4 Recommendations for Smart Interactive Investments

By Donna Wilkins

With 97 percent of respondents in the Interactive Investment Benchmark Study reporting that their interactive budgets are growing or staying the same this year, it's safe to say interactive solutions and budgets are at least being discussed at every organization.

As your organization makes its plans, especially with the common July 1 fiscal year around the corner, you can shine as a strategic leader. Consider these four recommendations:

Ensure that your functional basics work well. Donation/e-commerce platforms were reported by 53 percent of respondents as a high-priority investment area with more citing this priority above others. As a prerequisite to more sophisticated engagement, it is imperative that these transactional solutions are secure and reliable.
Strive to maintain a long-term perspective. Constituent-engagement/social-media tools were cited as a high-priority investment by 47 percent of respondents. Engagement technologies are viewed by the most sophisticated organizations as tools to drive more involvement, maintain long-term relationships and grow donor lifetime value without necessarily an immediate direct impact.
Begin to invest in mobile solutions. While mobile investment may be a newly emerging priority now for many nonprofits, expect that to rise. There are more than 7 billion smartphones in the world, and upward of 50 percent of emails are read on mobile devices today. Engaging constituents on their mobile devices not only bolsters revenue opportunities today, but strengthens relationships for future support.
Collaborate with your IT team. Often a solution feels like a fundraising or marketing tool or channel, and that often can be true. As technology is more deeply integrated throughout the organization though, it is important that the IT team and leadership contribute to the strategy. They can guide you toward solutions that will complement, not compete with or detract from, your existing solutions.

To learn more about interactive solution investment at nonprofit organizations and for more recommendations on smart investing, read the Interactive Investment Benchmark Study from Charity Dynamics.