ePhilanthropy Highlights from eNonprofit Benchmarks Study, 501TechNYC Meeting

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Norman Reiss

Attemded a webinar today highlighting the recently released 2012 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study. authored by M&R Strategic Services and the Nonprofit Technology Network. Some interesting takeaways:

The average email open rate has ‘steadied’ at 14% (is this supposed to be good?) but some nonprofits get better results by segmentation, localization & personalization.
While mobile devices accounted for 15-20% of email opens, those who read email on phones are less likely to click thru and take action. But it can also help if the email is formatted to look good on a small screen. Here’s tips on how to do it.
The Red Cross demonstrated why segmentation doesn’t have to be difficult, identifying donors by monthly, institutional, emergency, lapsed and non-donors.
Monthly donors constantly outperformed other segments. (For a great example of a nonprofit that realizes this, take a look at City Harvest Rescue Partners campaign that specifically asks for monthly gifts.)
While segmentation can improve email results, it will make even more of a difference if you prepare great content – as well as an engaging subject line.

Tonight I attended the monthly 501 Tech NYC get-together, which featured a capacity crowd at the NYC Foundation Center to hear takeaways from the recent Nonprofit Technology Conference. Would you believe 10 presenters offered mini-versions of their event sessions? Some highlights:

US Fund for Unicef‘s Porter Mason stressed the neglected art of AB testing – emails, web pages, social media posts and added that ‘coding links must become normal practice.’ Take a look at WhichTestWon to test your instincts on what works best.
Big Duck‘s Farra Trompeter (recently honored with a Community Award at the Nonprofit Tech Conference) offered an interesting flow chart approach to Is It Time to Rethink Your Website. Important reminder – the work doesn’t end when your new website is rolled out, it’s an ongoing task.
Causevox‘s Rob Wu finished the evening with tips on how to tell compelling stories, e.g. don’t talk about your organization, talk about your cause and your supporters. Also, get everyone involved – not only the marketing / communications folks.

If you weren’t able to attend today’s events, make sure you download the eNonprofit Benchmarks Study and follow our 501 Tech NYC group on Facebook to stay informed.

Takeaways from 2012 Nonprofit Technology Conference

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Norman Reiss

If you weren’t able to attend last week’s Nonprofit Technology Conference in San Francisco, below are my top seven takeaways from the sessions I attended. I’ll also be discussing this topic at next week’s monthly 501 Tech Club NYC meeting – please join us.

There are many ways to approach a mobile strategy, as Idealware‘s Laura Quinn explained in More Than Apps: Affordable Program Delivery through Mobile Phones. Do you know how your website looks on a mobile screen? Use Mobile Phone Emulator to find out. Do you give constituents a good reason to provide their mobile phone numbers on your forms (hint – don’t say ‘so we can add you to our list’)? Try using Groupme for group text messaging (like email blasts by phone). Look for ways to make your current website mobile friendly; developing apps are usually not the best approach. Also see Tech Soup‘s session review.
Matt Koltermann described a ‘blended’ approach in Building and Supporting Drupal Websites: In-House, Outhouse or Both? Even if you outsource, Matt stressed the importance of involving in-house staff in development so they can maintain and support the application later (I completely agree). He also suggested using a tool like Optimizely for AB testing (easier to use than Google Website Analyzer). Using Drupal involves the combination of many add-on modules; be careful before doing updates (as you are always prompted to do when new releases come out). Make sure you include a contingency in your cost estimate. BTW, it’s time to move to the latest version, Drupal 7.
Do you have the right organization structure for online success? In Digital Team Structure – The Underlying Foundation for Innovation, John Mogus and Michael Silberman discussed different models for where your digital staff should work. Not surprisingly, there is no perfect solution, but the ‘hybrid’ option – which places online resources in a dedicated digital group and in other departments seems to offer the most promise. But to implement this successfully, an organization needs to work out reporting structure (i.e. who reports to who?) and how online strategy is planned. Take a look at the innovative Mobilisation Lab, implemented at Greenpeace for an innovative approach. No matter what structure you use, it’s a must to have a culture where departments regularly talk and work with each other, esp. marketing / communications and fundraising. Also see my blog post on this topic last year.
Probably one of the hardest decisions we all face is when to outsource, covered by Gabriel Nichols and Pam Kingpetcharat in the session When to Call in the Consultants: When to Leave Them Out. As Matt explained in his Drupal session, a hybrid solution is usually best. An interesting take: when an ‘expert’ gives a time estimate for a project, add 50%. For internal staff, triple the estimate. Some more things to consider:

does in-house staff have necessary expertise (and do they have time to learn?)
will skills gained be used in future by staff
is there a fixed time deadline? (using outside resources will speed implementation)
what will be loss to organization if deadline slips?
how well will internal stakeholders accept project setbacks?

