Possible 10NTC Sessions
Voting for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference session proposals is now closed. The final agenda will be up in early December.
The Transactional Moment: Optimizing the 'Ask'
It is a fundraising 'given': prospective donors are coming to expect that your organization will provide a variety of different ways to give. Nonprofits are adding more and more transactional formats as new technologies arrive. It's exciting, but it can be daunting: how can you get the most "bang for your buck" out of your ask on-line, via text, or even on a paper donor form?
This session looks at the transactional moment for different formats from the donor's perspective. How hard does the donor have to work to make the gift? Does the ask vehicle help the donor engage with your community? Are you giving the donor the information she wants about your security and privacy policies, and are you learning all you could about your donor?
Session Takeaways:
1. Survey review of different types of solicitation forms and formats
2. Discussion about the critical differences in language and style for different types of asks.
3. Checklists to help consider your nonprofit's particular donor needs and considerations
Level: Intermediate
Project Fundraise
Bring your most recent fundraising campaign with you and compete in breakout teams for the title of top fundraiser!
Part Heidi Klum, part Tim Gunn, this session will be a mix of camp and top talent to give you hands-on experience making your fundraising campaigns even better.
Fundraisers, make it work!
Session Takeaways:
1. Hands-on experience improving current fundraising campaigns.
2. Broad based, wisdom of crowds feedback on fundraising tactics and concepts.
3. Conference sessions don't have to feel like conference sessions.
Level: Intermediate
Stop the Bleeding: the Donor Retention Problem
New research demonstrates that for every $6 raised in a given year, nonprofits will lose $5 by means of donor attrition. Emerging research in the area of on-line or -phone giving is underway now, but preliminary results look just as dire. Yet, just small changes in an organization's approach to retaining donors can yield great long-term gain.
This session provides an overview of the scope of the retention problem, looks at current topics in retention research, and offers some immediate steps to take to help assess your nonprofit's retention status and start on the path to retention.
Session Takeaways:
1. Learn more about the increasing interest in donor retention issues in the sector
2. Learn how to use your existing data to quantify your retention status
3. Determine which steps to take first to respond to your organization's needs.
Level: Intermediate
The Art and Science of Donor Cultivation and Major Giving
Major gifts are a priority for every nonprofit, large or small, and leveraging an effective Moves Management strategy helps nonprofits maximize major gifts through a system that nurtures major donor relationships. But simply adopting this strategy isn't enough, nonprofits need the processes and right tools to support the strategy. This session will highlight successful methods for bringing in new donors, forging relationships, and generating major gifts through a multi-channel approach.
Session Takeaways:
1. Learn best practices to develop donors, rather than simply securing donations
2. Understand the anatomy of successful moves management strategy and how that translates into multi-channel fundraising
3. Gain real-world knowledge and hear case studies of successful moves management strategies and multi-channel campaigns
Level: Intermediate
Event Fundraising in Facebook
In this session we'll present several case studies of event focused fundraising organizations who've successfully moved their "a-thon" events into Facebook, and increased their participation and fundraising results.
Session Takeaways:
1. What are some nonprofit examples of "a-thon" fundraising in Facebook?
2. How does Facebook fit into the larger event fundraising strategy for these organizations?
3. What's involved (logistically, financially, technically) in adding Facebook as a new channel for my organization?
Level: Intermediate
Open the door to long-term engagement: The Online Welcome Wagon is here!
Once your constituents land on your site, are they connecting with the issues they care about…or are they clicking aimlessly looking for ways to further your mission? When a lost constituent probably means another notch in your exit rate and lost income, it's more critical than ever to create clear signs and pathways to point constituents in the right direction.
We'll take a look at successful online welcome series that convert new email addresses into engaged constituents, member centers that serve as valuable member, engagement and organization hubs and email series to reactivate (or redirect) constituents that may have gotten lost in the woods and just can't get back on the trail.
