Author Archives: Norman Reiss

About Norman Reiss

ePhilanthropy for Nonprofit Organizations

What’s New in ePhilanthropy

According to the recently released 2012 Nonprofit Social Network Benchmark Report, the nonprofits that have been most successful have a clear strategy for social media, management support and have dedicated social media staff.   The average size of an organization’s Facebook (8,317) and Twitter (3,290) communities continues to grow yet few nonprofits are raising funds from social media.  Download your free copy.

(To kick start fundraising results, it will be interesting to see if development departments start to play a larger part in managing social networks – currently it’s usually marketing / communication that’s in charge.)

If you decide to go outside your organization for social media help, ask these 7 questions to anyone you’re considering hiring.  (My take – it’s always preferable to assign this work to a staff person who is more familiar with your nonprofit.)  And here are 10 things you may be doing wrong with social media.

Have you noticed the larger photos on Facebook’s mobile application?  Wonder where they got this idea (see new kid on the block Pinterest).

Blackbaud’s webinar series today included an important reminder that work on your website doesn’t stop after the redesign.  Websites must continue to evolve and most importantly,.must always have fresh content to keep your constituents coming back.  Need ideas?  Here are 58 ways to create great content.

In addition to checking out how your website looks on phones, how about tablets?  See 11 Nonprofit Websites That Look Great on iPads.  And what about your email messages?  Here’s how to optimize mail for mobile phones.

Finally, if you don’t have a specific campaign to recruit monthly donors, read this.

ePhilanthropy Highlights from eNonprofit Benchmarks Study, 501TechNYC Meeting

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

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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:
    1. does in-house staff have necessary expertise (and do they have time to learn?)
    2. will skills gained be used in future by staff
    3. is there a fixed time deadline? (using outside resources will speed implementation)
    4. what will be loss to organization if deadline slips?
    5. how well will internal stakeholders accept project setbacks?
  5. 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:
    1. ask donors why they donated – critical data in getting to know your donors
    2. you can ask for more data than you think (this will help you segment)
    3. constituents give because of an affinity to the cause, not necessarily to your organization.  This is why you need to always focus on retention.
    4. take a look at Tableau – visual analysis tool – less expensive than SPSS
    5. find data analysis too difficult?  Get the books Statistics Without Tears or the Cartoon Guide to Statistics.
  6. 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.
  7. 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:
    1. main coordinator
    2. primary listener / moderator
    3. expected to post
    4. allowed to post
    5. 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.

Session Picks at Next Week’s Nonprofit Technology Conference

Will you be at next week’s Nonprofit Technology Conference?  If so, here are my picks for sessions to attend:

To get the most out of this year’s NTC, see also my post, Getting the Most from Nonprofit Events. And if you can’t join us in person, attend the Online NTC.  Hope to see you soon.

Why Your Nonprofit Needs a Mobile Website

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?

What’s New in ePhilanthropy

Ready or not, the new Facebook timeline will be rolled out on March 30.  Find out what’s new from John Haydon, Beth Kanter, Heather Mansfield, Mari Smith and attend this upcoming free webinar from CharityHowto. My reminder – most fans interact with your Facebook content through the news feed.  Make sure you include posts to direct them to your new Timeline page.

Don’t have a mobile friendly website yet?  Here’s why you should (and more) and here’s a resource to help you get started.  Here’s a free webinar Feb. 22 on 6 Best Practices to Follow While Developing Your Mobile Strategy.  I’ll also be speaking on this topic Feb. 23 at the Foundation Center in NYC.

Have you jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon yet?  Here’s what nonprofits should know – and be careful about possible copyright issues.  If you do jump in, read some ways to make your nonprofit pinteresting?

It’s back to the basics with 4 Ways to Get More Clicks on Your Online Donation Button (e.g. make sure site visitors can find it), Tips on How to Write Headlines (for web pages, email content etc.) and How You Can Drastically Improve Your Call to Action.

Do you manage website(s) for a nonprofit in NYC?  Join the Not- for-Profit Webmaster Round Table – it’s always a lively discussion and you’ll get great ideas to bring back to your organization.  Our next quarterly meeting will be in June.

Why You Can’t Rely Only on Email for Effective Communications

Steve Streicher, one of my co-panelists at last week’s panel discussion on online fundraising, commented that “good communication starts within your organization.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Many of us are aware of the importance of communicating well with our constituents, yet we may not take the time to do the same with our nonprofit co-workers.

One way is to cut down a bit on email, and use the ‘old-fashioned’ technique of connecting with colleagues face-to-face.  After a series of email exchanges over a week failed to reach a consensus, I spent this afternoon at one of my organization’s remote sites today reviewing what changes were needed to an internal software application.  Not only did we resolve the issue, but I learned much more than I would have through email or phone contact.  When I completed my visit, my colleagues thanked me for taking the time to visit, saying that others were reluctant to take the time to travel (20 minute train ride from my office).

Earlier this week, I stopped by a colleague’s desk to check on the status of an outstanding issue which had also been the topic of a series of ongoing email exchanges over several weeks.  Our conservation probably saved us 3 or 4 email swaps, yet he seemed surprised that I took the time (about 30 seconds) to walk over to his desk, rather than simply send another email.

This doesn’t mean that you should simply show up at someone’s desk or office.  Take the time to make an appointment, and come prepared with an agenda of what you will discuss.

So if you want to effectively communicate with constituents, start with your colleagues in your organization, especially those who work at locations other than where you are.  As Steve said, if you can’t do it well internally, you probably won’t be effective reaching out to supporters either.

Talking Online Fundraising with the Center for Nonprofit Success

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!

 

Blackbaud Will Buy Convio – My Thoughts

Having watched many nonprofit vendors combine over the years, I probably shouldn’t be surprised by this week’s news that Blackbaud intends to acquire Convio.  But since the companies have taken such different paths with contrasting cultures, it’s hard to imagine that a merger will go smoothly and provide significant benefits to nonprofit customers.

Blackbaud’s most popular product has long been Raiser’s Edge, which provides unmatched functionality but is also beyond the financial reach of many small to medium nonprofits.  Despite efforts recently to make it more web based, RE is still primarily locally installed.  Of course Blackbaud has bought many other companies over the years which provide web options, such as eTapestry, Kintera, and PIDI, so many that it’s often hard to know how the multiple products all fit together.

In addition to its foundation online marketing platform (now Luminate), Convio took a significant risk by developing Common Ground, a web application built on Salesforce.  While Common Ground offers much less functionality than software like Raiser’s Edge, it offers the strong advantage of being able to connect well with other products due to its Salesforce infrastructure.  (Integration between platforms has been a major issue at every nonprofit I’ve worked for.)

While Blackbaud has been most active in acquisitions, let’s not forget that Convio also bought GetActive – and the transition of GetActive customers to the Convio platform was long and painful.

As many of my colleagues have said this week, it’s hard to know how this acquisition will pan out, and which products will continue to be maintained.  I have friends at both Blackbaud and Convio, and I can only hope that the inevitable personnel shakeup will be handled respectfully.

In my view, this merger may have the effect of reducing competition and innovation, which is always a bad thing.  However, this may also be a wake up call for those organizations who have not discovered the benefits of using open source solutions which are not tied to the fate of a particular vendor.

If you’re on the Progressive Exchange and Nten email lists, I encourage you to read the comments of my colleagues Peter Campbell, Michelle Murrain, Robert Weiner , Allen Gunn on Aspiration Tech and Alyson Kapin’s on Frogloop.  Also see Nten’s take and then join the free Nten conference call this Wednesday to further sort out what is likely to come next.