Show Me You Know Me
Nonprofit leader, I sat on hold for 27 minutes.
I was trying to cancel a dermatologist appointment for my daughter, which, thankfully, she no longer needs.
While waiting, I heard all about the affiliated hospital's cancer care, which apparently is top-notch.
1....2....3...
And their organ transplant department, which is ranked one of the highest in the area.
4...6...8...
I heard that I should follow them on social media.
10...12...15...
And sign up for their e-newsletter for the latest updates.
17...19...23...
I heard, "philanthropy plays an important role in making sure we can provide the best care to our patients, to make a gift, visit www...."
And I heard all of this on repeat. Over and over.
Because 27 minutes is a long time.
Each time I heard that philanthropy line, I got more annoyed. Are you really providing the best care to your patients if they sit on hold for 27 minutes without getting through to a human?
And every few minutes, the loop would be interrupted by a recording that sounded like a person was getting on, but instead it was "please continue to hold, as your call is very important to us."
Is it, though?!
You've likely heard me say that "show me you know me" is the golden rule of communication.
Your people need to feel seen and heard for who they are, in relation to your organization, in that moment.
Putting an ask in a hold recording sounds like a great idea. I've been there—with our marketing and fundraising caps on, we strive to put our asks in as many places as possible, and here is one where we've got a captive audience.
But we ALWAYS need to consider "show me you know me."
In that moment, I actually might've donated if I'd heard "we know our hold times can be excessive, and we apologize for the delay. Philanthropy plays an important role in hiring more staff to answer our phones. Visit www...."
Instead, I did some work, ate lunch, drafted this post, and eventually hung up, still without getting through to someone. Literally and figuratively, I was neither seen nor heard.
In every communication, consider how your message will land for the recipient, and communicate accordingly. You'll be much more successful when you do.
For more "show me you know me" and how to create clear, cohesive, and consistent messaging for your organization, check out my appearance on The Nonprofit Show. You'll gain actionable tips to successfully raise awareness and funds for your nonprofit.
After a decade as an in-house nonprofit marketer, Jordana Merkin founded Voice for Good to bring her insider knowledge and outsider perspective to help growing nonprofits like yours clarify their messaging to raise awareness and funds for their missions.
Her work with nonprofits includes messaging guides, communication strategy, and copywriting. (Learn more here!)
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