by Peter Lauria
Partner, Customer and Buyer Journey, The Weiwood Group
When we talk about “Customer Experience,” most people think of for-profit companies such as restaurants, retailers, tech firms, or service providers. But in reality, non-profits are in the exact same business. They need to attract attention, engage people emotionally, build trust, and create loyalty. Whether it’s a Rotary Club, a community charity, or a cultural organization, the principle is the same. If the experience feels extraordinary, people will want to be part of it.
Businesses spend millions of dollars designing experiences that make customers feel seen, valued, and connected. And why? Because they know loyalty drives growth. Now consider a non-profit. They may not be selling products, but they are asking for something even more valuable: people’s time, energy, and belief. If the experience of engaging with a non-profit feels transactional, forgettable, or uninspiring, people will simply walk away. But if it feels personal, meaningful, and uplifting, they’ll not only stay, they’ll bring their friends and support the organization long-term.
“Non-profits may not be selling products, but they’re asking for something even more valuable: people’s time, trust, and belief.”
Take something as simple as a non-profit hosting a booth at a street fair. Too often, non-profit tables look like they were thrown together at the last minute: a banner, a stack of brochures, maybe a candy bowl, one or two people sitting there people-watching. That’s not an experience, it’s a missed opportunity. Imagine instead a table that comes alive: a spinning prize wheel where every turn supports a local cause, a mini service project visitors (especially kids!) can do on the spot, a map where people place stickers to vote on future community projects, or a story corner where members share in two minutes a personal story how a non-profit changed a life. Suddenly, the booth is no longer about handing out information. It’s about attracting people and creating memories.
This is exactly what businesses strive to do. They know people remember how they felt, not what they were told. When a coffee shop remembers your name, you come back. When a hotel surprises you with an unexpected upgrade, you tell your friends. The same principle works for non-profits. A visitor who gets to assemble a care kit, take a fun photo, or hear an emotional story will walk away feeling like they’ve already belonged. And belonging is the most powerful driver of engagement.
The lesson here is simple: experience matters. Non-profits can no longer rely on mission statements alone to win hearts. Just like businesses, they need to design interactions intentionally, making every touchpoint, whether it’s a community event, a welcome for a new member, or even a thank-you email, something that feels authentic and memorable.
At the end of the day, the goals of businesses and non-profits are not that different. Both are asking people to choose them over alternatives. Both are trying to build loyalty that lasts. And both can achieve it by putting people, and the experiences they have, at the very center.
Extraordinary customer experiences aren’t just for corporations with big budgets. They’re for any organization that cares about people, and non-profits, perhaps more than anyone, are in the business of caring.
For businesses and organizations that want to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, a creative approach designed with intention gets the best results. At The Weiwood Group, we help transform the experiences you currently deliver into experiences that inspire customer engagement.