According to Salesforce.org’s Connected Nonprofit Report, which took an in-depth look into Nonprofit fundraising trends, 90 per cent of individuals who had engaged in volunteer work for a nonprofit organisation felt it was significant knowing the effects of their contributions. They seek a sense of purpose and assurance that their efforts matter. However, according to Research by Charity Digital, as many as 58% of UK charities reported having no defined digital strategy. This disconnect between the eagerness of donors to know their impact and the lack of digital strategy creates a problem that resonates throughout the nonprofit landscape.
This lack of a clear digital strategy causes a problem. It’s not just about utilising digital tools; it’s about how charities can communicate what their help does. Without a proper way to use digital tools, charities can’t wave the flag for achieving their goal or shout out about their impact. This gap stops charities from getting in touch with their supporters and stops them from making volunteers and donors feel like their help makes a difference. When volunteers give their time, or people donate money, they want to know that they’re making a real impact. But when charities can’t tell them how much of a difference they’re making, it feels a bit incomplete, like something is missing.
This article delves into the crossroads where donors’ generosity meets Nonprofit’s mission, demonstrating how Salesforce’s suite of tools and solutions revolutionises this relationship to impact both sides.
At its core, the Me-First approach encapsulates the desire for donors to feel personally fulfilled by their contributions. When individuals donate to a cause, they often seek recognition, validation, or a sense of making a tangible impact. While this isn’t inherently negative – after all, the act of giving should evoke positive emotions – the challenge arises when these desires eclipse the larger purpose of the donation: effecting positive change and addressing the needs of the beneficiaries.
The connection between donors and the Nonprofits they wholeheartedly support can often dwindle over time, due to the absence of personalised engagement. While the intention behind this “me-first” approach to giving is well-meaning, it can inadvertently create a disconnect between the donors and the NGOs.
Today’s donors and volunteers expect nonprofit organisations to provide custom-tailored communications and greater transparency around impact. When donors receive personalised updates on how their contributions create impact, it deepens their connection with the cause. Transparent feedback mechanisms, such as progress reports, stories of impact, and even direct communication from beneficiaries, bridge the gap between the donors’ intent and the outcomes Nonprofits can achieve. This nurturing of a more intimate connection transforms giving from a one-time transactional act into an ongoing partnership for success.
However, the disconnect between donors and NGOs often arises when personalised engagement is overlooked. The human element can be inadvertently sidelined in the rush to achieve short-term fundraising goals or administrative tasks. This leaves donors feeling like distant observers rather than active participants in the cause they hold dear.
In the world of charities, where organisations strive to connect donors’ generosity with their causes’ urgent needs, Salesforce is a powerful tool, supercharging the impact of their efforts. Let’s take a practical journey, step by step, and see how different parts fit together using Salesforce. For this illustration, let’s look at an animal welfare group and see how Salesforce brings to life their quest of building stronger donor relationships.
Our animal welfare group starts their journey by implementing Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, the rock-solid base of their donor management plan. Custom-made for non-profits, this tool empowers the group to create detailed profiles of donors, capturing important details such as what interests them, how they’ve been supported before, and their giving patterns.
To put this into action, think of supporters who really care about wildlife preservation. The group can send personalised updates about specific projects linked to the interests of their supporters using data stored within Nonprofit Cloud. Let’s say we have a supporter named Emily who is passionate about protecting endangered species. With the help of Nonprofit Cloud, the group knows about Emily’s passion and can send her messages highlighting the progress made in safeguarding these animals. This smart approach connects deeply with Emily, going beyond just giving money.
Once the foundation is set, our animal welfare group moves to a crucial step: using Salesforce Marketing Cloud. This tool supports their strategy and helps them build lasting relationships with their donors.
With Salesforce Marketing Cloud, the group plans to communicate better and show how donations make a real difference. Imagine that Emily gets timely emails about wildlife conservation projects that matter to her. These emails share success stories, discuss important milestones, and express gratitude for Emily’s support. This approach makes Emily feel like she’s part of the group’s journey. She gets to see the impact of her donations, and her commitment grows. It’s not just about being efficient; it’s about creating a strong emotional link beyond giving money.
