The digital age provides enormous opportunity for non-profit organizations to collect data, but it’s not enough for non-profit organizations to simply collect information. In order to use that data to make better decisions, nonprofits need good testing and analytics strategies.
Today’s guest, David Karpf, has a long history of involvement in advocacy organizations. David is currently a professor in the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University and has just released a new book about analytics in activism.Tune in to the episode to hear David’s thoughts on how analytics and testing are affecting the way that advocacy organizations create change.
Topics Discussed in this Episode:
Links and Resources:
“The crucial thing for organizations, I think, is that they still embrace the hard conversation upfront about what is our vision, what is our mission, what are we trying to achieve.”
“The practice of testing is way more important than the outcome of any one test.”
“The organizations that are going to be leading the way in nonprofit social change are the ones who have set themselves up to test.”
Understanding how giving trends change of the years can be the key to predicting what’s going to happen in the future and planning how you’re going to address those trends.
In today’s podcast, Ashley Thompson, Managing Director of the Blackbaud Institute, stands in as host to interview Steve MacLaughlin, regular host of this podcast and Blackbaud’s Vice President of Data and Analytics and Senior Advisor to the Blackbaud Institute for Philanthropic Impact. Steve is the author of the annual Charitable Giving Report. Tune in to hear about the latest report and what information and insights it provides about online giving trends.
Topics Discussed in this Episode:
Links and Resources:
“We’re trying to really isolate how did specific organizations perform from one year to the next.”
“We keep expanding the data and research that we’re publishing on an annual basis.”
“The reality is that we’re in this transitional phase of where donors choose to give.”
The nonprofit world has seen rapid change over the last five to ten years. On last week’s episode we talked about how change can be difficult and positive at the same time. This week, we are tackling change from the perspective of professionals and organizations who are searching for ways to not just keep up with changing trends and technology, but to stay ahead of the curve. The answer is professional development. A multi-pronged professional development strategy can help professionals achieve growth in their roles while staying sharp and current while also helping nonprofit leadership mitigate attrition and turnover.
Today’s guest is Terry Vyas, Vice President of Education Services at Blackbaud. Terry leads Blackbaud University, the training arm of Blackbaud focused on helping nonprofit professionals not only stay up to speed on the technology they use on a daily basis, but also helps individuals develop their skills and build lasting careers in the social good community. Terry and I tackle the impact professional development can have on an organization, the types of professional development to be considered, as well as the best way to put a professional development program in place.
Topics Discussed in this Episode:
Links and Resources:
“Each of us as human beings, we have this inherent need to grow.”
“I would argue that you need a multi-pronged strategy for your organizational development.”
“I would say the mission’s obviously number one, but if you don’t have a staff that’s growing, that’s learning something, that’s developing their own skills, they’re not going to be as productive to help you drive that particular mission.”
Accepting change is hard for everybody, but it’s an important part of life, and it’s definitely important in the fundraising world. The ability to accept and embrace change, whether it be change in process, staff or technology, is what allows your nonprofit organization to remain relevant and active in a changing world.
Today’s guest is an expert on the subject of change. Michael Reardon is a change management expert, former professor at the College of Charleston with a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication from Purdue University, and currently a manager with Blackbaud’s Business Consulting Services. Tune into the episode to hear what Michael has to say about the importance of change management and embracing positive change.
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“It means different things to different people, and I think that’s OK.”
“That’s usually the first step in any change management: make people aware.”
“Taking time now to do it right will accelerate everything down the road.”
We hear this group discussed a lot in the social good community: Millennials. More specifically, the importance of digital technology for understanding how Millennials, the first generation of people who grew up with digital technology, use the internet when it comes to social issues and charitable works and giving and how to properly engage with this group to convert their interests into action.
Today’s guest, Derrick Feldman, is the founder and producer of MCON, the nation’s premiere conference on Millennials. In this episode, Derrick shares his unique thoughts about Millennials, how they’re really impacting the current and future states of philanthropy and what fundraisers need to start and stop doing going forward to engage Millennials.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:
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“When you see some of the most successful organizations that have raised dollars, they have looked at it through the lens of the supporter constituency model.”
“The population needs to see the next milestone to reach that bold statement.”
