Developing Personas for Strategy Dolores McDonagh Principal Consultant Charity Dynamics

What is a Persona? A persona is a representation of one of your key target audience members. Personas identify the motivations, expectations and goals of that site visitor and bring them to life by giving them names, personalities and often a photo.

Personas are also… A really good way to AVOID THIS!

Websites are the Third Rail of Organizational Politics!

Other Benefits of Personas Helps us keep user scenarios in mind during the design process Ensures the design, layout and functionality of the site meet the needs of the audience Puts us “in the shoes” of each audience group

Using Web Personas throughout Website Design Process

Interviews Site Recommendations Web Analytics Discovery Key Themes/Personas Surveys

Website Constituents: Audiences – General Website Visitors – Online Donors – Oversample Key Audiences Input Tools – Analytics – Surveys – Interviews & Focus Groups – Social Media Listening to gain INSIGHT to move in the right direction. How To Get There: Discovering Your Personas // Page 4 Don’t Forget Internal Stakeholders: Executive Team Marketing Data/IT Fundraising Program Staff

Input from Internal Stakeholders informs: Departmental Goals Key Audiences Location of Possible 3 rd Rails! Don’t forget key internal ‘Volunteers’

Internal Stakeholder Input Website Working Group Departmental Meetings Interviews All Staff Survey Take your customer service staff to lunch!

Key Audiences Input Google Analytics Fundraising and Engagement History Surveys Interviews Focus Groups

Key Analytics – Number of Visits Average daily, monthly, annual Note any spikes and connect to reasons – Average visitation time – Percentage of visitors who are returning visitors – Bounce rate Google Analytics

Browsers give hints on users sophistication – Internet Explorer 37% – Safari 24% – Chrome 19% – Firefox 15% – Other 5% (including Android at 1.38%) Mobile and Tablet Traffic* – Mobile traffic is UP 167% – Tablet traffic is UP 278% Browsers and Devices desktop mobile tablet * Compares Jan – July 2012 to Jan – July 2013 for one nonprofit website

How are they getting to your site? – Direct Traffic: Typing in “YourURL.ORG” in browser window or has a bookmark – Search Traffic: Using Google to find you – Referral Traffic: Other sites are directing them to you Content analytics – who’s visiting what? Site Traffic & Visitation Analysis

Fundraising & Engagement What’s Working for You Now? Don’t Ignore Offline Successes What is Social Media Telling You?

Key Survey Questions Purpose of their Visit Were they able to find what they wanted How easy was it to accomplish their task What challenges did they experience How often do they visit and how likely are they to visit again Demographic Information General Comments Willingness to be Interviewed Make your survey invitations engaging (even if your website isn’t yet…)

Phone Interviews // Page 11 Using a 3 rd Party Interviewer may elicit more ‘honest’ feedback (especially from affiliates or program audiences) Follow up to surveys Great tool to ‘get behind the numbers’ Listen for quotes and key desires and issues for constituents.

Site Recommendations Discovery Key Themes/Personas Get Buy In Using Personas to Identify Key Themes & Get Buy In Help Clarity Content Categories & Themes

Daniel Existing Client Adult with cerebral palsy Who is Daniel? Longtime Easter Seals client year old adult with cerebral palsy Uses Easter Seals’ assistive technology resources Uses accessibility tools such as iPad due to limited dexterity Passionate about being a member of the Easter Seals family Attends weekly occupational & physical therapy sessions at his affiliate’s provider facility

Daniel Existing Client Adult with cerebral palsy Needs & Challenges: Stay up to date on cerebral palsy research Learn about new treatment options find local facilities that provide occupational therapies Read general disability news and legislation Be as self-sufficient as possible using assistive resources Learn more about becoming an Easter Seals volunteer

Lindsay Prospective Client Recently diagnosed with a disability (paraplegic) Who is Lindsay? Recently paralyzed female veteran Age Faced with a life-altering new perspective, she has to relearn how to go about daily life and regain her independence Had no prior connection to Easter Seals Is considering Easter Seals services, but also inundated with other information from organizations that provide veteran support too Overwhelmed by her situation and looking for support Needs & Challenges: Wants to understand her options for ongoing physical therapy Locate nearby medical rehabilitation services Find assistive technologies that can help her maintain independence To not feel limited by her disability and find opportunities to increase her self-sufficiency Find a new career path given her physical limitations

Samantha (and Danielle) Family/Caregiver Parent of a young child with autism and other disabilities (Down syndrome) Who is Samantha? Mother with a 6 year old daughter with autism and other disabilities (Down syndrome) Age Upon her daughter’s diagnosis at the age of 2, Samantha was scared, desperate and overwhelmed Using a Google search on “autism,” Samantha found Easter Seals online Daughter participated in early intervention as a toddler, following diagnosis Has no prior connection with Easter Seals Needs & Challenges: Keep up to date on info and therapy for children with autism and other disabilities Ongoing enrollment in therapy and special needs classes Daughter has participated in Easter Seals summer camp for the past 2 summers Wants to connect with other parents and caregivers who have children with similar disabilities Wants to read success stories of other Easter Seals clients

Cynthia Donor/Fundraiser Longtime donor to Easter Seals (direct mail & recent online donor) Who is Cynthia? year old female Regular donor to Easter Seals (typically direct mail, but new to online giving) Passionate about helping her family manage living with disability Looking to learn more about opportunities for children & young adults with disabilities Is interested in Walk With Me & other fundraising events Needs & Challenges Understand how her support makes a difference Keep up to date on research and info about children with disabilities Find ways to help her grandchild (and her family) live with minimal limitations Find out more information that they haven’t received from doctor Look for more ways to be involved with Easter Seals (Walk, Legacy, Sustained Giving)

Engaged Supporter Easter Seals consultant (employee), advocate, Walk volunteer Who is Paul? Passionate about the Easter Seals mission Age Has worked with Easter Seals for 4 years Does not have a family member or loved one who is a client of Easter Seals Most interested in children’s services and stories of hope Takes action in response to Easter Seals advocacy alerts Has volunteered at his local Walk With Me event Needs & Challenges: Search website for current list of programs provided by Easter Seals Develop content for fundraising campaigns based on variety of services and success stories - needs to feel confident that all programs are listed accurately on the websites Occasionally make updates to content on site, but unsure about where existing content can be located on back- end Take action in response to an advocacy alert Learn how his action made a difference Learn about other ways he can volunteer Paul

Site Recommendations Discovery Key Themes/Personas Uncover New Features Using Personas to Make Decisions Keep Users needs ‘Front & Center

Personas  Decisions 26 User Conversations led directly to new sections and features of website

Use Persona Planners to make sure you press Adam’s buttons (and get him to press yours!)

Personas  Decisions Don’t forget Audiences like the Press!

Use Personas in each step of the Process Site Recommendations Discovery Key Themes Buy In from Key Stakeholders

Dolores McDonagh, Principal Consultant Charity Dynamics LinkedIn: Dolores McDonagh Facebook: Dolores McDonagh