Psychology of Securing Lasting Nonprofit Donor Commitments
Failure to deliver on your promise. This is the cardinal sin in branding.
I promised this blog would not just be about philanthropy, but sometimes also about phasion and fun. So… I am following through. Plus I am PROMISING that if you subscribe to the Clairification email list, and add a comment to this blog post, you have an excellent chance of winning a FREE, out-of-stock, limited edition black/white designer t-shirt. (See rules below). If it doesn’t fit you, you can make a tidy profit on eBay. Ziggety-zaggety!
Which brings me to Missoni; specifically, ‘Missoni for Target’. On September 14th, like thousands of other shoppers, I got up early
in the morning and drove myself down to the nearest Target to be one of the first to snatch up some pieces from the ‘Missoni for Target’ line. I got there 20 minutes after they opened… there was nothing left! I was thinking, seriously? After spending a small fortune on a truly buzz worthy launch (promising merchandise would be available at Target for more than a month!), you’re not going to stock enough to make your customers happy for even a day? I went home and tried to get online. The site crashed. I tried again. And again. They say victory belongs to the persevering, and ten minutes later… Victory! Yet it was short-lived. They were sold out of almost everything, yet I managed to order a few things. Okay, I’ll forgive. But wait, there’s more. A few days later I received email telling me they were out of stock on what I had ordered. What the #&%*?!? I had the ‘opportunity’ to re-order if I wanted to wait a month or so to receive my merchandise. With the hype still buzzing in my ears, I seized the opportunity. But a few days after that I received another email telling me the items would be delayed even further; in fact, they might not be available at all! I was given another ‘opportunity’. Long story short, I received one top (out of the three items I’d ordered). Several days later I received the same top (it seems I’d seized my opportunity one too many times). I never heard a word about the other two pieces.… Not everyone found this amusing. Can you spell F I A S C O? Said industry expert:
Unfortunately, many Target customers are complaining that Target has alienated and neglected its core consumer base by its ineffective Web site and false promises of an abundance of items available.
If you don’t deliver, it doesn’t matter what else you do. Kim Kardashian had more p.r. than a barrel of monkeys, a smashing much-photographed, recorded and talked-about wedding, but she couldn’t keep her promise. Do you think Kris (soon-to-be-ex after 72 days of wedded bliss) is still singing her praises because she had a good ad campaign? In fact, Kim herself is a brand, and her fans feel they were duped. One reporter notes:
Even if everything about this affair is on the level, there remains a stench that might cloud Kardashian’s future.
Similarly, in the public benefit sector we often forget about what our public gets out of their relationship with us. It should be a value-for-value exchange. We ask them to give us something of value, time, talent, treasure; in return we give them something of value. That’s what we promise to them. What they value has as many variations as the tides; the closer we are able to hone in on what each individual aspires to get out of affiliating with us, the more we will succeed.
- With Target, I wanted a Missoni product for less than what Missoni charges. I didn’t get it (well, I did get the tops… but they promised unlimited choice of clothing, accessories, linens, furnishings, etc.). What I did not want was the opportunity to pay double to triple the retail cost on eBay.
- If I give to fight AIDS, I want assurance my money went directly to this. I don’t want to just sign a check; then never hear back from the organization about how my investment was used to make a demonstrable impact. I don’t want 35% to go to overhead. I don’t care about your advocacy efforts. I just want to feed people.
- If I invest in helping at-risk children, I don’t want to get a newsletter telling me about all the money raised for at-risk seniors. That’s not what you promised me you were going to do with my gift. It’s noble, of course, but it’s not the brand with which I connected.
Have you ever succeeded in making a potential constituent want what you’re offering, but then failed to follow through?
- Ever hosted an event, had a nice turn-out, and then not closed the loop to ask the attendees to become further involved or invested?
- Ever sent out a mailing, solicited people to contact you if they were interested in more information, and then just sent them a brochure rather than giving them a personal call?