Segmentation is a basic principle of effective constituent relationship management, yet few nonprofits do it well. In Data Dive: Practical Segmentation Techniques, Jeff Shuck explained how Excel functionality such as filters, conditional formatting and pivot tables (they’re easier now than in older Excel versions) can help, as well as the free Analysis Toolpak add-in. (Note to Nten – Jeff ended his presentation with an reaffirming message for all of us who work in nonprofit – may be worth a keynote talk next year) A few more tips:

ask donors why they donated – critical data in getting to know your donors
you can ask for more data than you think (this will help you segment)
constituents give because of an affinity to the cause, not necessarily to your organization. This is why you need to always focus on retention.
take a look at Tableau – visual analysis tool – less expensive than SPSS
find data analysis too difficult? Get the books Statistics Without Tears or the Cartoon Guide to Statistics.

In Engaging Mobile Design, Beaconfire’s Scott Lenger suggested using Mobify as an easy way to create a mobile website (basic sites free, but some features cost more). Responsive design (same site looks good on different size screens) is great, but is best considered when doing an overall website redesign. Wondering if you really need a mobile site? Check your web statistics bounce rate – if it’s higher for mobile visitors than for desktop users, then you probably do. Make sure your forms work on small screens – here’s a great example from Feeding America. Mobile shouldn’t be an after-thought to your web design, nor should it be handled as a ‘Phase 2′ project.
If your organization is on social media, then you need a policy. Darim Online’s Lisa Colton and Idealware’s Andrea Barry both discussed the importance of focusing on your nonprofit’s core values in Maturing Your Organization’s Social Culture – By Creating a Policy? Make sure you clarify staff roles, especially who will be:

main coordinator
primary listener / moderator
expected to post
allowed to post
content contributors

Congratulations to Holly Ross, Anna Richter, and the entire Nten staff for coordinating such a great conference. It was also great to reconnect in person with many online friends from the nptech community that I exchange online communications with year-round.

Why Your Nonprofit Needs a Mobile Website

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Norman Reiss

Below are some highlights from Why Your Nonprofit Needs a Mobile Website which I presented on Mar. 23 at the Foundation Center in NYC, celebrating the launch of GrantSpace Mobile.

25% of US cell phone subscribers use mobile as their only way of accessing the Web; 30% of email messages are opened first on phones
The best time to implement mobile is when you’re already planning to redesign your website or if you’re rolling out a new content management system (CMS)
For most nonprofits, mobile websites are far more beneficial than developing a mobile application, which is far more difficult for constituents to use
Your web content must load quickly; mobile uses will not wait for slow pages
Consider responsive design or using any CMS which allows you to write content once to be displayed on multiple platforms (so you don’t have to maintain many versions of your website)

(During presentation, Usablenet and Mobify were identified as good tools for a nonprofit that wants to go mobile I would also add Mofuse for mobile content management.)

For a great look at how your mobile website should look, take a look at GrantSpace Mobile from your phone. How does your organization’s website look on a small screen?

Talking Online Fundraising with the Center for Nonprofit Success

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Norman Reiss

Yesterday I had the pleasure of participating in a panel discussion about Online Fundraising: Harnessing Technology to Build and Maintain Relationships sponsored by the Center for Nonprofit Success. My co-presenters included Olivia Harris of the Bond Street Theatre, Brian Reich, author of Shift and Reset, and Stephen Streicher of the Princeton University Pace Center for Civic Engagement.

We began the 3 1/2 hour session with brief presentations. Olivia suggested engaging supporters to help raise funds, and suggested utilizing free research available from site such as HubSpot. I then followed with ideas on how to Kick Start your Online Fundraising, such as tweaking your donation form and developing a multichannel approach. Then Steve reminded us that good communication starts within our own organizations (if we can’t communicate well internally, how can we do it well with constituents?). He also encouraged our audience (mostly small nonprofits) how even the smallest organization can be a big communicator using currently available tools. Also, make sure donors can see their role in stories you share.

After a break, Brian challenged us to ‘stop doing what’s not working’ and that we measure our nonprofits not only to each other, but to online vendors such as Amazon since this is the type of customer service and responsiveness our constituents are accustomed to. He also explained how phones have changed everything since we can ‘get information when we want it – don’t have to wait.’ In response to a question, he suggested (and I agree) that instead of only providing an annual report, we provide ongoing feedback to our donors on how their contributions are helping others. (Kivi Leroux Miller also has many resources covering this topic.)

