October 25thDigital Tools #2
Make sure you're tracking your data
How you collect, use and report on your donor data is essential to your organization’s long-term success. In Canada, only 67% of non profits use donor relationship software. The software conversation is complex and, I admit, confusing. Figuring out the right match for you is a bit like solving a Mensa puzzle.
Here's the clincher: the data you collect is one of the most valuable assets your organization has. It must be organized and analyzed, helping you build authentic relationships with donors, supporters and partners.
And if there’s absolutely one thing we know for certain: Microsoft Excel is not the tool you need. Excel is a spreadsheet. There are times when you will export your data from your DRM to Excel to play with it. But Excel is unstable and unsuitable for a secure, trustworthy data collection tool. All it takes is one slip on the keyboard to throw off your reports. Whether it is duplicating donors, entering a “2” instead of a “1” or allowing your spreadsheet to grow beyond effectiveness, ensuring your data is secure, foolproof and accurate is why we built our Donor Relationship Manager for non-profits.
Keeping proper records is key to your donor relationships. As part of Barefoot Analytics (which we’ll look at next), our Donor Relationship Manager allows you to manage every point of contact you have with your donors. Whether it is through a cash donation, online donation, form or event registration, the information you gather helps you communicate effectively with current and prospective donors. Keeping notes on donors helps you navigate the conversation points you need, especially when you are juggling hundreds of donors. Speaking of hundreds of donors, when we reviewed the donor database of a large organization recently, we discovered it had thousands of duplicate donor records. When each of those donors get 2 of the exact same appeals in their mailbox multiple times in a year, not only is your organization losing money on print, but you are potentially going to lose that donor.
When used with Barefoot Web, our DRM will track all your donors both offline and online, their giving history, relationships with other donors, event registrations, team notes and up-to-date records. And best of all, it is not complicated, allowing you to focus on only the details you need to communicate effectively with your donors.
It's simple to use... but here's the clincher for me (well, 3 clinchers):
- It's online and up and running 24/7
- It mobile--you can use it on your smart phone, which makes it perfect for cultivating high level donors.
- It supports multi-users with varied access--you can ensure stability and security by confining full access to the managers of the database while giving program and development team members the access they need to analyze effectiveness and cultivate relationships.