“At the end of the day we continue to notice that the Millennial individual is focused on ensuring that that person, that human being isn’t challenged, that they have opportunities, and that they have the rights that are afforded to them.”
The professional life of a fundraiser often involves changing gears. Fundraisers frequently move to new organizations to set new goals and take on new challenges. However, being the “new kid” in the organization can be a challenge of its own.
Today’s guest, Jerusha Schmalzel, has some experience with the challenges of coming into a new organization. Jerusha is now the Customer Success Manager at Blackbaud, but she was formerly a Director and Vice President of development in the nonprofit sector. Listen to the episode to hear Jerusha’s do’s and don’ts for how fundraisers can adapt and succeed quickly in a new organization.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:
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“You do not want to get the reputation of the fundraiser that goes into organizations, fires everybody underneath them, and brings in their best friends and their favorite people.”
“Don’t take “we tried that already” as an answer.”
“To me, that’s the hardest part about being the leader of a fundraising team – it’s keeping everybody on your side.”
A big election, like the upcoming 2018 midterms, can get people fired up about a variety of issues. Can nonprofits, including 501(c)(3) organizations, take advantage of these political moments to raise awareness, build support, and inspire donors?
Today’s guest is Colin Delany, the founder of epolitics.com, a site that focuses on digital advocacy and strategy. In this episode, Colin will share some of his knowledge of and thinking about the intersections between nonprofits and politics.
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“What we’re selling is emotional satisfaction. We’re offering people the opportunity to feel good about themselves by doing something to help the world.”
“When you’ve spent all this time and money to build a list, to not get every benefit from it that you can, I think, is really shortsighted.”
“If you’re out there elevating your issue, that’s not electioneering.”
As nonprofit marketers, fundraisers and executives, we always need to be looking for new and more effective ways to reach new people. One of the best and most underutilized ways to do that is through social ambassadors – people who love your work, support your mission and have a wide reach of their own. They can reach out to their own networks on your behalf, bringing in new donations and awareness of your cause.
Today’s guest, Beth Kanter, is an international non-profit thought leader who knows a thing or two about non-profit fundraising and how social ambassadors can help. Listen to the episode to hear Beth’s thoughts on this interesting subject.
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“Who are the people that already support you, or are interested, or their interests is aligned with your campaign or organization, and who are their networks?”
“If your organization has been able to build a really engaged organic fan base, and if you’re producing content that people are talking about and interacting with and sharing, that’s not going to change.”
“Groups are a great way to manage your influencers and fans.”
In the nonprofit sector, digital engagement and fundraising is a hot topic. But are donors and activists on the same page as organizations when it comes to digital engagement and giving online? Are nonprofits taking the right steps to engage them digitally? Do nonprofits understand what metrics matter online?
To answer these questions and more, Steve’s guest today is Carie Lewis Carlson, of CLC Consulting and formerly of the Humane Society of the United States. Listen in to hear Steve and Carie discus what’s happening in digital marketing today.
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“I think that our constituents and our customers are actually way more advanced than we are. Technology can’t keep up with them.”
“You’re going to come out better in the end, no matter if you fail or succeed, because you’re going to learn from those mistakes.”
“Everybody’s on social, but they don’t know why.”
We’ve all been there: the latest reports show this one color donate button works best, everyone is blogging about shortening subject lines, our board is inspired by another organization’s successful campaign and suggests we emulate. We find ourselves at the crossroads of “Should we do that?” and “Will that work for us?” Steve MacLaughlin, VP of Data and Analytics at Blackbaud and the host of today’s episode, explains that the answer is almost always going to be “it depends”. It depends on your mission, your technology, your audience, your goals – it depends on each organization’s unique situation and circumstance. The only way to get your answer: Test.
Joining Steve for today’s episode, a true expert in the field, is Tim Kachuriak, the Chief Innovation and Optimization Officer for Next After, a research and consulting firm that helps nonprofits, NGOs, and businesses grow their research capacity. Tune in to hear Steve and Tim tackle everything from why you can’t afford not to be testing, a simple change that tests showed could increase online giving up to 20% and how to get started with simple data points.
Topics Discussed in This Episode:
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“The thing that I’m usually amazed by is how seemingly small things can make significant impact as it relates to getting more people to say “yes” to give a gift to you.”
