You are going to make mistakes.
Something that's going to upset one or more of your donors. Possibly a large number of them.
It's almost inevitable.
Being careful and vigilant helps a lot, but there is no fail-safe way to avoid mistakes.
Here's what to do when it happens, from the Bloomerang Blog, at How To Handle A Disgruntled Donor:
- Apologize. As quickly as possible once you find out about it.
- Take responsibility. Don't make excuses. Tell then how it happened, and what you're doing to make sure it won't happen again.
- Be vulnerable. It helps them see you as human and often defuses anger.
- Show your gratitude. Remind them that they are important to you.
Sometimes donors get upset about something you've done that isn't a mistake. They just disliked something you did or the way you did it.
Your job in those cases:
- Listen. This is the main thing they need. It's very common that a complainer who is listened to becomes a better donor than ever. Because they made a connection.
- Tell them the truth about why you did it the way you did. Be human about it: "I know it's surprising, but when we do it this way, more people donate. And that means we can help more abandoned pets!" Very few donors will argue with that.
- Don't promise to change your strategy -- unless you know your strategy was a failure. Don't give a few complainers the power to undermine your fundraising!
Mistakes are mortifying. So are complaints. But if you follow these approaches, you can turn these things toward good.