And there’s more! Automated journeys take things to the next level. It’s like Emily getting a series of emails that follow her progress from supporter to impact-maker. Plus, the form element is like a magic wand. Charities can gather more info from Emily, like what animal she’s most passionate about. This data flows seamlessly with Nonprofit Cloud’s treasure trove of info, making each email feel like it’s made just for Emily.
Jack Stevens
UKI Sales Director
Having built a strong connection with Emily, our animal welfare group steps into a fascinating phase: implementing Einstein Analytics. Using clever insights powered by artificial intelligence (AI) makes things even more exciting. This helps the group tailor its interactions in a special way.
Einstein Analytics helps the group understand how donors like Emily behave and what they prefer. For instance, the group can spot patterns in Emily’s support and figure out that she really cares about a specific animal species. With this knowledge, the group sends Emily messages focused on her favourite topics. The emails are full of content that speaks directly to Emily’s heart. They share stories about the animals she cares about, giving her updates that match her interests.
But that’s not all. Einstein Analytics can predict what Emily might be interested in next based on what she’s done before. This lets the group surprise her with information that she’s likely to love before she even knows she’s interested. This prediction feature of AI adds an extra layer of excitement to the connection, making Emily feel even more involved.
Think of it as a team effort where everyone wins. Donors go from just giving money to becoming part of the charity’s mission. Charities show donors how their support directly changes things they care about, making donors like Emily feel super connected and understand the real difference they make. This goes beyond handing over cash; it’s about growing relationships that stick around.
As donors like Emily see the actual results of their donations and feel a deep link to the cause, they often keep supporting them. These strong relationships mean charities can count on steady support to plan and do their work well.
With all three phases implemented, our animal welfare group and donors like Emily become an even tighter unit. Starting with Nonprofit Cloud, the group creates detailed donor profiles. Using Salesforce Marketing Cloud, they make their messages hit home. And with the help of Einstein Analytics, they take their fundraising to the next level, making their interactions super personal and strategic.
Embarking on the journey to leverage Salesforce’s power can be complex, especially for Nonprofits with distinct objectives. A Salesforce Implementation Partner like Pracedo is pivotal in navigating this intricate landscape. Their expertise ensures Nonprofits maximise the potential of Salesforce tools to create a tailor-made experience for donors and beneficiaries. This partnership empowers Nonprofits to focus on their core mission while entrusting the technical intricacies of Salesforce implementation to seasoned professionals.
From Phase 1: Nonprofit Cloud, where customisation is key, to Phase 2: Marketing Automation, where communication becomes strategic, and further into Phase 3: Einstein Analytics, where insights take centre stage, a Salesforce Implementation Partner plays a pivotal role. Their guidance ensures that every step aligns seamlessly with the Nonprofit’s goals, translating technology into impact.
As Nonprofits navigate the journey of donor engagement, an Implementation Partner acts as both a mentor and an enabler. They bring deep knowledge of the nonprofit sector, allowing Nonprofits to weave Salesforce’s potential into their unique fabric. With a partner like Pracedo, Nonprofits can ensure that each phase of their Salesforce implementation is fine-tuned to their cause, creating lasting connections with donors and driving their mission forward. Collaborating with a Salesforce Implementation Partner means having a trusted ally at every stage of the journey, ensuring Nonprofits extract the most from Salesforce’s potential to enhance connections and amplify the impact of their work.
Jack Stevens
UKI Sales Director
As a Salesforce Implementation Partner, Pracedo brings a wealth of experience in donor management, fundamentally reshaping how Nonprofits connect with their supporters. Our numerous success stories stand as tangible proof of Salesforce’s capabilities.
Ready to revolutionise your donor engagement? Contact our experts at Pracedo to learn how Salesforce can transform your NGO’s impact.
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Pracedo is an award-winning Summit (Platinum) Salesforce Consulting Partner that delivers innovative Salesforce implementations to forward-thinking customers.
With over a decade of experience focused on Salesforce, we work with our customers to unlock the platform’s power through tailored implementations that facilitate achieving business goals and ambitions. Our talented team of over 80 Salesforce professionals globally means that Pracedo offers a boutique consultancy experience, delivered locally to you, with the breadth and depth of knowledge earned from delivering over 1000 projects across our locations in London, Melbourne, Brisbane, Amsterdam, and Belgrade.
Implementations and customisations include: Salesforce Sales Cloud, Salesforce Service Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, Salesforce Revenue Cloud, Salesforce Experience Cloud and Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud.
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