Supporter experience and the birthday card dilemma

What can choosing birthday cards teach us about supporter experience?

When choosing a birthday card do you pick a design you like or one that you think the recipient will prefer?

I know for many years I was in the former group.

And by picking cards which I liked, I was failing to bring pleasure and joy to the recipient. I can’t remember the exact moment I had an epiphany, but I’m glad I did.

When I made the switch to thinking about who was receiving the card and what I knew about them, I suddenly got lots of kudos from my loved ones. I became known in my family as someone who always sends thoughtful cards.

So instead of the cool designed, minimalist Mother’s Day card my mam used to get, she now receives a card (whatever the occasion) with a flowery frontage and a schmaltzy verse guaranteed to bring a tear to her eye.

My sister-in-law gets the cards with the cute, doey eyed dogs.

My wife. Well, she rarely gets a card, but that’s another story…

So, what’s this got to do with supporter experience?

Well, too many fundraisers are like I used to be when I chose cards. They send the communications that they want to share and don’t consider what the supporter likes and needs. We’re often in our own little bubble. We want to show off about what we’ve done rather than using insight on a supporter’s values, beliefs and motivations to provide an experience that will bring them joy.

One of the biggest shifts we need to make if we genuinely want to improve supporter experience is to start putting ourselves in our supporters shoes.