How DonorDirect’s Software Helps Christian Ministries

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin

At DonorDirect, we engage with christian ministries to initially find out all we can about them and what they do as a ministry. We want to make sure we are a good fit for that ministry.

DonorDirect’s software is pre-built to serve christian ministries who are keen on donor management, fundraising, inventory management and spreading the gospel.

Christian Ministries will find that DonorDirect has the best donor management software for ministries, but that DonorDirect also has the heart and the passion for what ministry does.

To learn more about DonorDirect, and to see how their donor management software can help your Christian Ministry, visit DonorDirect online and be sure to join the conversation on Facebook and @DonorDirect.

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Nonprofit Management Software for Christian Ministries

Posted on April 10, 2012 by admin

There are many nonprofit management software providers out there that work with nonprofit organizations, but did you know that there is one that works solely with Christian ministries?

DonorDirect nonprofit management software is specifically designed for the evangelistic Christian Ministries and we would love to speak with you now about the successes we’ve had with our clients, like Billy Graham.

For more information about DonorDirect, or to schedule a free demonstration, join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn. You can also watch more of our informational videos on our YouTube Channel.

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Online Donor Management Software: Integrate Your Ministry to Help Spread the Gospel

Posted on April 4, 2012 by admin

The internet is by far the fastest way to get your message heard, so online donor management software should be a high priority for your ministry if you want to spread the gospel to the four corners of the globe. Here are some common questions about donor management software and how you can use online tools in the DonorDirect software suite.

Online Donor Management Software

Online Donor Management Software

What is the best tool for a nonprofit ministry to make an impact online?

StudioOnline is part of DonorStudio’s ecommerce extension. It is designed to enhance your existing online efforts. This online donor management software doesn’t take the place of your main website but works with it to optimize the experience of donors who visit your site. In fact, you can customize the page layout to match your main website to give a feeling of continuity.

What impact does online donor management software have on donations?

StudioOnline features a shopping-cart-style checkout system that people feel comfortable with. This platform supports both one-time and recurring donations and pledges so you can meet the needs of every donor. You can set up a suggested donation amount to help boost the generosity of your donors. The donor management software also allows for event registration, product sales, and subscriptions to help you reach out to the community more effectively than ever.

How does online donor management software make managing donations easier?

With StudioOnline from DonorDirect, it’s possible for donors to manage their account online from any location. They can see every transaction and identify whether pledges and donations were made online, over the phone, or through the mail. You can even print receipts after a transaction for your own records and print off a year end statement for tax purposes.

To learn more about our online donor management software, be sure to connect with DonorDirect on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Then, find more successful tips for ministries by following our blog and visiting our YouTube Channel.

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10 Tips to Improving Your Ministry’s Online Fundraising

Posted on March 24, 2012 by admin

Raising adequate funds is essential to the success of any ministry, which is why you shouldn’t hesitate to begin an online fundraising campaign. Perhaps you have already attempted to use online fundraising software and did not achieve the success you desired. Either way, these 10 tips are designed to help you evaluate your website from the perspective of a donor. If you can put yourself in their shoes, you should find much better success.

Online Fundraising

Online Fundraising

1. Write concisely. Donors are turned off by large blocks of text. Use bulleted lists and short paragraphs to grab their attention.

2. Use pictures/videos. Don’t just tell the story—show it! You can reach a new emotional level and boost your online fundraising efforts if your website visitors can “feel” what you stand for.

3. Highlight your mission and key objectives. Donors are much more likely to give if they know where you’re going and agree with your objectives.

4. State the problems you are trying to solve. Instead of merely asking for handouts, tell donors how their gift will help solve specific problems. Be sure to follow up and explain the outcome of your efforts after implementing steps to solve the problem.

5. Have a “Donate Now” button. Give people a quick and easy way to help. Offer various gift-giving options, including cash, credit card, and non-cash gift options.

6. Make giving easy. Your online fundraising efforts will skyrocket if you make giving easy and straightforward. For example, the page to submit their donation should be no more than two mouse clicks away.

7. Give something of value in return. The best way to say “thank you” to your donors is to offer them information. Keep them coming back to the site to enjoy timely, relevant content.

8. Provide contact information. Many donors want to contact board and staff members, or at least know who is involved with your organization, when they contribute to your cause.

9. Keep your site current. No one wants to write a check for a ministry conducting online fundraising if it looks like they haven’t maintained their site in months. Post current events and other information to show that you care about donors visiting your website.

