There comes a moment where a potential donor 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 our connected donor, 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”, we may get a second shot. If the second experience is exactly the same as the first, we have lost the battle. If the first experience was just “Okay”, we may not get a second shot.

This is why it is urgent that the design of the first experience should be stunning and that that experience continues consistently across the many mission opportunities.

It is important to note that our competition is not other nonprofits. Our competition for time may be the blockbuster movie that just came out on Netflix. Our competition for the $50 transaction may be the great sushi meal on Friday night or the book from Amazon. How does our digital experience compare to Netflix or Amazon or Facebook? That experience is our competition. It is urgent that we rethink the design (or lack of design) of the experiences our donors have.

Now is the time. Today is the day.