A Lesson in Trust from Sesame Street
|
This week, I was listening to We Are for Good’s most recent podcast episode with Scott Cameron of Sesame Workshop (we’re BIG TIME Sesame Street lovers in our house, so this was a *moment*). The entire episode is heart-warming gold, but Scott said something that made me rethink everything in my approach to nonprofit marketing: Relationships move at the speed of trust. This thought could go in many different directions, but let’s look at it in terms of how you’re currently conducting your email list – or how you want to be. How are you building trust through your emails? → When a prospect signs up for your newsletters, how are you greeting them? How are your emails demonstrating that you’re reliable, trustworthy, and worthy of their time and/or gifts? They need to feel a sense of belonging – not just within your mission, but within you and your team. → How are you engaging prospects who have been on your list for a while? Are you sending newsletters that follow a cycle of informing, engaging, and inviting? How are you segmenting your audience to ensure you’re saying the right thing at the moment they need to hear it? → When someone donates, how are you thanking them? Research shows that donors want to be thanked 7 times per 1 gift, so what’s the plan to do that with email and beyond? How are you showing them where their money went? Automations can help you here, but remember to incorporate personal touches like phone calls and coffee chats. → How are you asking for their feedback? People LOVE to give their opinion – even better when it’s related to something they’ve already invested time or money in. You don’t have to have the answers to all of these questions today, but I want you to chew on these this week. Pick ONE thing you or your team can put into motion. Trust is the foundation you need to move your mission forward. The goal should be that when your email lands in a supporter’s inbox, they know they can trust you. The results will follow. When your mission is rooted in trust, it shows. I love working with small to mid-size nonprofits because this is often the sweet spot for putting trust-building foundations in place. There’s opportunity – even if all you’re feeling is overwhelm.
|