Soapbox Engage Blog

The countdown clock is keeping track of the Time (capitalized on purpose...check your local news source for "Benioff") before the kick-off to Dreamforce next week, and I for one am, let's say, somewhat-kinda-ready.

If I've learned anything from Mr. Benioff, it's realizing that reaching a zen state is probably good for everyone's health. So, as a little pre-Dreamforce focusing opportunity, I took a chance to think among the giant Sierra Nevada mountains this past week, while also catching up on a little Trailhead and Salesforce knowledge.

And, as you recall last week, I'll be making a little meetup announcement for friends of the PUB Crawl right near the Nonprofit Zone at Dreamforce next week. Check your PUB Crawl newsletter early next Monday for more details! Here's to one last week before the chaos in SF begins.

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If you don't live in San Francisco, you might not have that it's-Dreamforce-season sense quite yet. Reports from readers in the City by the Bay include the sights of Dreamforce beginning to blanket downtown San Francisco.

For all you PUB Crawlers, membership has its privileges. I have a special gift for all PUB Crawl subscribers (and their friends that become subscribers) at Dreamforce. I'll share more in next week's message, but let's just say that if you're like me and need a bit topped-up caffeine fix to stay awake during Dreamforce, I'll have a remedy.

Wherever today might find you, roll-up your sleeves, and get ready to dive into this week's dose of Salesforce community-delivered knowledge!

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

Whether the leaves are already turning and the temperatures are cooling or you’re still blasting the AC, it’s time to acknowledge that we are entering the final season of the year...and we don’t mean back-to-school. September officially kicks off the sprint toward the holiday and end-of-year giving season for nonprofits, which for many organizations begins now with the ever-growing and uber-successful #GivingTuesday (on November 27 this year).

In 2017, the sixth annual #GivingTuesday raised $274 million for nonprofits, a 50% increase over 2016. And in general, one third of annual giving occurs in December, and 11-12% of that happens in the final three days of the year. So it’s pretty clear that this is where the money is at -- and where your focus should be right now.

But whether you’ve got your campaign plan all nailed out or you’re just getting started (it’s okay, many nonprofits don’t even get started planning for EOY until October), we want to know -- how will prioritize your donors? Have you taken a look at your data to determine the best donor prospects that will help you achieve your holiday/EOY goals?

If the answer is “no,” or even “maybe?” then it’s time to figure that out now before you get too much farther. Given how chaotic this time of year can be, and how much effort goes into EOY campaigns, it’s essential that you use your resources effectively, and data is your friend in this case. While we’re not saying that you shouldn’t prepare messaging and campaign materials for your entire supporter list and the general public, we are saying that you should put a considerate amount of research, creativity, and development into crafting the best appeals for your strongest prospects.

What do we mean by this? We’ve outlined a few donor segments to explore within your mind palace, er, database, to help you hone in on the ones most likely to help you get to the finish line by the end of the year.

In the US, the end of summer is typically noted by today's Labor Day. Of course, rarely does DC weather give you the idea that summer is ending when a clear evening is still nearly 90F under the full moon.

From my looks of my inbox, it seems like kids have gone back to school, and parents are definitely back in the action at the office. So as we get ready to wrap up the season of vacationing, let's hop back on the knowledge bandwagon and saddle up for another round of Salesforce knowledge.

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, there's still some great opportunities to take a little time off the virtual trail, and hop outdoors onto the dirt trail. Before the NPSP Day tour picks up again, I've had a chance to clear my head a bit on the hiking paths of some of the great US National Parks, which considering the craziness that is US current affairs, seems to be a great centering exercise for me.

Before we dive into this week's round of Salesforce knowledge, take a deep breath, hold it for a moment, and let out that task-focused stressed. Feel better? Awesome. Let's dig in!

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The Montana non-profit Salesforce community came through yet again for an amazing NPSP Day Bozeman last week. The distance folks travel up there to come to a community gathering like this warms my open source heart!

While I'm still dusting off my shoes from some good hiking in the great outdoors of Yellowstone after the NPSP Day, let's dive into some highlights from last week's community discussions, shall we?

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Another end of the week, another long road trip for me. This time, just a quick scoot across the country on the open road. DC to California, with a lot of rolling hills in between. One of those great times to clear one's mind to good ideas, and catch-up on all those audiobooks you haven't listened to yet.

For those of you northern hemisphere friends getting the last bits of summer in (I can't believe I'm saying that), enjoy! Grab yourself a beverage, and enjoy this week's PUB Crawl.