Session Takeaways:
1. How to lay the ground-work to turn new constituents into long-term donors and activities.
2. How to listen to constituents and engage them with the personalized information they want.
3. See specific engagement pathways that will place constituents on a path that is meaningful to you..and to them.
Level: Intermediate
Teach your constituents to fish for you: Building Constituent Led Fundraising Toolkits
Discover how constituent-led fundraising tools and strategies can be used outside of typical "a-thon" style events to achieve extraordinary results. With a few simple approaches, organizations can make it easy for their constituents to fundraise on the organization's behalf. This session will feature examples of honor and memorial programs, weddings and special events, and champions of the cause programs. The session will offer a checklist of items to help organizations prepare a constituent fundraising toolkit to foster the potential of constituent fundraisers.
Session Takeaways:
1. How are organizations encouraging constituent-led fundraising? Leave with examples from organizations large and small.
2. Tips for marketing your constituent-led program, building awareness and driving participation.
3. Steps to create constituent fundraising toolkits including content, fundraising, and email solutions.
Level: Intermediate
MVT DIY-style
f you're not doing multivariate (MVT) optimization tests on your landing pages, you could be leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table.
But for those that have checked out MVT, all those tools and consultants can get expensive pretty darn quick. No matter how great the return on investment, sometimes there just isn't any money.
Enter MVT DIY-style! or, multivariate optimization "do it yourself" style. This session will show you how to use Google's free tools so that you can setup your own tests.
Session Takeaways:
1. Overview of multivariate optimization and quick examples that show why it's so great.
2. Simple overview of Google's Optimizer and Analytics tools and how to set them up.
3. First steps on what to test and what resources to use that are free so you can setup your own tests!
Level: Advanced
Online Fundraising Benchmarks and Metrics
This session will explore common benchmarks for how nonprofit organization's should be performing compared to other organizations when it comes to online fundraising. This session will cover common online fundraising metrics, benchmarks, and how to set goals to improve future performance.
Session Takeaways:
1. Understand the most useful online fundraising metrics.
2. Determine how your organization compares to others.
3. Begin establishing meaningful online fundraising goals.
Level: Intermediate
Online Fundraising Gimmicks that Work
Is your online fundraising getting tired? Maybe you need a gimmick! Learn about simple online fundraising techniques such as premiums, matching gifts, deadlines, lift notes, extended deadlines, and more. In this session we'll share examples of each of these techniques (and others!) and share specific data about how much of an impact they have on response rates. We also share long-term analysis of the impact that this kind of fundraising can have on donor retention. As an added bonus, every attendee will receive a special treat (premium), which you can have two of (matching gift) if you arrive by the session start time (deadline)!
Session Takeaways:
1. Top techniques that you can add to the mix to enhance your online fundraising.
2. Specific data about how much potential each technique has to increase response rates.
3. Long term analysis of impact of premiums on donor retention, with a template calculator for evaluating results.
Level: Intermediate
Raising More Money Online from Independent Fundraising Events
What are the common denominators of a successful programmatic approach to independent fundraising? Through the study of several organizations using the Friends Asking Friends module to support and manage their third party fundraisers, Blackbaud and Event 360, Inc. came to understand the ROI of investing in certain businesses processes, technical infrastructure, and careful relationship management of this revenue segment. Lance Armstrong Foundation will provide highlights of their successful Grassroots Fundraising program.
Session Takeaways:
1. How to get your organization to adopt IFEs
2. Benchmark data on IFE program costs and revenue
3. Best Practices on promoting and supporting IFEs
Level: Intermediate
Warm prospects. how to make them hot converts (err I mean contributing members¦)
You know all those fans, followers, and petition signers, both on- and offline that your nonprofit has? How in the world do you convince someone who is a fan on Facebook or has signed up for your e-newsletter to then become a contributing donor or member?
This session will give you the tips and tricks to best get those warm prospects all hot and bothered (in a good way) for your organization so that they can't wait to become paying members and possibly evangelists for your cause.