“One of the ways that you can mitigate risk is by doing testing and finding out for sure, using data, what works and what doesn’t.”
“I love best practices, but I love them as a starting place, not a final destination.”
Today’s episode is all about Change Management and how you can better your organization by implementing change at all levels. My guest is Tiffany Getch, an Organizational Change Manager at Blackbaud, and she is an expert at creating data-driven solutions while defining and improving processes for non-profits. Join us as we cover specific tactics and resources you can use to create change and improve efficiency at your organization.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Tiffany on Twitter - @Tiffany_getch
Danielle on Twitter - @DJVermenton
Blackbaud - Twitter #raiseandengage
“When driving a project, collaboration is key. Bring the whole team across the finish line.”
“The biggest thing about change is to bring everybody along.”
“Process mapping is an incredible exercise to get clarity of the things you were doing, things you thought were getting done and and things that still need to be done.”
Our topic this week is the intersection of major gifts when it comes to online and offline tactics. Many organizations resist the idea that major gifts can be done online, so we will go over how it works and what the concerns are. My guest to discuss is Jerusha Schmalzel, a Customer Success Manager at Blackbaud’s Arts and Cultural Verticle. She has over 10 years experience working with nonprofits and Arts and Cultural organizations as a VP of Development and Major Gifts Officer. Join us as we share the variety of ways major donors can be engaged online and increase the impact of your mission.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Jerusha on Twitter - @jschmalzel
Danielle on Twitter - @DJVermenton
Blackbaud - Twitter #raiseandengage
Quotes:
“Any time we make assumptions about people we’re just removing an entire group of human beings from a certain channel that might be really appealing to them.” - Jerusha Schmalzel
“People are more apt to giving to your organization when they are currently experiencing your mission.” - Jerusha Schmalzel
“Every time you convert people into that online channel, you’re freeing up more of your time to get out there and have those one to one relationships.” - Jerusha Schmalzel
“Any tool in our toolbox we should be deploying.” - Jerusha Schmalzel
On today’s episode we’re talking about our unfiltered end of the year campaign checklists - the things we need to stop doing and things we should be doing instead. My guests to discuss are Scarlett Bauman, Director of Marketing at Air Force Enlisted Village, and Brock Warner, Senior Manager of Fundraising at War Child Canada. Listen in as they share what their end of the year planning looks like and give us great advice on campaign organizing.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
The Unforgettable Photograph by George Lange
Scarlett Bauman on Twitter
Brock Warner on Twitter
Fundraising Robot on Twitter
Blackbaud - Twitter #raiseandengage
Quotes:
“What do we have, what can we use and how can we extend that story out into a journey over the course of the year end campaign.” - Brock Warner
“I found that having as many people around the table at the early stages is a lifesaver.” - Brock Warner
“When they receive that email I want them to open it up...and I want them to see a compelling photograph that tells a story.” - Scarlett Bauman
Today’s topic is about local Giving Days that don’t fall on Giving Tuesday - how does an organization decide which day to focus on? My guest to discuss is Amy Daly, Director of Marketing and Communications for Project Angel Heart. Her organization participates in Colorado Give Day and she shares how they balance their popular local event with the global Giving Tuesday movement. Listen in as she shares marketing and communication tips around Give Day campaigns.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Amy on Twitter - @amykdaly
Blackbaud - Twitter #raiseandengage
Quotes:
“This is bigger than just us, and participating in this allows us to be part of something that’s exciting and gets people really jazzed about giving.” - Amy Daly
“I don’t think it’s jumping on the bandwagon to participate in something that’s successful, that’s working and it’s getting people excited.” - Amy Daly
“If you see people getting excited about something, get excited with them!” - Amy Daly
Welcome to the Raise + Engage podcast where we help organizations with online communications and development. Today, I am talking about the important topic of email deliverability with Ryan O’Keefe, Product Manager at Blackbaud. There are a lot of misconceptions with how email is delivered because the process is handed off to so many different entities. Listen in as we go over the ins and outs of email delivery, and how to ensure that your communications reach your target audience.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Blackbaud - Twitter #nofilternonprofit