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

I don't know about you, but after the success of the community sprint last week in Denver, it seems like the Hub has come out of a summer slumber with a roar. More ideas, more discussions, more energy!

Digesting all the ideas coming out of the recent NPSP Days and sprint, and an open mind after some great hikes in the southwest, I'll trek across the US on the open road later this week. I'm eager for any audio books you recommend (just hit reply)!

Just as soon as I hit the West Coast, it's right back to Montana for next week's NPSP Day Bozeman! Until next week, roll down the windows, turn up the radio, and let the open road fill your mind with new ideas to share with the community. Here's your weekly round of knowledge!

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

“Umm, yeahhhh, I’m gonna need you to run that report...by tomorrow.” No, it’s not just a riff on a line from that cult classic, Office Space. It’s probably something you’ve heard from your boss or said as the boss more than once if you work at a nonprofit. Because let’s face it, while nonprofits aren’t businesses, the numbers do matter, and fundraisers and communicators need data to back up the way we operate, show value, and illustrate impact.

A quick stretch of back-to-back NPSP Days in Portland and San Francisco flew by last week, propelled by some of the best doughnuts the Pacific Northwest had to offer (that's Blue Star, for you non-locals). We've now officially turned the corner into the third year for these two cities, and it's exciting to see these unconferences evolve as the community changes shape.

Talking of change, a ton of it is about to happen this week in Denver, with the Salesforce.org open source community sprints. While our NPSP Days are focused more on knowledge sharing and training, these sprints are an opportunity for the community to develop the resources and code needed to support organizations around the world using HEDA and the NPSP.

While I'm way out here in Washington DC, I tip my captain's hat to the fine folks rallying together in Denver. May the open source spirit carry you across the sprinting finish line!

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

A quick stretch of back-to-back NPSP Days in Portland and San Francisco flew by last week, propelled by some of the best doughnuts the Pacific Northwest had to offer (that's Blue Star, for you non-locals). We've now officially turned the corner into the third year for these two cities, and it's exciting to see these unconferences evolve as the community changes shape.

Talking of change, a ton of it is about to happen this week in Denver, with the Salesforce.org open source community sprints. While our NPSP Days are focused more on knowledge sharing and training, these sprints are an opportunity for the community to develop the resources and code needed to support organizations around the world using HEDA and the NPSP.

While I'm way out here in Washington DC, I tip my captain's hat to the fine folks rallying together in Denver. May the open source spirit carry you across the sprinting finish line!

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

It's wheels up time again. As we move deeper into summer, the NPSP Day tour picks up steam after a few weeks of down time. I touched down in Oregon this morning to get ready for a first stop at NPSP Day Portland tomorrow, and then right down the coast to NPSP Day San Francisco on Wednesday.

From Blue Star doughnuts, to the land of burritos, we'll find some good time to fit in non-profit Salesforce knowledge sharing. Somehow.

For those of you who won't be able to join us on this west coast swing, here's the latest from the virtual Salesforce community!

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

Ah yes, it's the All-Star break for American baseball. Nothing better than desperately trying to turn off all the 24-hour cable television news channels to see folks try to clobber a baseball in today's homerun derby.

I mean, I didn't get a chance to hang out in the crazy humidity today in DC to watch it, but from what I hear, people who attended generally felt pretty good about the world. Just the special sight of the American pastime.

For those of you who could use a good drink (of knowledge) today, grab a stool here at the PUB Crawl. This round's on me. And the next. And...you get the picture.

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

In an ideal world, people donate to and support causes purely out of the goodness of their heart and don’t expect anything in return. After all, we’re talking about nonprofits, not businesses, right? But realistically, when we choose to invest in a cause we care about, we do expect something in return -- and we deserve it -- even if it just starts with a simple thank you note. And, depending on how much someone gives to a cause, it’s only natural that they receive a bigger return on investment.

That’s where membership value comes into play. Now, we’re not talking about going Oprah and giving out cars to major donors or sending every individual donor some cheesy swag just for the heck of it. But it is important to think strategically about what you are offering back to your supporters across various levels, from the $10 donor to the $10,000 donor. If someone values your mission and work enough to invest in it, shouldn’t you find a way to show much you value them? (Short answer: yes!)

We’ll outline a few ways that you can provide value to three key constituents as they move up that ladder of engagement, and keep them coming back for more.