The panel will use case studies to present real life situations and stats as well as industry best practices on how you should use multi-channel integration and multi-touch campaigns to further connect with and motivate your supporters to move them up the ladder of engagement online and off!
Session Takeaways:
1. How to integrate email and phones to convert donors
2. When is the best time to convert activists to donors
3. How to move activists up the ladder of engagement online (and off!)
Level: Intermediate
Countdown to deploying a rapid response campaign
Your organization or issue is in the news and you need to become part of the conversation. This session will showcase how to do that and why having good systems in place is key to rapidly deploying a campaign when it matters. We'll take you through how a non-profit took advantage of tools at their disposal to execute a comprehensive campaign with cohesive messaging through email, telemarketing, direct mail, web and press outreach.
Session Takeaways:
1. How to develop a rapid response plan and act on it
2. Ideas on how to communicate in multiple channels quickly
3. How to set up systems and processes to make acting on a hot issue efficient and effective
Level: Intermediate
Email Onboarding - Building a Better Online Donor from the Very Start
In this session, we'll take a look at a fundraising program used by Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America to cultivate new email subscribers. Fashioned after a similar program used by online catalog companies, this fundraising-focused program peppers each new email subscriber with a stream of carefully constructed and targeted emails that include educational content, interactive and fundraising appeals. BBBSA experienced higher levels of giving, greater giving participation rates, and more revenue from their online email fudnraising program.
Session Takeaways:
1. What is an email "on-boarding program" and how does it work?
2. What were the direct and indirect benefits of the program for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America?
3. How can I construct a similar program for my organization?
Level: Intermediate
Social Media Best Practices
Social media has become an essential strategy for many organizations. It gives everyone the opportunity to build relationships and to stand out from the crowd, but how do organizations effectively do this time and time again? How do nonprofits maximize the effectiveness and measure the results?
Session Takeaways:
1. Typical/Daily use & attention of social media
2. Campaign goals and metrics
Level: Beginner
Superheroes of Online Fundraising: Become a Data-Driven Strategist
Learn how to transform from a mild-mannered online organizer into a true data-driven mastermind! Smart nonprofits use data to continually evolve their email communications. When you use data to drive your strategic decisions, you'll make better decisions, avoid mistakes, and achieve a higher return on investment. But how do you transform your organizational culture to become data driven? And what kind of data are we talking about anyways? How do you sift through the massive volumes of online data to discover what is truly relevant? Superhero costume is not required.
Session Takeaways:
1. 5 methods to create a data-driven culture
2. Top 10 data points you probably aren't tracking that you should be
3. How to design meaningful tests
Level: Intermediate
Election 2010: Turning advocates into donors
Are nonprofits fully appreciating the impact that a grassroots advocacy program can have on other aspects of their operations, in particular, fundraising? This session will discuss ways nonprofit groups can leverage online advocacy programs to cost-effectively develop potential donors, and to increase donor retention rates.
Session Takeaways:
1. Gain insights into how grassroots advocacy programs are developing strong prospects for other areas such as fundraising
2. How to grow donor/member loyalty and reinforce your mission through advocacy
3. Real-world success stories of nonprofits breaking down the barriers between advocacy and development for list sharing
Level: Beginner
Fundraising on Facebook & Twitter
In this session for fundraisers, we'll demonstrate successful tactics and case studies for expanding your fundraising program into Facebook and Twitter. We'll present case studies and practical tips for strategizing and implementing extending your fundraising programs for events, house parties, membership, cause-based giving, etc.
Session Takeaways:
1. Examples of successful online fundraising programs in Facebook and Twitter.
2. Ten tips for strategically extending your current fundraising programs to Facebook and Twitter.
3. Unique fundraising ideas that work great on Facebook and Twitter (but not offline).
Level: Advanced
What your constituents know about fundraising on social networks that you need to learn!