Quotes:
“At Blackbaud, we set everything up according to the best industry email practice.” Ryan O’Keefe
“Organizations need to adjust their policies for sending out email. Stop targeting inactive subscribers.” Ryan O’Keefe
“Target your most engaged users to get your biggest return at the end of the year.” Ryan O’Keefe
On today’s podcast episode, we are talking about behavior based email marketing for nonprofits with Jessica Sotelo the director of online marketing at the World Wildlife Fund. Jessica oversees the email marketing and fundraising at WWF. Listen in as we discuss how email marketing approaches change over time, and how to take a more thoughtful approach to crafting email campaigns that create lasting engagement.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Blackbaud - Twitter #nofilternonprofit
Quotes:
“Instead of sending a large email blast to everyone, focus on interaction and send emails to a smaller group.” - Jessica Sotelo
“Smaller email segments have higher open and higher engagement rates.” - Jessica Sotelo
“We are going to start sending reactivation emails to unresponsive groups three times a year.” - Jessica Sotelo
On today’s episode we are talking about storytelling and why so many organizations are struggling with this. Our guest today is Vanessa Chase Lockshin, the President of The Storytelling Non-Profit and the author of The Storytelling Non-Profit: A practical guide to telling stories that raise money and awareness. Listen in as we discuss Vanessa’s techniques for teaching non-profits how to raise awareness by telling their stories.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Blackbaud - Twitter #nofilternonprofit
Vanessa Chase Lockshin - Twitter
The Storytelling Non-Profit: A practical guide to telling stories that raise money and awareness
Quotes:
“Introduce donors to the big picture without overwhelming them. ” Vanessa Chase Lockshin
“Create context for donors to understand and relate to the cause using narrative” Vanessa Chase Lockshin
“Lack of collaboration can make it difficult for people in non-profits to find stories to tell.” Vanessa Chase Lockshin
On today’s podcast episode we are talking about Website Design Trends for 2017, including visual design, content and mobile. Our guests are Aga Siuda and Jay Schultz, design leads at Blackbaud who design responsive websites for nonprofit clients. Listen in as we discuss the hottest design strategies and trends for nonprofits today.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Blackbaud - Twitter #nofilternonprofit
How you tell a story on your website will determine whether or not your site visitors take action and what kind of action they take. Whether you're looking for email sign-ups, donations, volunteers, or something else entirely, engagement doesn't just happen; you have to make it happen! Join Raise + Engage host Danielle Johnson Vermenton with all-star guest Ben Wong as they brainstorm ways that you can entice all your different audiences to take action online.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Danielle Johnson Vermenton - Twitter
http://nofilternonprofit.blackbaud.com/
Quotes:
“Everybody is trying to stand out and get noticed, but to get noticed you have to have good content that does something for the audience.” - Ben Wong
“A ‘brochure site’ is the lowest level of engagement” - Ben Wong
“By design, what are the opportunities we’re giving for engagement? Do we have a like button, is there a sharing option, is there a place for comments?” - Ben Wong
Our guest on today’s episode is Melissa Bank Stepno, a Practice Manager with Blackbaud’s Target Analytics team. She has spent the last decade as a nonprofit consultant in predictive modeling and wealth segmentation programs, and she is here to share what she has learned during her time in the industry. Listen in as we learn how to identify the best prospects for major gift donations.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Blackbaud - Twitter #raiseandengage
Quotes:
“Most organizations have a larger database than what they can focus on for major gift purposes.” - Melissa Bank Stepno
“The age of big data is upon us.” - Melissa Bank Stepno
“At the end of the day, data itself doesn’t raise dollars. An organization still needs to take action.” - Melissa Bank Stepno
On this episode, we’re talking to guest Steve MacLaughlin about data and the growing need for analytics in the nonprofit space. Steve is the Vice President of Data & Analytics at Blackbaud with over 20 years experience in the field. He is the author of Data Driven Nonprofits, a bestseller in 2016. Join us as he shares the top lessons learned from data analysis of current trends in nonprofit fundraising and how to apply these for future growth.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Blackbaud - Twitter #raiseandengage
Blackbaud’s 2016 Charitable Giving Report
