Web Services, the “Missing Link” for Most of Our Customers

The phrase "missing link" can mean quite a few things to various people. Wikipedia defines it as:

• Any transitional fossil, especially one connected with human evolution
• The Missing Link, a novel in the Fourth World trilogy by Kate Thompson
• Missing Links, a book by Rick Reilly
• Missing Link (puzzle), a mechanical puzzle
• Dewey Robertson, a former professional wrestler who used the ring name The Missing Link

However, my favorite definition may be this one:

The Missing Links, an early rock band featuring Micky Dolenz, the year before he became a Monkee

I believe the term "Missing Link" is perfect for what our web services team brings to life for our customers. The "Links" they make come to life are truly the missing element in connecting ever expanding communication streams. A database like eTapestry or Raiser's Edge is merely an island of data with only information being added to by staff if there are not other systems linked to and from it. Over the last dozen years we have seen the use of external communication channels and sharing of information from a multitude of sources skyrocket in the non-profit world.

Any charity who is not utilizing a vibrant and engaging web site, as well as a variety of social media outposts like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and others is not fully engaging and communicating with all of its constituents. On top of these, you can add such basic inputs and outputs as email, direct mail caging, accounting systems, ticketing systems, personal fundraising pages, and special event sites. You can quickly see that any database which is going to reflect the vast array of key information is no longer going to be a standalone island.

Thankfully, our top notch web services team, as well as our product development teams, has made several new and exciting products and services, which link large amounts of data to the database, come to fruition.

I wanted to focus on one of the most exciting of those new services with a couple of examples from our customers. Our new "Personal Fundraising" module allows any organization using eTapestry to tap into the passion and personal contacts of their supporters and event participants. Here is a link to a product brief.

The use of this module can truly provide a springboard to your enhance your fundraising results. Many of our customers have stated that "Personal Fundraising" revitalized special events and added a new dimension to their outreach. A neat side benefit is new donors coming from such a passionate outreach tend to be easier to renew and keep as long time donors! As a board member with several charities I love the sound of that.

Here are the few examples I mentioned earlier. I think you will agree our web services team allowed the look and feel of the NPO's web site to stay true to form. Try all of them out and let me know what you think by sending an email to jay.love@etapestry.com.

Examples:

Ron Clark Academy
RAI Ministries

and a brand new one, but a new favorite of mine for saving the great apes...

Center for Great Apes

Such “Missing Links” can perhaps make a difference for your organization in the future. Let us know if you would like to take a closer look...