt? I made it clear that that would be the only way I would contribute. I have had the experience in the past, where if you donate, the organization will email you a receipt.
Well, the rep tentatively said, “Y-y-y-e-es.” Then, we got about two steps deeper into the donation funnel, and he suddenly had to ask his supervisor a question. Gee, I wonder what that question is, I asked myself.
Sure enough, when he got back on the line, he told me they could not email receipts. I said, “That’s too bad. You guys need to get your ducks in a row in that regard. Sorry.”
Sound harsh? If it does, it’s really not as harsh as it seems. I’ve learned this year that once you make two or three charitable donations (even small ones) in the course of a few months, all of the sudden, everyone, and I mean everyone, is calling you. Most people are not going to donate to everyone. Who can afford that?
Hence, if you are in the competitive nonprofit niche, take note. There are donors like me out there who are getting inundated with calls and who are also just sick of paper. Paper is hard to keep track of and seems unnecessary to the growing number of us who bank, pay bills and do almost all of our business online these days.
And it’s more about being sane than Green, folks. It’s so much easier in this hectic world to document things digitally. Nonprofits who are not considering this changing aspect of the world need to start.
The race for dollars is as crowded as it’s ever been. Don’t fall behind the pack.
Categories: Channel Marketing, Consumer Marketing, Email Marketing, Marketing, Non Profit Fundraising Channel Marketing, Email, Marketing, Nonprofits