Data Driven Nonprofits by Steve MacLaughlin
Steve MacLaughlin at the Huffington Post
Quotes:
“Data and statistics analytics answer that fundamental question: Is something working, or is it not?” - Steve MacLaughlin
“There are multiple paths to being successful with the use of data.” - Steve MacLaughlin
“The nonprofit that creates the shortest distance between the gift and the expected outcome, wins.” - Steve MacLaughlin
Today’s podcast topic is Peer-to-Peer Fundraising. The landscape for non-profit peer-to-peer fundraising is changing rapidly with technology, and we discuss actionable tips and scaleable strategies you can use right now. I’m speaking with Robin Mendez, Senior Peer-to-Peer Product Marketing Manager at Blackbaud, as she shares wealth of expertise on the top Peer-to-Peer technologies out there today.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Blackbaud - Twitter #raiseandengage
https://mymarathon.bhf.org.uk/
Quotes:
“You have now inserted yourself as an organization into their day-to-day routine.” - Robin Mendez
“We’re trying to get the people who have an affinity towards us to more deeply engage and to think about our organization.” - Robin Mendez
“You’re providing an outlet for someone to fundraise that meets their need more specifically.” - Robin Mendez
On today’s episode we discuss the importance of harnessing an online community from your network of constituents, alumni and clients to connect, engage and mobilize them. Our guests today are Joe Prosperi, Director for Digital Strategy for Relay for Life at the American Cancer Society, and Holly Herbert, Community Manager at Blackbaud. Joe has been with the American Cancer Society for 13 years, and currently oversees online fundraising, social media and other digital strategies. Holly has been bringing people together online for the past 15 years, and joined Blackbaud 3 years ago. Join us as we discuss strategies to create and grow a community that will benefit and accelerate your organization.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Blackbaud - Twitter #raiseandengage
"Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies" by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff
Image of engagement pyramid - Source: Free Connection
Quotes:
“Creating an online community allows you to foster engagement with those audiences and gather those stories.” -Joe Prosperi
“Community is not just a place on a map. Community is a digital space where activity happens for your organization.” -Joe Prosperi
“Even if you’re not engaging in your digital space around your brand, people are already out there talking about it.” -Holly Herbert
On this episode, we’re taking on the topic of Advocacy: the changing role of Advocacy in social media and how this can be harnessed tactically for non-profits. Our three expert guests today are Jeanette Russell, Caroline Stuart-Freas and Sally Heaven. Caroline is a Senior Advocacy Customer Success Manager at Blackbaud, helping non-profit clients succeed in their online advocacy and fundraising goals. Jeanette is a Product Marketing Manager for Blackbaud with 25 years of experience and has a special focus on advocacy and social media engagement. Sally works in Client Success at Blackbaud, helping customers to achieve success with seven years of online advocacy experience directly engaging supporters.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
http://nofilternonprofit.blackbaud.com/
https://www.indivisibleguide.com/
https://attentive.ly/power-to-your-people/
Quotes:
“Strategy coupled with smart tactics, which are the tools, can scale change much faster.” - Sally Heaven
“We are in a new and exciting place in the world of online advocacy...we have so many tools at our disposal” - Caroline Stuart-Freas
“Citizen movements are having an enormous role in leading change.” - Jeanette Russell
On today’s episode, we discuss the important topic of Leadership with our guests Rachel Hutchisson and Mark Pitman. Rachel is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) executive at Blackbaud, heading up volunteerism and philanthropy efforts at the leadership level. Mark Pitman is the CEO and Founder of Concord Leadership Group, Fundraising Coach and Non-Profit Academy. Join us for our open discussion on the state of leadership within non-profit organizations and how to develop talent to fill current and future leadership gaps.
Topics discussed this episode:
Resources:
Non-Profit Academy - Mark Pitman
Fundraising Coach - Mark Pitman
Danielle Johnson Vermenton - Twitter
Danielle Johnson Vermenton - Facebook
Quotes:
“We come to work everyday as a complete person, not just a business person, with the desire to do good and make change in the world.” - Rachel Hutchisson
“It’s a much better journey when you’re not the smartest person in the room.” - Mark Pitman
“Professional development is not extravagant.” - Rachel Hutchisson
“Honesty and integrity are the best fundraising tools.” - Mark Pitman
