Nonprofit organizations serve members of the community with money and time donated by individuals, corporations, and governments. Nonprofit organizations like other organizations are using information technology to better achieve their goals. Technology continues to enable process improvements, drive efficiency, increase profit margins, as well as cost savings. More importantly, it allows delivering services to more people in the community – faster.
Here are some ways nonprofit organizations are making use of technology to become more effective and efficient:
Digital Fundraising
Nonprofit organizations should try and make use of donor data better to maximize marketing fundraising drives. In order to make these activities more secure, nonprofit organizations can consider ways to; tighten password policy, replace outdated and open source software and lastly rely on secure online payment processors. Adding a “donate” menu on the website will allow donors to conveniently sign up on the website and make transfers from bank accounts and/or credit cards. Additionally, requesting for donations for a specific project makes donors feel special about what they’re contributions are being used for.
Cloud Platforms
Nonprofit organizations could significantly benefit from cloud platforms. Most companies are currently only using common tasks like email. If they were to explore cloud based accounting, management and fundraising solutions they’d be able to lower their operational costs in the longer run. The move to the cloud becomes even more critical when we consider the pervasive nature of mobile devices.
Social Media
Tech savvy and trained marketing personnel should be vigilant about posts being made on social media. Inappropriate and irrelevant content should be removed, and relevant posts should be shared and promoted across other social media channels to showcase achievements and activities of nonprofit organizations. Networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter provide access to networks of potential donors, volunteers, members, alumni, supporters, etc.
Public Relations
Much like advertising, public relations is a very broad and widespread communication strategy. There are a number of benefits to utilizing this economical tool, but perhaps the most important is the ease with which you can showcase yourself. Public relations allow individuals to control the image they want the public to interpret, creating a more positive perception of one’s brand and cause. A great way to do this is by using press releases with local news sources about upcoming events or new opportunities at one’s organization.
Visual Storytelling
Content marketing is gaining traction across industries. Therefore, the nonprofit sector could really benefit from telling a visually compelling story. Using elements such as videos, photos, info graphics, short-form videos and testimonials from fundraisers can help the target audience understand the essence of their mission and goals. High-quality content can boost engagement and speak volumes of the level of professionalism.
Email Marketing
Email Marketing is a great communications strategy for nonprofit organizations. It enables them to segment their target audience and consequently send appropriate messages to keep them engaged and interested. For instance, first-time donors would be more interested to hear about the mission and work of the organization whereas recurring donors would like to hear about the progress of work being done. Nonprofit organizations seem to transition to greater automation of operations.
Nonprofit organizations seem to transition to greater automation of operations. However, hiring trained personnel to execute tasks using advanced technology can render to be more expensive. In spite of the opportunity cost of incurring higher costs for adopting better technology, nonprofit organizations are moving in the right direction to better achieve their goals.
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