Hi Reader,
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Imagine this…

You're running a nonprofit with an incredible team and a mission that always sparks your community.

But, deep down, you know the organization isn’t running smoothly—there are too many balls in the air.

You don’t have a way to track donors and volunteers, so follow-ups get missed, and donors feel unappreciated.

Your website needs an update to improve navigation. Your email marketing aims to engage your donors, but often, it feels like you’re shouting into the void.

Your team is using different platforms that get lost in the shuffle.

It’s hard to engage with supporters consistently.

You know things could be better, but you’re unsure where to start.

In today’s edition of the Social Profit Stack, I’ll share where to begin your technology strategy and the four essential components you need to build your digital stack.

Let’s dive in.
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What is A Digital Stack?

You know I love digital tools.

When I work with my clients, one of the first elements I assess is the “digital stack” in their organization.

What I mean by a ‘stack’ is it’s a group of tools or skills that one has related to the digital structure of your business.

I check the website, social channels, CRM availability, and how they integrate.

The digital stack is essential when building your online nonprofit.

It is a great place to start to improve your online fundraising or marketing position for your cause.

Integrate Software

How an organization integrates all its technology is critical when deciding what software to invest in.

When I met with a client last week, I made several recommendations for their upcoming fundraising program.

One recommendation was to connect their technical platforms to share information across the organization. In the assessment, I discovered that the team didn’t connect throughout the workday besides using email and meetings.

They couldn’t freely share data between teams, and if the technology was available, they weren’t using it.

It made me wonder how their constituents communicate with the team.

Initiate Building the Stack

Initiating the steps to ensure you have the right technology is a balancing act, especially for nonprofits.

Between a lack of resources and a huge expense, and when the most efficient ways to do things involve software, those decisions can impact the organization's future.

While these decisions can be intimidating, software availability no longer puts nonprofits in the corner. You can now take your organization to the next level.

Here are the four essential components to improve your digital stack at your nonprofit:

1. Database (CRM)

A customer relationship management (CRM) platform is one of your organization's most important investments.

Your CRM is your organization's engine and stack base, and it is essential for a data centre to integrate it with all other software.

Like an engine, you'll need horsepower. Invite those who connect with your constituents to record the information from their meetings.

Contact reports aren’t just for fundraising staff anymore.

2. Fundraising Software

Online giving is exploding, and ensuring your would-be donors don’t experience mediocre donation pages is an excellent first step.

Consider embedding the giving form on your website to make it easy to collect donations. Donation friction will be lower if donors don’t need to click on another page they may not trust.

When you add fundraising software for other activities, like events and campaigns, pick the one that integrates with your CRM.

3. Marketing tools

Amplifying your cause is crucial to the growth of your organization.

Tools in the marketing space can add instant value to your current donor base. They can liven up your community and spark new interest in your cause.

Email marketing platforms enable you to set expectations and plan for future success. For example, email communications allow you to predict future revenue when you plan a year-end fundraising campaign.

Your website is your connection to your audience and soon-to-be donors. With an easy-to-update website, you control what your constituents need to see.

As you become more comfortable optimizing your website, boosting your marketing strategies is the next step to providing more value to your supporters.

4. Internal communication tools

Internal messaging is an important feature. A tool or service that provides quick messaging and informs everyone is a great place to start. You can add tools like Slack, Zoom, or Google Meet to keep in touch with your team.

These tools integrate with nearly all workplace software systems. Communication will improve efficiency and boost team engagement, and your staff will love the opportunity to message their peers.

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There’s a wide variety of digital products that will empower your organization. Invest the time to make sure they all connect. Connection equals better relationships, better relationships equals more revenue, and more revenue equals a more significant impact.

Ready to check your stack? Hit reply - happy to chat about the next steps for your business or nonprofit.

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🔗 Links

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