How Many of Your Participants Come Back?
Whether we run a business, a church or a OneHarvest partner site, we all have one goal in common. Getting first time participants to come back. Have you ever considered what is the greatest motivation for return customers. Most businesses know. The biggest motivator for a return visit is not price and it's not quality of the product although those things are important. Rather, its the level of comfort of the participant.
Why would someone drive by 12 churches to go to your church? Because the first experience was comfortable for them. Why does someone shop at a particular retail outlet over and over? Comfort. Why will your One Harvest friends keep coming back to your site? You guessed it! Comfort.
Let me challenge you to take a hard look at your ordering process, your menu communication process and your distribution process.
Are you doing everything to demonstrate to your participants that you value them highly?
What about your volunteers? Is the process easy and fun for them?
Ask yourself these questions as well ~ How many people ordered from our site last month AND this month? How many volunteers are returning to help out? If you are struggling to get dedicated volunteers, then most likely there is something about your system that is uncomfortable for them. Maybe they don't feel highly valued or maybe they don't know what to do. If you have a lot of first time participants, but few return participants then maybe something about the menu distribution, the ordering process or the distribution is uncomfortable to them.
Let me offer some points for consideration:
1) Evaluate the ordering experience. Ask your customers if the experience is comfortable or awkward and adjust as needed.
2) Poll your volunteers - especially those that came once and didn't come back.
3) Call any participants that haven't ordered this month. Look for hints and suggestions that they may give you that would make the experience better. This is also a great way to increase outreach. Everyone likes a personal touch.
4) Ask yourself, "Do I really love and care for these people." If so, then what do I need to do to communicate this message to them.
5) Do everything to the best of your ability. Strive for excellence.
6) Stress the convenience of ordering online and pickup. Communicate to your audience the time saving element as well as the money saving element of your food ministry.
7) Make an email distribution list and remind your customers to order again each month.
8) Love The People.
How about you? What's working for your site?
