Web Exclusive: How to Survive Donor Complaints

If you were an evil person (which, of course, you aren’t), and you wanted to do serious harm to a nonprofit organization (which, of course, you don’t), here’s an easy way: Find out about its most successful fundraising effort, and complain about it. To really make it work, recruit a few friends to complain about the same thing. Just a handful will do the trick.

Your complaints could set off a flurry of self-destructive activity: campaigns gutted of their motivational power, media buys slashed, lawyers called in to turn clear communications into other-worldly jargon. Fundraising campaigns that motivated thousands of people to give could be scrapped — because a few people complained. I’ve seen it happen!

But why do complaints have so much power? It stems from the nagging fear that the complainers might be right.

Needed: organizational self-confidence
Any nonprofit worth its salt examines its marketing efforts all the time. That’s how it knows what works and what doesn’t. If it’s doing something ineffective, it finds out makes the necessary changes.

If you’re on top of what you do, all you need when dealing with complainers is the truth:

• Our mail schedule is not a waste of money.

• Our communications are effective at getting support.

• The things we say literally are true.

Front-line people who handle the complaints often aren’t equipped with this information. That puts them in the awkward position of being unable to answer with the truth. This is easier said than done, but everyone in the organization — especially those who talk to donors — should understand and believe in what you do, including your marketing and fundraising.

A well-run fundraising program won’t be complaint-free. In fact, complaints often signal that you’re doing something right. Why? If your stuff is boring, you get few complaints. Imagine a complaint like this: Your letter didn’t get my attention, and I was unmoved by what you said.

But if your stuff grabs people by the collar and forces them to pay attention, you’ll make some folks uncomfortable — and some will complain.

Does this mean you just dismiss complaints? Not at all.

Many complainers are loyal donors who are experiencing something that doesn’t work for them, and they just want to make it right. You can — and should — satisfy them.

It’s important when dealing with complainers to be thankful. This person cares enough to communicate with you. She’s giving you a chance to serve her better and turn a negative feeling into a positive experience. Find out exactly what she wants — and do it.

Let’s look at three common donor complaints and what you can do to turn a complaint into a positive touch.

Complaint: Too much mail
Positive touch: We very carefully track everything we send to make sure we’re spending our money wisely. We know you can’t send a gift in response to everything you receive. Give when it’s the right thing for you to do. We wouldn’t think of asking for any more than that. If we’re sending more mail than you want, that’s not the best use of our money. Would you like us to reduce the amount of mail we send you?

Complaint: Wasting money
Positive touch: Every dollar we spend on our mailings results in several dollars coming back. We watch this very closely, and we’ve been able to keep our expenses low in comparison to the amount of money people give us. If we’re sending too much to you, then that’s a waste, and we don’t want to do it. Would you like us to reduce the amount of mail we send you?

Complaint: Guilt-trip
Positive touch: We don’t want to make you feel guilty. Please accept our apology. Let us assure you, we always tell the truth in our communications. We pay very close attention to what we say and the way we say it. We communicate with a lot of urgency because the need for what we do is so great. Would you like us to avoid sending you this type of message?

The truth works every time. For complaints about anything from telemarketing to the colors you use, the answer is this: What we’re doing works, but we’re happy to let you opt out of it.

You might need to change something for the complainer at hand (such as send her less mail). But you almost certainly don’t need to change your fundraising program. For every complaint you get, there are thousands of donors who responded positively and sent gifts. Be influenced by the people who voted with their wallets and let them shape your thinking — not the complainers.

A complaint can create anxiety that damages an organization. Or, if you face it with the courage of your convictions and a good attitude, it can be a magic moment that creates new bonds with the donor.

Just remember to keep your eyes on the big picture: It’s all about the good work your organization does.

Jeff Brooks is creative director at Merkle/Domain.