The Importance of Follow-up and Feedback
A follow-up is another way of touching base with those who have supported your nonprofit. It could be to those who support your cause with a monetary donation or those who volunteer and help in the trenches.
Just as important as following up before and after events is feedback. Some organizations go by the saying, "if it isn't broken, don't fix it." That mindset could absolutely cripple a nonprofit.
Feedback lets you know if you are heading in the right direction. It also tells you what works and what doesn't, so you won't have to guess what might be broken. Your nonprofit won't know until it is too late unless you ask for feedback from those who participated in your events.
What Is A Follow-up?
It may seem like a simple step to take or one that should be automatic for your nonprofit, but following up with registrants and attendees can get pushed on the back burner.
Holding an event is time-consuming when it comes to preparation and execution. There are one hundred and one things to remember. Changes are constant, and the unforeseen is lurking over the horizon.
A follow-up with registrants may seem like a premature or even unnecessary task when there are so many other critical and essential duties to perform. But following up is not only necessary, it should also be considered imperative to the success of the event.
There are several definitions of "follow-up" in the dictionary. It is defined as "pursuing or investigating something." It is also defined as the "maintenance of contact with or reexamination of a person."
That maintenance of contact with your donor before and after an event is the all-important glue that will hold the event together. If you don't have registrants and attendees, you will not have an event, and donations for your cause will not be forthcoming.
What Is Feedback?
Everyone has their point of view, which can differ significantly depending on their personal experience.
When you are at the helm, you know what direction you are steering the ship in, why you are going that route, and the modifications you need in your calculations to reach port safely.
But the passengers on your nonprofit ship will not be privy to the same information. They will have their own unique point of view as a passenger. Their feedback will give you valuable insight into how smooth the sailing of your event was.
Remember that when you get answers, you will be getting that person's perception of the experience. They will not know the rough patches you had to navigate, only the outcome of your efforts.
While some feedback may sound like criticism, it will help you understand what worked and what did not from a donor's point of view. Using that information will help your nonprofit make adjustments and use what works to make your next event a success.
The Importance Of Follow-up
According to CallHub, over half, 53% of donors, leave a nonprofit because of a lack of communication.
Another common reason that donors stop giving to a nonprofit is that they think that the charity does not need them. That is a scary thought since that is almost certainly not the case.
So how do donors come to feel that way? There are two leading causes for this incorrect assumption. The first is that the donor did not receive a thank you for their donation. The second cause is that the donor received no information about how the event went and how their money was used to make a difference.
It may seem like a small thing, but failing to follow up with a thank you after receiving a donation can be a huge strike against your organization. Nonprofits depend on relationships with like-minded people to continue their good work.
People in general, and donors, in particular, are very aware when a relationship is decidedly one-sided. All take and no give is an unprofessional, amateur move, and donors will feel the lack of appreciation and lack of gratitude when their contributions are not acknowledged.
In reality, a simple thank you is not a simple thing at all. When their efforts are acknowledged with a thank you, people take it to heart.
Showing gratitude with a follow-up thank you, no matter the size of the donation, will demonstrate that your organization is interested in its donors, not just their money.
The Importance Of Feedback
Once you have followed up with your donors and supporters and expressed your gratitude for their support, it is the ideal time to solicit feedback. The object of feedback is to gather information for your next event or campaign.
When supporters know that your nonprofit is serious about learning what works and is willing to correct mistakes, they will be glad to give their honest opinion.
When you use an online event management and fundraising platform, like FundEasy, you will be able to get specific data from those sources. That information will be essential to pair with feedback from donors.
Make your feedback survey short and to the point. You will succeed in getting answers to your questions when it doesn't take supporters half an hour to fill out a survey. Tailor the questions to things that will help your nonprofit know if they are on target.
Here are some sample questions that you might include in a feedback survey.
How did you hear about our organization?
How often have you participated in one of our events or campaigns?
Did you receive information on the specific use of your gift?
What area of our cause is the most important to you?
What type of opportunities would encourage you to be more involved in our organization?
While these open-ended questions will require more thought and time, they are also the most valuable in gaining information that helps you tailor your campaigns.
Final Thoughts
When your nonprofit follows up and thanks its donors for their contribution, no matter the size, this action helps to ensure that your organization will receive donations in the future. Feedback will help your nonprofit to make changes and adjustments to ensure continued success.
When you have a relationship with your supporters, and they know that you appreciate and value them because you have expressed gratitude on a personal basis, the more likely it is that those donors will continue to give to your worthy cause.
If you'd like to learn more about our Attendance, Peer-to-Peer, or Crowdfunding Products, please reach out! We'd love to chat.
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Crystal Hoag
This article was inspired by our customers and written to encourage your fundraising efforts. Although we work with nonprofits and events daily, our team members are not Event Consultants. We encourage you to consult with your event consultant, executive team, and/or affiliate organization before making any major changes to your events.
