Are you treating your donors right?

Here’s something you should do, from the Bright+3 Blog, at Pretending to be your donor: Do everything you want donors to do. Find out first-hand what it feels like to be one of them when they deal with you:

Every user touch point sends a sharp signal to your supporters and potential supporters. It tells them how much you care about them and their contribution. And beyond the symbolism and messages, the more friction and the less pleasant your user experience, the fewer who will actually complete the transaction.

Call your information phone number and find out if you get through and get courteous help. Give a gift and discover how long it takes to get an acknowledgement — and note how personal and satisfying that acknowledgement really is. Request some information and see if you get it, and get it accurately. Send an email and see if and how long it takes to get an answer. Try to make an online gift — that’s the one that may shock you.

These can be painful, eye-opening experiences. But it’s information you need to know.