As expected, our extended interactive discussion with the audience was the most stimulating – for us and hopefully for them. Some key takeways:

if you’re on Facebook, you MUST be ready to have a conversation, not just post updates. If you’re not getting likes / comments to your posts, you need to try something different to encourage interaction
want a novel way to thank donors? Do a monthly conference call with the ED, invite constituents to participate and record so others can listen later.
don’t build a mobile app (too expensive and high barrier to entry) – focus on having a web presence that is optimized for phones and tablets
you must use a tripod when making videos – no one will watch a shaky video
repurpose content for different communication channels, but make sure you optimize them for each platform

Thanks to everyone for participating in our session!

Why I’ll Be at the Nonprofit Technology Conference in April

Posted on February 21, 2012 by nhr2000

For those of us who are lucky enough to be working, it’s often difficult to get our organizations to support our participation in professional conferences. Budgets are tight, and there’s much information available online and through free or low cost webinars. My current organization isn’t able to sponsor my participation in this year’s Nonprofit Technology Conference, but I’ve arranged to go anyway. Here’s why:

While there are many ways to keep in touch through social media, there’s no substitute for meeting people face to face. Events like the NTC are often the only times I have the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues from other parts of the USA (and beyond)
The conference sessions are always interesting, but sometimes the greatest insights come from conversations I have at meals or other informal activities.
Spending time with a few thousand of my nonprofit colleagues reminds me that we are all facing similar challenges at our organizations, and can be more effective if we learn from each other
Those who attend the NTC come from a wide range of nonprofits of different sizes and missions, yet Nten always manages to provide something for everyone through a wide variety of offerings in technology, communications and fundraising topics
You may make a connection who will turn out to be your next boss (or someone who becomes a valuable addition to your staff)

If you’re fortunate to be able to attend this year’s conference, help someone who can’t by donating to the Nten Scholarship Fund. And if you make it to San Francisco in April, please find me and say hello.

Getting the Most from Nonprofit Events

Posted on September 18, 2011 by Norman Reiss

Whether in person or online, attending a nonprofit event is a great way to learn from others about the latest strategies in online technology, communications and fundraising. Based on what I’ve observed at some events I’ve participated in lately, here’s my suggestions on how you can really benefit from attending nonprofit gatherings:

Ask a question. Not only is this the best way to get specific feedback for your needs, but it gives you an opportunity to introduce yourself to the group and share a current work challenge you are facing.
Prepare in advance by researching the speakers, reviewing the agenda, and coming up with some specific issues you’d like to address
While it’s great to reconnect with those you already know, take the time to get to know people you don’t. (This is easier if you attend an event alone rather than with many of our work colleagues.)
Find out the session hashtag and tweet out major points to those in your network who weren’t able to attend the event
Thank the speakers for their time and for sharing their knowledge
Follow up with those you met after the event; don’t just take business cards. Instead, arrange to speak or meet at a later time.
Summarize what you learned from the event in writing for your boss and for others at your organization who might be interested in the topic
Make sure you offer to help others, not just to get ideas about ‘your’ problem at work.
Return to your office with a few strategies that you can apply quickly (if you wait too long, you’ll forget)
Give back by arranging to speak about your expertise at a future event.

Fortunately the nonprofit community is a very sharing group, so take advantage of every opportunity to learn – and to share what you know about succeeding with ephilanthropy. (If you’d like an opportunity to apply some of these tips, please join me at the NYC 501 Tech Club meeting Monday night, Sep. 19 to learn how to innovate and thrive in the digital age.

Addedum 10-3-11 – great tips from my friend Ben Lichtenwalner on 25 Ways to Prepare for Conferences, which is helpful even if you’re attending only a one day event.

Thoughts After a Hurricane

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Norman Reiss

It’s been an eventful week in New York. First, we were shaken by a rare East Coast earthquake. Then, we were faced with a Hurricane Irene which forced many of us to relocate to higher ground. While not as severe as anticipated, this weekend’s storm has caused massive damage and electrical outages for many. I was extremely lucky; my thoughts are with those who are facing major clean-up efforts.

Is your nonprofit prepared for a disaster? Care2 offers a webinar this week on Surviving and Thriving When a Crisis Hits. And while this week’s events were a major inconvenience, find a way to Put Your Cause in the Eye of the Storm to tell stories about how your organization helps its target audience. Here are some Tools to Help Any Nonprofit Tell Stories Online from Amy Sample Ward.

For yet another reason to use social media, read why Nonprofits Are Expected to Use Social Media During Disasters. For many great ideas on how to implement a social media strategy at your organization, learn from Jereme Bivins in his Social Media Case Study on how the Foundation Center uses Thrive and other tools. Per Pew Internet, 65% of Online Adults Now Use Social Networking Sites.

Most of us make presentations, but it’s always challenging to keep listeners engaged, especially when you’re on a webinar. I participated in last week’s Nonprofits Live: Great Presentations, offered by Tech Soup. You can watch and listen to the event here or search the #nplive hashtag on Twitter which include many of my comments.

