Art – in all its forms – is meant to move us. And it’s meant to be experienced – to create a reaction that is body and soul deep.
Donor experience matters – a lot – to every nonprofit that needs donors. But arts fundraisers have an advantage. Their mission is an experience.
If yours is an arts organization, you have a built-in superpower. Are you using it?
What is “donor experience”?
Just what it sounds like. What is it like to be a donor to your organization?
When you make a gift to an organization, every step along the way is part of the experience.
- How did the organization first catch your attention?
- How easy and pleasurable was it to give?
- How did the thank you make you feel?
- When, and how, were you asked again?
- What else did they do to make you feel involved and important?
This might seem overwhelming. So much to think about! But it’s actually a series of opportunities for you to bond with your donors. Chances to build donor loyalty.
And for arts organizations, this can be your superpower. Why? Because your mission is a fabulous donor experience itself!
Arts donors give because they love the art form. So building their connection means helping them experience it more deeply. One theater executive I worked with encouraged us to “feed their addiction” for great theater. Maybe not the best wording, but it sure got the point across!
How do donors experience your mission?
Begin by considering: what is it that your donors experience? How they feel about your organization will be hugely influenced by how they think you feel about them. You need to show them they matter.
Arts patrons give to support an art form they care about. And they love to experience the art. They buy theater or symphony tickets. They visit your museum. But so do many other people who aren’t donors.
To bring and keep your donors close, you need to consider how you can use your activities and communication to make the experience of being your donor something they value.
How can you make your donors’ experience special?
1. Look for opportunities to underline your gratitude
Leave a thank you on their theater seats or at the door for them.
Go beyond a gift acknowledgment – thank them again. Successful press for your new exhibit? Celebrate with donors. Make sure they know they contributed!
If you don’t have a donor newsletter, create one. Use it to bring donors behind the scenes, not as a promotional opportunity. And be sure to credit them. This isn’t a bragging opportunity!
2. Offer social opportunities tied to your art form
Art is not a solitary experience. It’s at its best when it brings people together. Connecting your donors to each other is a wonderful way to build a network with your organization at the center.
Create giving circles with social benefits. A pre-show talk, a special donor rehearsal, and a dinner with the artist(s) – are activities donors can share.
Educational events based on your current offering can be very interesting. Invite a local professor to speak about an artist and his or her work.
Be as creative as you like – invite donors to take part in a play reading. Or offer a painting lesson so they can better understand the art form. Maybe a dance class?
Not every donor will accept your invitation. But they will all appreciate being included.
3. Invite their feedback
Ask your donors what they would like. Try a donor survey to help you understand what’s important to them. Having that information will also help you encourage artistic staff to let you create some of these opportunities!
Check-in with donors after they’ve attended. Ask for their thoughts. Knowing you care what they think will bring them closer to you.
One elderly woman regularly wrote to our artistic director after every opening. I’m sure his first reaction was along the lines of “Who does she think she is?” But she was quite insightful. And knowing that he read, and sometimes responded to, her thoughts was so important to her. And while she had been generous for years, she became even more generous as she learned we cared about her thoughts. (I miss her!)
You might be surprised about what you learn when you invite donors to share their thoughts. Not just from a critical point of view, but from a very personal one. You’ll gain so much insight into your donors as people.
What about a special donor listening session? Moderated by a member of the staff, or perhaps a local critic, holding a session to hear from your most committed audience members could be both interesting for you and engaging for them. Does that sound a little scary? Consider that art is about taking risks.
Your art is the key to their hearts – use it!
Art aims to be a transformative experience. And that experience is what people are looking for. You change minds and you change lives.
After the pandemic, we’re all streamed out. There’s a need to be with people again. To experience art together.
So while things have been very difficult (thank you, Covid) for arts organizations in the past few years, now is no time to slack. And the difficulties are a great reason to ask for more support.
Giving can also be transformative. If you extend your mission – your art – beyond the performance or exhibit, you create countless opportunities to bring your donors closer. Those experiences are right there for you to use.
One caveat: don’t simply create events and market them. If you want to build relationships, you have to be there and meet your donors.
Take advantage of your donors’ love of your mission. Offer them experiences and treatment that say they matter to you as much as you matter to them.
Excellent points, Mary. Creating superlative donor experiences is just as important to a nonprofit as creating superior customer experiences are to for-profits. In a very real sense, your donors are one of your primary customer segments.
Thanks, Eric. Yes. And though arts organizations have a wealth of built-in opportunities, every organization should be focused on this. There ARE ways to make sure they have consistently good interactions with your organization.