There comes a moment where a potential constituent makes a
decision to engage. They may be just “testing the waters” so to speak. In the
digital world, we can see this happen in real time or near real time. Unfortunately
for many nonprofits, this is seen in a linear and transactional way. Please be
aware that to your connected constituent, this is not a transaction. In being
intentional about our design leads to a journey, we can get ahead of the experience to make sure
this first encounter leads to a continued journey.
If the first experience was “Okay”, you may get a second
shot. If the second experience is exactly the same as the first, you have lost the
battle. If the first experience was just “Okay”, you may not get a second shot.
This is why it is urgent that the design of the first experience to be stunning
and that that experience continues consistently across the many mission
opportunities.
It is important to note that your competition is not other
nonprofits. Your competition for volunteer time may be the blockbuster movie
that just came out on Netflix. Your competition for the $50 donation may be the
great sushi meal on Friday night or the book from Amazon. How does your digital
experience compare to Netflix or Amazon or Foursquare or Facebook? That
experience is your competition. It is urgent that you rethink the design (or lack
of design) of the experiences your constituents have.
Now is the
time. Today is the day.