Help Nten to make next spring’s Nonprofit Technology Conference the best yet by tweeting your ideas to #12NTC. Work for a really great organization? Nominate your organization as one of the 50 Best Nonprofits to Work For In 2012.

Report from Event Fundraising Roundtable

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Norman Reiss

This week I joined many nonprofit colleagues at the Event Fundraising Table sponsored by the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council, Blackbaud, Charity Dynamics and Event 360, focusing on ideas to stimulate peer to peer fundraising. Below is a summary of my takeaways:

How can I get more event participants to fundraise?

encourage participants to form and join teams, then ask their employers to sponsor corporate teams
offer incentives for specified fundraising levels
provide step by step instructions and coaching
ask on the registration form – are you planning to fundraise? Then prepare different messaging based on their response
encourage participant donations – makes it more likely they will ask others to contribute

How to Use Social Media for Event Fundraising

Sponsor live chats with top fundraisers (chats don’t only have to be about fundraising, but can help to build affiliation with nonprofit)
Create a mobile phone application, then push it out to social media (has worked well for March of Dimes and will be released soon by National MS Society)
Target Facebook messages based on location
Provide Facebook exclusive content
Give ‘white glove service’ to top fundraisers (at National MS Society – 50% of $ is raised by top 2% of fundraisers!)
In multi-site organization, national office can offer weekly highlights to provide content to local chapter / affiliate offices

How Can I Enhance My Marketing and Communication Efforts?

Event360 strongly suggested segmenting messages (my concern – do many of our orgs have staffing to provide strong content for different audiences)
Focus on customer service – offer a special hotline for top fundraisers
Use Seth Godin’s ‘Purple Cow‘ concept – find a way to differentiate your event from other organizations offering walks, endurance events etc.
Ask your nonprofit staff to come down on event day to cheer event participants (has been consistently used successfully by YAI)
Don’t rely on one person to handle social media (Autism Speaks has devoted considerable resources to build huge audiences on both Facebook & Twitter)
Visit your organization’s programs and tell great stories (suggested by YAI)

Thanks to roundtable participants who shared their expertise: Scott Archimbaud, March of Dimes; Paul Irwin-Dudek, Autism Speaks; Papa Kofi F. Baffour-Awuah, YAI; and, Nancy Palo, National MS Society (NYC-SNY Chapter) and to David Hessekiel of the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council who moderated the panel.

It was also great to see many friends from across the country such as Shana Masterson who attended with several of her co-workers from the American Diabetes Association, Jono Smith from Event 360, and a few attendees from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, where I first focused on managing peer to peer fundraising events.

Who Will Take Care of You When You’re 64?

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Norman Reiss

Although I wasn’t lucky enough to see Paul McCartney in concert this weekend at Yankee Stadium, I did see him in Citi Field two years ago. As a lifelong Beatles fan, I found his performance amazing, especially since he was 67 at the time. From what I’ve heard about this weekend’s shows, he hasn’t slowed down much: 35 songs for nearly three hours without a break!

Interestingly, when the Beatles were together (and much younger), they did a song entitled When I’m 64, which asked the question of who would be there to take care of us when we reach retirement age. This seemed a long time away at the time, so I found the song amusing but didn’t give it much more thought.

It’s great that Paul continues to perform as he approaches his 70th birthday next year, but most of us won’t be as lucky to have his talent – or his financial cushion – to insure a happy retirement. Even if we’re fortunate enough to have a loving partner, there’s no assurance that he or she will be around to take care of us – or will be able to do so – for the rest of our lives.

Through my work at Jewish Funds for Justice, I recently became aware of a new initiative, Caring Across Generations, which seeks to call attention to long-term care workers who care for the elderly and those with disabilities. These people often work for little money, yet put in long hours and deal with very difficult work situations. Here’s what you can do now to call attention to this very important issue:

Watch or attend a Care Congress in your area
Sign the petition to protect what we have (e.g. Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security) and to create better working conditions for those who care for the elderly
Join the Caring Across Generations movement
Write to your local paper that you want to protect rights of long-term care workers
View presentation of this month’s kickoff conference in Washington DC

As an only child with a small family, I often cared for many elderly relatives, including my wonderful Aunt Minnie, who lived until 98 despite dementia which afflicted her in her later years. She was able to live at home until the end thanks to the devotion of her two aides, Hazel and Lena, who worked 24×7 for many years to insure that she would continue to have a good quality of life. I can never thank them enough for what they did. By participating in this new Caring Across Generations initiative, you can help insure that you and your family will be cared for when you’re 64 (and beyond).

Nonprofit Bridge

Bridging Technology, Communications & Development to Implement ePhilanthropy for Nonprofit Organizations

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