Latest Baudcast Episode Focuses on Fundraising Techniques

Steve MacLaughlin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:20:00 GMT

Episode 13 of The Baudcast is really worth listening to this week. I've missed the last two recordings due to some scheduling challenges, but the content keeps getting better and better. Lots of focus on traditional fundraising efforts that are getting results.

The panel discussion includes Chad Norman (Internet Marketing Manager), Melanie Milonas (Public Relations Manager), and Jamie Holaday (Internal Communication Coordinator) from Blackbaud. Also on the panel are Marc Pitman (Founder, FundraisingCoach.com), and Ken Meifert (Senior Director of Development, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum).

Ken Meifert talks about a recent direct mail campaign that involved some list building, data modeling, and a high-touch mailing that was extremely successful for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Marc Pitman chimed in with some tips around getting board members and nonprofit executives bought into smart direct mail techniques. Ken discusses why the effort worked and how a special targeted mailing with nine points of personalization got results.

The subject then switched to planned giving and there was a very interesting discussion about trends with the aging. This type of fundraising continues to be an underutilized approach. Marc notes that 70% of people die without a will, and there is a simple message that nonprofits can use to actually help their constituents.

Of course, there's bit of commentary about technology's role in all of this. And a good Q&A session at the end around running a good employee giving campaign. There is also some information about the now sold out 2008 Conference for Nonprofits, the NetWits Live event in Portland, and some other related news items.

Chad Norman is becoming the Leo Laporte of the nonprofit podcasting world. You can get the latest and all the previous episodes of The Baudcast here or on iTunes.

Multichannel Marketing Mojo

Steve MacLaughlin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:20:00 GMT

There is a lot of talk and discussion about multichannel communication out there in the nonprofit world. Organizations want to do it, consultants recommend ways of doing it, and technology vendors claim to have the tools to actually get the job done. But in many cases, it's more sizzle than steak.

At Blackbaud, we've been working on delivering a true multichannel tool that allows nonprofits to do the complete lifecycle: Data Segmentation, Channel Selection, Message Creation and Delivery, and Roll-up Reporting. While some tools on the market handle bits and pieces of this process, there aren't any that embrace both online and offline channels. Until now.

Our Blackbaud Direct Marketing (BBDM) application will soon include functionality that integrates with Blackbaud NetCommunity's email capabilities. It's a great example of the Infinity platform in action that pulls multiple products together as a single robust solution.

BBDM has a very strong set of marketing planning, scheduling, segmenting, and reporting features that clients are using. With a solid foundation in place we've added new channels that can be leveraged as part of a direct marketing campaign. And we're surfacing BBNC's email tools on the Infinity platform to do it.

This is a big step in the right direction for nonprofits that want a solution that does more than just talk about multichannel capabilities. Gone are the days when you have to do your direct mail in one application, your email in another, and other passive channels somewhere else. (Nothing legacy about what Blackbaud is doing here.)

Blackbaud Direct Marketing allows users to make segmentations made up of highly granular data selections from any data source, including but not limited to The Raiser's Edge, Blackbaud Enterprise CRM, or BBNC. Then you have the option to create mailing packages that may be a direct mail piece and/or an email. If you choose email as one of the options, then you can setup the various email settings and design options without having to switch to a different application. Sending test messages or final blasts can also all be done within BBDM.

From there the integrated reporting and tracking capabilities of BBDM and BBNC kick-in. No spreadsheets or disparate system for tracking source codes. Nope, we have the tracking and finder number goodness baked right into the mailings. And conversion information can be round tripped back to the CRM. (I won't confirm or deny the rumor that grown men have openly wept upon seeing this.)

Look for this capability to get even more powerful over time. Adding additional active and passive marketing channels will allow for a more comprehensive approach to marketing and fundraising efforts. Two thumbs up to the development teams and customers that helped shape this unique solution.

Connections : direct marketing

Latest Baudcast Episode Focuses on Fundraising Techniques

Multichannel Marketing Mojo