Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Is constituent experience an art or science?

Is constituent experience an art or science? It is part art and part science and a whole lot of social science. It is more social science than technology. In understanding how constituents connect with you mission, it helps to understand a little about psychology, sociology, and anthropology. It is all about experience. Understanding “why” an experience wasn’t enjoyable is important. Falling into the trap that it is all about “likes” on social media can be misleading. It doesn’t matter how many like you if the other experiences aren’t enjoyable, simple and meet what the constituent needs.

The digital experience is about people. It is about how they feel about all their interactions with us. They may have just attended an amazing event and had a lot of fun. They enjoyed it. When they went to your website afterward to find out how the event did, they could find what they wanted. Then, no one bothered to thank them. Then a few days after the event, they got an email asking them to give clearly indicating you don’t know them. What is their overall experience with you? Both digital and real world experiences add up to answer that question. Focusing on what people said to you on the way out the door of the event can give a false impression.

A totally branded constituent experience will come down to the role you play in listening, engaging, and meeting the needs (translate deliver value) before, during and after a transaction. That is precisely why the habit of direct mail applied to the connected constituent is so dangerous.

Being thoughtful and intentional about unifying the constituent experience ensures we are listening and connecting. The kind of content we create or curate needs to be engaging and consistent with our brand promise. Do we understand the psychology of why a constituent experience was inconsistent with a constituent expectation and hence unenjoyable?

2 comments:

  1. Ok got it......buuut

    ....what if one of our constituents loves everything about our nonprofit but is sharing it in conversations with others who do not have the same interests or cares? Meaning, not everyone of peoples "friends" on facebook have the same interests and or maybe the constituent is sharing your nonprofit at work with others at lunch who do not share the same interests or cares?

    How do you tailor the experience? All i can think of is to stick to the facts of what your nonprofit organization does and target your desired constituents????

    Am i way off??

    ***Let me please repeat this here again...and i must preface this with.....this reality is very difficult for me as a person, but i have no choice. That reality is we are in this nonprofit business only to please Jesus Christ and His Father. I take that part very seriously and literally and many times i feel it hurts our success as an earthly company. It can be very frustrating when trying to please constituents.

    Does that make any sense??

    BTW, actually the nonprofit part was an after thought and a huge push by a major donor of ours.

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  2. Sorry, i must add....after i sent the previous comment i was thinking about this constituents experience (mine that is) right now as i go over your Manifesto. Yes, i understand i am a constituent of yours. Gladly.

    - I thought why am i going through all this and suffering through the headache it is giving me right now as i have been at it for quite a while today staring at this dang computer and the thoughts and info it is giving me is making my head spin. :-))! **My answer to myself was because i care about the person who wrote the manifesto and his "journey."
    - Because i am obligated through our friendship, obligated in a meaningful way. Because i "have to"( 2 words i use alot) because it is the right thing to do and because it is the type of person i am.
    - Because i said i would
    - Because Jesus has been pushing me too.
    - Because before this we had gotten to know each other although virtually over time.
    - Because i cannot simply click and run. I must, i have a moral obligation to participate. An obligation i gladly accept. Obligations are a good thing i believe.

    - Because as i go through this little exercise you have so cleverly created (!!!!!) i see it is not only you that is getting feedback on your manifesto, it is i who is getting a fantastic exercise of my nonprofit leadership brain also.

    Is it a "Stunning Experience" for this constituent of yours, for me??? Yes, Yes indeed.

    Thank you,

    :-))!

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