When you plan a new fundraising or marketing campaign, one of the first questions is often: “Who is our audience?”

It’s tempting for the answer to simply be “Well, isn’t it everyone?” And while that may be true on some level, the same approach isn’t effective for every supporter. For instance, you wouldn’t ask a major donor for the same gift as you would a grassroots supporter.

So, what does that mean for your donor communication strategy? For starters, it means donor communications are most effective when tailored to different audiences. More specifically, we recommend segmenting your supporters across four key groups–grassroots supporters, partners and ambassadors, major donors, and board members.

I have journeyed to Seattle for another NPSP Day. I’m looking forward to seeing who shows up to share their knowledge. The best part of NPSP Days is the ease of the event. I mean, the community members are the ones driving the event. It’s their ideas, thoughts, and fun facts that make NPSP Days so entertaining. It also doesn’t help that I am able to eat a burrito or eight. After NPSP Day Seattle, I’ll be divulging in Shakshouka in Tel Aviv for the next NPSP Day. We’re making history by heading to the Middle East. Let’s just say, I can’t complain about my job. While I gear up for this week’s NPSP Day, you all should get ready for this week’s PUB Crawl. Tons of amazing content has just entered your inbox. Find a quiet place to perch your feet and enjoy this week’s PUB Crawl.

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

It seems like it was just yesterday that talking computers and robots were mere science fiction fantasy, found in The Jetsons or Star Wars’ galaxy far, far away. Now, we’re seemingly living in a real-live Westworld, having full-on conversations with Siri, Alexa, and Watson. Who said imaginary friends were just for kids?

R2-D2 and his friends exist because of artificial intelligence, or AI, which is the ability for a computer or machine to simulate human intelligence. AI has been used in some form or another for years, in factories and labs, and now on our tablets and smartphones. But researchers and companies that create AI systems are realizing that it can be used for more than cutting production costs and building things. AI can be used to save lives, and enhance the social good.

There are major efforts leveraging AI to do amazing things from curing rare cancers to stopping poachers to monitoring human-trafficking patterns. But what does AI mean for small or medium nonprofits who don’t have bucket loads of money to create their own AI or even purchase a complex system? How can AI can be used to target the right donors and provide data to backup your storytelling and strategy?

We rounded up a few emerging possibilities for your nonprofit to use AI for better fundraising success. What sounds most helpful and appealing for your organization right now?

It's okay, you can admit it. Sometimes, working with Salesforce can feel like this scene from my neighborhood this weekend.

It can be a confusing, mixed signal world out there...which is why it's fantastic to see this community gathering together to help each other walk safely across the road together. I'm excited to help facilitate this goodness in the next two weeks of wheels up - wheels down travel between North America and the Middle East, and hope to see many of you in Seattle and Tel Aviv!

In the meantime, grab a stool here at the PUB Crawl bar, and enjoy a round of knowledge on the house.

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!

Issue 133

Another week, and another NPSP Day in the history books as NPSP Day Toronto wrapped up last week in a when-will-spring-get-here quick tour of Canada. My penguin traveling companion was thoroughly confused after our stop in New Orleans last week.

This week, it's off to the Salesforce World Tour in New York, where I'm looking to reconnect with good friends in the Big Apple, and get the energy going for a few weeks of long-distance NPSP Day travel to come. For now, kick off your shoes in first class and settle in for a round of knowledge here in the PUB Crawl!

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Me and 100 of my penguin friends flew down to New Orleans for a double dose of nonprofit awesomeness. We started off our week at NPSP Day New Orleans where we jumped right into community engagement. Although we did not get to indulge in beignets, we did get to enjoy some burritos with a side knowledge sharing. Lucky for us the incredibleness did not stop after the NPSP day. We got to continue our week at the Nonprofit Technology Conference. Our booth featured an endless amount of penguin friends. It was great to see so many familiar faces throughout the week. Sometimes I forget how large our community actually is, but events like the NTC that snap me back to reality. The next stop in my jet setting tour is Canada for NPSP Day Toronto. I’m hopping across the border to see what our northern friends have to say about Salesforce. As I switch my travel bag from shorts to ski pants, take a moment to explore this week’s PUB Crawl. The content is stacked with tips and tricks that will tackle your latest NPSP issues. Grab a seat in the sunshine and enjoy this week’s roundup of community driven knowledge.

Don't forget, you can have the goodness of the PUB Crawl delivered into your inbox each Monday morning by subscribing today!