2017 #GivingTuesday Secret Shopper Review

It's giving season again! For the 5th consecutive year, I spent Giving Tuesday in generosity, giving to organizations near and far. I wish I had better news for the nonprofit community after giving 47 gifts on Tuesday, but I'm afraid I'm a bit of a broken record. The donor experience matters, from the FIRST CLICK! But many nonprofits are still ignoring the experience for online donors. Here is the spreadsheet of this year's giving and their reviews. Out of 30 gifts documented on the spreadsheet only 9 of them allowed me to share my gift on social media- really? And two of them asked me to share my gift but when I did the share button was not even configured!

#FAIL.

Other details were also overlooked that affect the donor experience-the response emails were underwhelming at best from many nonprofits here are some of those:

And some had some weird form requirements and suggestions-

Also- the WORST, one organization after I had given for the first time that morning, emailed me two more times that day to ask me for additional gifts, and one organization demanded a $10 minimum donation. SIGH

But let's focus on the positive, the two organizations that did the best Tuesday were The Halo Trust and FIT- check out some of their images

Here are some other highlights- from giving amounts that tie to common sense support to wonderful thank yous!!

You see there are folks out there who get it! Folks who break free from the shackles of convention and boring confirmations that are organization centered and understand that giving is an experience, not just a transaction! We have a ways to go but we can get there together! Take one of these ideas and take a look at your online giving experience for your donors and fix it today before the year end avalanche begins!

Where did you give? What was your experience? How have you changed? I would love to hear it!

Cheers,

Lynne