- Ever tantalized a donor with a tour, and then not followed up with an ask? From personal experience, these folks don’t feel ‘lucky’ at this point. They wouldn’t have come on the tour if they didn’t want to be persuaded to become more involved. When you don’t follow through, you deny them this opportunity – plus you really confuse them. Wasn’t the tour a promise of good things to come?
Sadly, too many of us are like Missoni and Kim Kardashian. We break our promises. What a shame. What a waste.
P.S. I just searched for ‘Missoni for Target’ on eBay and found 10,924 items listed – all above retail price. It’s all over Amazon too, also over-priced. If you search on Target’s website you get an “Internal Server Error” message. Wow! Talk about allowing your brand to get hijacked.
RULES: For the price of (1) joining my email list (if you’ve not done so already) and (2) adding a comment to this blog post you can get a cool zig zag top for free! Isn’t marketing awesome? Everyone who comments will be entered in a random drawing for the shirt that caused a pheeding phrenzy. I will email you if you win and arrange to mail you your prize. It’s as simple as that! (It’s a size S/M; if you don’t know anyone it fits, just get creative — use in a raffle, auction it off or sell it online!). I’m just seeking readership to encourage me to continue blogging. So SHARE with friends please. Once I have 50 new comments the t-shirt drawing will be held! If you’re reading this via email, just click on the title to be taken directly to the blog. From there, you can leave a comment at the bottom of the post. Thanks for playing!
15 Comments
Well, I guess i'll be first! I love your writing, Claire, and I think you should stick with it. Your audience will build. What you have to say is important! All Development Directors should be reading your blog!
Great Blog, Claire! You are dishing out some real insight & wisdom 🙂
Jenne
Great Post Claire! As an avid Kardashian fan, I have to admit I was a bit bummed by the news. I had no idea that the Missoni fiasco went down that insanely! I'm loving that this post crosses over into the personal. Can't wait to read more.
A delightful read, Claire. You have the experience, the wit and the voice. I look forward to much more. — Marilyn
Fun blog Claire! You obviously were Targeted and went for it wholeheartedly. At least you got a couple of shirts, and now that I've been e-clairified, I will try to avoid running there for my shirts.
You always have a gem to share. Enjoying reading so far…know any donors willing to pay for overhead? Send them my way.
who knew about Missoni at Target??? looks like you are getting alot of positive feedback on your blog, Claire; well-deserved of course and I admire your focus to blog away.
Please no need to enter me in the tee shirt raffle; don't need another tee; let alone one with stripes! xxx, ds
Thanks for the comment. I'll look forward to following your blog as well!
I love Target and am disappointed to hear this saga. Bit if anyone can take them on, it is YOU Claire! Keep on bloggin'
Alice
I love the reminder to close the loop after events, tours, etc. It is easy to get caught up in the moment and not make a clear ask. I am enjoying the breadth of topics you are covering.
Thanks Sally. Not only is it easy to get caught up in the moment, but it's also sometimes uncomfortable to ask. We feel embarrassed, or like we're going to disturb the 'purity' of the event or tour. What we forget is that the encounter was never pure in the first place. Most donors know why they are coming to a meeting with us, and they expect some follow up from us. If we don't follow up, they can even think we deemed them unworthy in some way. Do let me know which other topics are of interest!
I like your post–those that link current events to the point you're trying to make are among those I most enjoy (and the sort I predominantly write).
One common element in many of the best blogs I read is the 'close'–the 'so next time you…' sort of summary advice that leaves the reader with the takeaway instruction–might be worth playing around with next time?
I am enjoying reading your posts, started with this one and have begun reading through your "archives." So much to learn about the world of philanthropy professionals and how it ties into other aspects of current events.
Great food for thought. Over-promising is such a bad idea. I felt cheated when I heard about KK's imanent divorce … and I wasn't even interested in her wedding. I can't help but wonder who's going to get custody of her rock. I bet he feels cheated too. Too bad about Target. Enjoy the T-shirt you're keeping.
Claire, I finally remembered to come look at your blog. It's wonderful; thanks for the great insights and fresh commentary! Look forward to more,
Tara