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Technology continues to be a major player in the world of fundraising<\/a>.<\/p>\n After all, what would your nonprofit do if you weren\u2019t equipped with the tools you need to accept online gifts, run your peer-to-peer fundraiser, or plan your next big fundraising event?<\/p>\n Having the right technology on hand is key for almost any type of fundraising campaign. And as nonprofit technology consultants, we at DNL OmniMedia know that purchasing the right nonprofit software<\/a> is only step one to a successful fundraiser.<\/strong><\/p>\n In this post, we\u2019ll share some of the tech-savvy tips we\u2019ve learned for using your fundraising tools more effectively and truly maximizing your next campaign:<\/p>\n Any nonprofit can take advantage of these strategies, no matter how advanced your tech knowledge is. If you want to step up your fundraising game, though, we always recommend working with an expert consultant<\/a> who knows how to tailor your technology strategy to fit your organization\u2019s unique goals.<\/p>\n With that in mind, let\u2019s get to the first tip.<\/p>\n When it comes to developing an effective fundraising plan, your CRM can be one of your biggest allies. Why? Your database stores invaluable information on your donors that can help you create a solicitation strategy that perfectly aligns with your constituency.<\/p>\n Within your CRM, create supporter profiles that contain all of the following essentials:<\/p>\n You can use this information to develop segments of your database that correspond with different traits or preferences.<\/strong> Then, you can outline fundraising and engagement strategies for each segment rather than for your entire constituency.<\/p>\n Your segmentation will depend heavily on your donor data management goals<\/a>, but let\u2019s walk through a few examples of how these lists might inform your fundraising strategy.<\/p>\n You could create segments based on\u2026<\/p>\n And much, much more!<\/p>\n With all that said, segmentation is your first key to a successful donation request. Learn more about what makes a successful fundraising letter (and grab a free template) by reading this post.<\/a><\/p>\n Though you don\u2019t want to flood your donor profiles with irrelevant information, keep in mind that the more insight you have into who your donors are, the more targeted your engagement and fundraising strategies can be.<\/p>\n More than likely, your nonprofit is using a wide range of tools related to different aspects of your fundraising and donor engagement efforts.<\/p>\n In order to see the best results from all of your various software solutions, you need to make sure all of the platforms work together\u2014just like the different departments at your nonprofit!<\/p>\n The key here is to integrate your technology so that your team isn\u2019t pulling data from multiple (potentially outdated) sources. When you integrate your software, data can flow directly from all platforms into your CRM. That way, you have one comprehensive, centralized view of all of your ongoing efforts.<\/strong><\/p>\n Examples of common integrations with a nonprofit database include:<\/p>\n However, keep in mind that not all nonprofit software plays nicely with others. Before purchasing any new fundraising tool, talk to your vendor about their integration options<\/a>. You\u2019ll need to know how easy it is to integrate with other platforms, including products you\u2019re using now and ones you might bring on in the future.<\/p>\n You should also ask your vendor if they provide assistance during the integration process. Integrations can be a complicated undertaking, and you don\u2019t want to waste time and resources attempting to connect two totally incompatible solutions.<\/p>\n If your vendor doesn\u2019t provide integration support, you can always check out third-party options, such as a nonprofit technology consultant. (Just make sure they\u2019ve got experience with the technology you\u2019re working with!)<\/strong><\/p>\n Need a helping hand with integrations, implementation, and software configuration? Double the Donation\u2019s list of top consultants<\/a> can give you a good jumping off point no matter what you\u2019re in the market for.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s face it: like everyone else, donors today might not always have the longest attention span. And that\u2019s not a bad thing\u2014your supporters are busy individuals with a number of tasks competing for their attention at any given moment.<\/p>\n With so much on their plates, your online donation form simply can\u2019t be something that weighs down a donor\u2019s day. If it takes longer than a few minutes to submit an online gift, your donors will exit the page without completing the transaction. Don\u2019t let that happen!<\/strong><\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to be a tech expert to make the online giving process simple, straightforward, and (hopefully) successful. Here are a few quick steps you can take right now to streamline the online giving process:<\/p>\n Because your online giving form is likely one of your most fundamental donation channels, it\u2019s key that you optimize the process as much as possible.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t forget: before you can outline your online fundraising strategy, you\u2019ll need an online giving tool that meets your needs. Check out Qgiv\u2019s list of the best PayPal alternatives to see which of these top tools might be the one for your organization.<\/a><\/p>\n Having a top-notch online donation form is a great first step for maximizing your online fundraising strategy, but there\u2019s still more you can do!<\/p>\n You\u2019ve got all different types of individuals in your supporter base\u2014different ages, education and income levels, hobbies, lifestyles, philanthropic interests, and more\u2014so why would you expect all of your donors to prefer to make their donations in the same way? You wouldn\u2019t!<\/p>\n Because all of your donors approach charitable giving in a different way, your organization needs to have plenty of options to cater to their preferred donation methods.<\/strong><\/p>\n Lucky for you, there\u2019s software to help facilitate pretty much every type of giving, such as:<\/p>\n While it\u2019s always better to give your donors as many options as possible, remember to assess the profitability of each of these channels on a regular basis. You might find that some channels aren\u2019t bringing in as many donors as others, or that one source is driving the majority of gifts to your nonprofit.<\/p>\n If that\u2019s the case, you might consider funneling more resources into marketing certain channels or cutting them from your fundraising strategy altogether. (Learn more about how to analyze nonprofit data like this by reading DNL OmniMedia\u2019s post on key analytics for nonprofits<\/a>!)<\/p>\n One of the greatest benefits of a strategic peer-to-peer fundraiser is that it\u2019s not just a super-profitable fundraising opportunity. It\u2019s also a fantastic way to attract new donors and develop deeper relationships with your existing constituency.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/h2>\n1. Create donor segments for targeted fundraising.<\/h2>\n
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<\/h2>\n2. Integrate your software to centralize your efforts.<\/h2>\n
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<\/h2>\n3. Streamline the online giving experience.<\/h2>\n
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<\/h2>\n4. Open up a variety of donation channels.<\/h2>\n
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<\/h2>\n5. Stay connected during your peer-to-peer fundraiser.<\/h2>\n
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