Is anyone's loyalty program actually working (and, just to clarify, I'm using the more traditional definition of "working" as you used to lose loads of donors but now you don't)?
I've never met anyone who could answer "yes." But that doesn't stop us squandering enormous amounts of time, energy and money on this entirely unproven "best" practice. I know several fundraising directors who know for sure retention got worse after they introduced their loyalty programs. But they continue to run them. It would be funny if it wasn't tragic.
- Categories:
- NonProfit Pro
- Retention
Charlie Hulme is managing director of DonorVoice. Part of the team that conducted the sector’s only empirical and applied study into donor loyalty. Today, he works with charity partners to radically alter the donor's experience and subsequent lifetime value.