Nonprofits constantly face a challenge of perception versus reality.  This challenge makes it hard for nonprofits to innovate or change because they get caught up in doing what they think is the right thing to do.  I saw this chart and it really got me thinking; is our perception actually our reality?

Perception Versus Reality

In this chart, consumers rated receiving a discount as the #1 reason they visit companies via social media.  Companies rated discounts as the last reason why consumers visited their social properties.  Pretty compelling!

So, what do we do with that information?  We test!  We make it a part of what we do every day, and we work to actually determine what our donors/constituents/customers need vs. what we think they need.

Lets get tactical:

1. Survey: Launch a survey in Survey Monkey, Constant Contact, or whatever you are currently using to communicate.  Ask: How can we improve?  How can we better serve you?
2. Listen:  Really take time to understand what your audience is saying in the survey.  What are they asking for?
3. Take Action: Make a change (or three) based on the results of the survey.

Take-away: Start testing perception vs. reality in your nonprofit.