10. Optimize your site. Without search engine optimization (SEO), donors won’t be able to find you unless they are already familiar with your ministry. SEO work can be affordable and highly effective.

To learn more about online fundraising, be sure to connect with DonorDirect on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Then, find more success tips for ministries by following our blog and visiting our YouTube Channel.

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Choosing the Right Fundraising Database Software: 7 Steps for Ministries

Posted on March 18, 2012 by admin

Because every ministry is different, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all option for fundraising database software. That means finding the right kind of software for your specific organization is a must instead of choosing software based solely on the recommendation of a third party. To take the guesswork out of the process, here’s a 7-step guide to selecting fundraising software for your ministry.

Fundraising Database Software

Fundraising Database Software

  1. Ask for ideas from all levels of the organization. Don’t simply leave the software selection just to IT. Be sure to gather input on the types of features to look for in fundraising database software by gathering input from those who will actually be using the program.
  2. Stay on budget. Don’t begin shopping until you know how much you are able to spend. Likewise, make sure you can afford support, training, and subscription fees in the months and years to come before signing a contract.
  3. Address current as well as future needs. Consider what changes you want to make to the current system you are using. If you wish you had a way to manage recurring gifts based on a payroll deduction campaign, find fundraising database software that can deliver that capability. Keep your potential needs in mind as well, especially if changes in the near future are anticipated for your ministry.
  4. Look at overall value, not simply price. The goal is to find software that meets your most important needs, fits your resources, and is available at an affordable price. However, the price is relative to your return on investment (ROI). If the software provides you with better control of fundraising programs and donor management, your fundraising efforts could be magnified for many years.
  5. Review your staff and procedures. Poorly trained staff is a problem that won’t be solved by new software. As you shop for new fundraising database software, consider that inaccurate reports in the past may have been due to poor data entry, not bad fundraising software.
  6. Realize that the initial software purchase is the easy part. With your new software agreement signed, you must decide what data will be converted to the new system. After conversion, the database should be tested, new codes should be defined, and security should be set up for all users. DonorDirect can help you during the software transition period.
  7. Maintain your database. Assign one person to manage the database. This person is in charge of maintaining data entry procedures and running periodic audits to find and correct problems.

To learn more about choosing the right fundraising database software, be sure to connect with DonorDirect on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Then, find more success tips for ministries by following our blog and visiting our YouTube Channel.

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Donor Management Software Comparison: Nonprofit v Ministry

Posted on March 12, 2012 by admin

When conducting a donor management software comparison, it is important to consider the type of ministry you run. Nonprofits and ministries, while similar, have unique processes and needs. This means that nonprofits can manage their organization with a variety of different nonprofit CRM software options while ministries need to have a donor management software solution that is designed specifically for ministries.

Donor Management Software Comparison

Donor Management Software Comparison

Large ministries need to consider what further capabilities are needed in donor management software when conducting a donor management software comparison. Do you want your donors able to connect through your website? If so, StudioOnline from DonorDirect may be the best solution. Do you need something that is compatible with Microsoft applications? StudioCRM from DonorDirect is built on Microsoft CRM for seamless compatibly.

No matter what you are looking for while conducting a donor management software comparison, you want the program to be easy-to-use and maintain so it can continue to grow and change as your ministry matures and branches out in different directions.

It’s also crucial to find donor management software that meets the specific needs of ministries rather than nonprofit organizations in general. Ministries have unique needs like tracking media outlets, managing events, tracking child sponsorship, and missionary support (to name a few) that set them apart other nonprofits. These requirements can be met by the special in one software solution available from DonorDirect.

In fact, no matter your specific nonprofit ministry needs, you can expect to find what you’re looking for from DonorDirect. Do a donor management software comparison today and discover that our software is better suited to meet your needs than other CRM software options.

To learn more about conducting a donor management software comparison, be sure to connect with DonorDirect on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Then, find more successful tips for ministries by following our blog and visiting our YouTube Channel.

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Updating Your Donation Management Software

Posted on March 2, 2012 by admin

Every few years you may be looking to change donation management software to keep up with emerging technologies and your evolving ministry.

So the question is, what should you be looking for and what questions should you be asking. Here are a few questions you may need to ask yourself when deciding if your donor management software may be outdated and that now is the time to seek a new software system.

To get these questions, and others, answered, you can visit DonorDirect’s website for a free demo. Also, see what our current customers are saying about us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn!