While there's lots of discussion that organizations are challenged to see financial return on social networking, there is one pocket of people and organizations seeing success, your constituents. Constituents have raised millions of dollars online through social media in 2009. This session will review trends and benchmarks of the impact of social media on constituent led fundraising. This session will review statistics and summary recommendations from a research project jointly developed by Blackbaud and Charity Dynamics to understand how social networking tools from Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube can influence constituent led fundraising. Non-profit organizations will share in the panel to give their perspective and experience in developing a social networking strategy, experience to date, and what they see on the horizon.
Session Takeaways:
1. Learn how are Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are impacting online fundraising for non-profit organizations and get insight into
2. Learn how to identify and encourage key audiences to use social media to advance your organization.
3. Learn best practices and measurements for integrating Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube into your organizations online strategy.
Level: Intermediate
Going Mobile: SMS at the Forefront of Mobile
Young donors in particular find it hardest to give up their cell phone (62%), as opposed to internet (52%) and television (33%). Companies and brands have seen over double click-through rates in advertisements. How do these statistics translate to the nonprofit industry? This panel will discuss the texting tools that are currently available for nonprofits such as text2give and text2volunteer. Attendees will get a first hand look at some of the campaigns that have been run, and get an in depth dissection of what was successful and what wasn’t.
Session Takeaways:
1. Capabilities of SMS
2. Mobile campaign examples and case studies
3. Getting started with mobile
Level: Beginner
Alternative Ways to Collect Donations
The standard method of collecting donations is by use of credit card or PayPal. There are several new options that can be utilized, including Text2Give, Text2Pledge, 800 Numbers, and Home Phone Numbers among other things.
Session Takeaways:
1. Which technologies are the best for your organization
2. What are the hurdles to obtaining those technologies
3. What is the most effective use of those technologies
Level: Beginner
Will Kiva Kill your non profit? Donations 2.0
Connecting donors directly to the beneficiaries of contributions is a game-changing fundraising strategy. Will traditional nonprofits need to adopt new technologies and fundraising models as donors demand greater accountability for their funds?
Why The Donate Button Isn't Enough: Designing program-centric appeals online
The Donate Button assumes your users are ready to give and just need to know where to go. What about your site visitors who are just browsing, or aren't ready to commit to a lifelong relationship with your organization? Learn how to engage visitors, lead them to learn more and motive them to move from gathering information to giving by attending our session on effectively developing contextual appeals tied to your organization's fabulous work.
Session Takeaways:
1. Messaging for diverse donors and potential donors
2. Hallmarks of a great online appeal and real world examples
3. Tips to tie it all together with email and offline communications
Level: Intermediate
Analyzing your past event performance beyond total donors and funds.
This session will look at metrics to track and how to get those numbers out of the data collected in past years. Time will be spent covering the types of data organizations should be capturing and how to find trends that will help in next year's messaging and communication's calendar.
Session Takeaways:
1. What organizations should be capturing from participants and donors.
2. How to analyze past event reports to observe important trends.
3. Building your communications calendar and messaging around the results.
Level: Intermediate
How to Convert More Online Supporters into Donors? Pick Up the Phone
Not since the iPhone's unveiling have the Internet and the Telephone come together so powerfully. As nonprofits recruit more supporters via email, websites and social media, the most successful way to convert these folks into donors may just turn out to be good ol' Telemarketing. That's right. "Retro" or not, it turns out that phoning up freshly acquired online supporters within a day or two of their having subscribed to your email list yields much higher donor conversion rates than you'll get from direct mail or just continuing to communicate with them online. Several leading nonprofit fundraisers and consultants will provide specific case study data showing how it's done.
Session Takeaways:
1. What kind of conversion rates are organizations seeing from converting new online supporters into donors via the telephone?
2. What is the optimal length of time before my organization should make a phone call to a newly acquired online lead?
3. What is a good pitch for persuading a new subscriber to become a donor -- over the phone?
Level: Intermediate
