Posted by Mike Trainor
An intriguing post today http://bit.ly/6qZlNw got me thinking about some unique fundraising ideas for Charities to use real time Google Search. Microsoft CRM and Salesforce to name just two companies are in the process of adding functionality to their software which monitors and collects relevant social media comments from donors and keeps it in their data record in the CRM system. If you are using fundraising software developed on these platforms or integrated with them, then this data is immediately available for campaign solicitations. Imagine your charity has an immediate need for funding driven by some event like a natural disaster. You could search your database for those donors who are currently commenting in the various social media about this event and make a timely solicitation to tap into their interest. Then you could ask them if they would share this funding need with "friends" in their social network who might also be interested in this cause. This action has a compound effect. Not only are you soliciting funds from potential new donors but your solicitation is coming from a trusted friend of theirs, thus increasing your chances of success. At the same time you are building your network of potential donors for future solicitations. Even if they don't donate this time they remain in your database as a prospect for future solicitation. These are just a few of the ideas that we on the fundraising software development side are integrating into our software to leverage the power of social media in order to improve the effectiveness of a charity's fundraising efforts. There are lots more. Let me here from you about some of yours!
Posted by John Funari
What is it?
Ustream.TV is the live interactive video broadcast platform that enables anyone with a camera and an Internet connection to quickly and easily broadcast to a global audience of unlimited size. In less than two minutes, anyone can become a broadcaster by creating their own channel on Ustream or by broadcasting through their own site, empowering them to engage with their audience and further build their brand.
How can it help you with some new fundrasing ideas?
- Reach a wider audience by streaming live events, galas, or presentations that your constituency may not be able to attend in person.
- Conduct a live online fundraiser or telethon similar to what you see on TV. You can interview or speak with guests or individuals who the fundraiser will benefit in a live setting.
- Conduct a live presentation and online QA session with your constituency by using this tool along with Twitter or Skype.
If you are currently using Ustream, would like further information or have any questions, please don't hesitate to comment.
Posted by John Funari
To help nonprofits achieve some of the ideas that we have discussed previously in the Future of Philanthropy, we want to begin exploring some of the services that are shaping this new era of philanthropy. Over the next several weeks, we will begin to look at various online tools and services that your organization may or may not be familiar with and how they can help promote your cause.
Some of these online services may be just what your organization needs to spruce up fundraising, volunteer services, or community outreach while others may not be something that resonates with you right now. Regardless, we want to at least present some of these services that may help spark some new fundraisinig ideas within your organization. If you are currently using one of these services, would like further information, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to comment on one of the topics.
Posted by Mike Trainor
Let's assume that the following scenario has probably never happened in your organization! But I do know of an organization not as successful as yours that has experienced the following series of "unfortunate unrelated events". The fundraising department has secured a sizeable pledge from a first time donor as a result of a new name solicitation. The finance department posts the pledge in the financial system. In return for their pledge the donor was promised a book by the founder. However the book is not sent. So several weeks later when the next pledge payment is due the donor doesn't pay it. Can you see where this is going? But wait it gets better.
The donor calls to say they didn't receive the book. A volunteer takes the call and makes a note on a piece of paper to pass on to someone but then forgets to do it when they leave at the end of the day following their monthly day of volunteering. In the meantime the financial department sees the donor is delinquent on their pledge and sends out a past due notice. Unfortunately based on the size of this initial pledge and the potential lifetime value of the donor, senior management requested no pledge reminders be sent to them. Finally, to make matters even worse, the marketing department sends out another donation request, because they don't know the constituent has already made a sizeable pledge through the initial solicitation. At this point your constituent has no book, has lodged an unanswered complaint, has received a past due payment notice and has now received another request for a donation, as if they never donated to the organization in the first place!
OK so here are some questions for you;
- 1) Do you think they have built a lasting donor relationship with this constituent?
- 2) How much did it cost the organization to acquire this relationship?
- 3) More importantly how much has the organization lost in the potential lifetime value of this failed relationship?
- 4) And finally do you think the constituent even considers this fiasco a relationship to begin with?
More than likely, they feel like they have been dealing with the "keystone cops", where one department doesn't have a clue as to what the others are doing. Now compound this scenario with the opportunity this constituent has to immediately "share" their experience with their social network and you have a recipe for disaster. And this is one recipe you don't want to follow! Until next time, "happy fundraising", from The Fundraising Futurist.
Posted by Jim Funari
Most nonprofit organizations would like to think of themselves as "service" organizations. Like most service organizations, a nonprofit's internal and external business processes are very "people-centric." The mission (or in the case of the "for profit" organization, the product or service) is delivered to people, delivered by people and is funded by people. Now let's change the generic "people" terminology to something more relevant for nonprofits, "constituents."
Be aware when you do that your constituents might just start comparing your constituent service to the customer service of today's industry leaders, which focus on making service a critical component of their value proposition. Firms like Amazon.com and Fed Ex to name just two, are known for their customer responsiveness. Don't like your book? Send it back at their expense. But you probably will like it because they recommended it to you based on your past purchases. Want to track the progress of your shipment in real time? You can do it online. What if your constituent could track the progress of their donation to their designated cause in real time and then share that information with others in their network. Now that's true constituent service. So how do theses organizations do it? In the for profit marketplace successful customer service focused organizations have a software system that provides the same relevant customer information across all of their business processes. Theses systems have strong core capabilities to do three primary tasks:
(1) Manage profile information about customers
(2) Manage interactions or communications with customers
(3) Manage transactions with customers
Why should your constituent service be any different in your nonprofit organization? In fundraising we call these three above tasks the "Three Pillars of Relationship Driven Fundraising". Instead of customers you are dealing with your constituents. So these three tasks become:
(1) Manage comprehensive profile information about constituents
(2) Manage interactions or communications with constituents regardless of channel
(3) Manage all transactions with constituents
Some nonprofit fundraising systems may track one or the other of these important "pillars". But unless you are tracking them all in real time and are able to easily search for, identify and take advantage of the interrelationships between these "pillars" with your constituents, you are missing the true power of an effective fundraising effort. Failure to do so usually results in silos of information that inhibit and often damage relationships with your constituents. Remember, silos are for farmers! Until next time, "happy fundraising" from the Fundraising Futurist.
Posted by John Funari
Since the focus of this blog is to help nonprofits further their cause, I thought we would kick it off with a glimpse into what the future of philanthropy may look like. The philanthropists' of tomorrow will have a great opportunity and a great responsibility to change the world in ways that were never before possible. The organizations who can best inspire and influence communities with great passion towards their purpose will thrive during this time. Let's take a look at some of the key components that will shape the future of these organizations:
Community
Probably the single most important component is the ability to grow and foster community. The line between employees, constituents, supporters, volunteers, etc. of philanthropists' in the future may slowly fade away. Individuals and groups with the greatest ability to motivate and build community around a cause will be the ones making the difference. The tools needed in order to reach the masses are no longer controlled by TV producers, media companies, big business, or large nonprofits. They are freely available and are making a big impact in the world even today.
Relationships
The individuals of the community will all have something in common, the cause, but as we all know each individual is different. The successful nonprofit of the future will not only develop a personal relationship with the community members but will foster relationships amongst the community. With so much information assembled and aggregated from social networks and online services, the nonprofits of the future will have an unprecedented understanding of their supporters. The efficient organizations will know what to communicate and how much to communicate about the topics that are relevant based on each individual's preferences.
Transparency
The donors of tomorrow will have great expectations of the organizations they support. Just as constituents can view up to the minute statements on their bank account sorted and categorized to their liking, they will demand the same kind of information from the organizations they support. Many constituents will dive deeper to see the fruits of their labor by watching live video streaming, listening to sound bites from the people or communities they are helping, or even develop relationships of their own with the very people or groups they are helping. Key decisions, strategic advancements, and critical information will be available and communicated to the community in real time as each individual is an active part of the whole.
Effectiveness
Since constituents will have visibility into every dollar they spend or service they perform, the organizations that can do the most and prove it over time will be successful. The nonprofits that do a poor job of using their resources effectively and spend big money on old forms of advertising and solicitation will slowly lose out in the end as more flexible organizations find cheaper and more effective alternatives.
These are just a few characteristics of what I believe will shape the nonprofits of tomorrow. One of the goals this blog will set out to accomplish is to equip you with some tools and ideas necessary to help you and your organization move into this new era of philanthropy. So for those of you eager to change the world, tune in because the "Fundraising Futurist" begins today.