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Ministry Fundraising Software: Reviews Before You Purchase

Posted on February 28, 2012 by admin

Reading fundraising software reviews can help you determine which software will provide the most cost-effective, effortless way to manage your ministry’s finances. With so many options available, however, it may be a challenge to narrow the vast number of choices to find the one that best fits your needs today and is flexible to accommodate the needs of a growing ministry. Here are four questions to ask before buying fundraising software for your nonprofit ministry.

Fundraising Software: Reviews Your Needs

Fundraising Software: Reviews Your Needs

What is nonprofit ministry software?

Ministries use fundraising software to manage donations, track fundraising efforts, and maintain donor relations. Ministries of all sizes and scopes can benefit from the features offered by fundraising software. But ministries are unique and different from nonprofits so you need to be sure your needs are being met.

What kinds of features do you need?

While reading fundraising software reviews, you will soon realize there are different features offered by various software options that may meet your needs—some better than others. When shopping for fundraising and donor management software, look for features that include the ability to securely request, collect, and track donations. There should also be options for one-time, planned, recurring, and significant giving. Ideally, the software would also provide options of creating campaigns, , generating receipts, and giving donors the chance to conveniently give online.

Are there support options when questions arise?

Knowing if the software is maintained and supported by the same company who create them, meaning they can answer your questions,, is  rather than you paying a programmer or consultant to help solve the problem. You also want to be able to talk to a person and not have to go through a phone tree every time you call. Making sure that the support team knows what your ministry is doing and not just how the software works, is very important as well.

Are you going to out grow the software?

Making a change to a software package that meets your current needs can be very short sighted. If you are changing software every time your organization grows, then you can end up changing software packages every couple of years. Finding the software that meets your current needs as well as allows you to grow will enable your organization to make one software change, not several.

For more information about DonorDirect fundraising software, schedule your free demo today! Also, see what our clients are saying about us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Then, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow our blog.

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Fundraising Software for Nonprofits: The Implementation Plan for Your Ministry

Posted on February 28, 2012 by admin

Any search for the right fundraising software for nonprofits should begin with four basic steps. Taking this path will not only help you select the ideal fundraising software, it will also ensure seamless integration of the software into your ministry’s program.

Fundraising Software for Nonprofits

Fundraising Software for Nonprofits

1.      Gain a better understanding of fundraising software, its forms, functions and costs.

Common types of software used for nonprofit fundraising are actually not designed for this purpose at all. Examples include buying a solution “out of the box” and doing the development yourself; buying software from a third party and having them do the development for you; and buying a template version designed by a third party to mimic the major qualities of an original CRM system.

However, to prevent reinventing the wheel, being left to fend for yourself halfway through the development, relying on an inexperienced supplier for their knowledge of fundraising, or paying more than you need to, it’s best to choose fundraising software designed specifically for ministries and nonprofits.

2.      Define your needs.

Decide what kind of fundraising software for nonprofits best suits your ministry’s needs. For example, do you want the new software to reside on your current server, new hardware, a workstation, or in the “cloud”? These are all viable options; pick the one that best fits your ministry.

3.      Understand how to participate in a software demo.

Demonstrations are essential for giving you a good idea of whether you will enjoy working with one type of software or another. However, you shouldn’t randomly explore demos. Look for software that meets the needs your current system lacks. Be sure to focus on functionality and not get lost in the features.

4.      Comprehend the actual cost of software, maintenance, upgrades, and training.

Many ministries make the mistake of assuming the only cost associated with fundraising software  is the license fees to purchase the software. However, once the software has been purchased, training, implementation, data conversion and support is an investment you must make for smooth integration of the software. Then the software will require maintenance, and the cost of upgrades must be considered as well.

For more information about fundraising software for nonprofits, contact DonorDirect today for a free demo of our software! Also, see what our clients are saying about us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Then, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow our blog! God Bless.

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Buying Software for Fundraising: Common Mistakes Ministries Make

Posted on February 20, 2012 by admin

Selecting the right software for fundraising may not be a simple process, but by understanding the eight common mistakes nonprofits make, you will be on the right path to making an informed selection for your ministry. After all, fundraising software is important for the success of your ministry’s finances and for making a positive impression on your donors. When you go to make a selection, keep these mistakes in mind so you can avoid them.

Software for Fundraising

Software for Fundraising

  1. Letting techies make the final decision: You should include them on the selection team, but don’t let them choose the software alone. Instead, program officers and those in charge of fundraising should drive the final decision.
  2. Wishful budgeting: Depending on the software, you may need new computers, printers, network upgrades, end-user training, and maybe even additional staff to run the system. Remember, while open source and free fundraising software costs nothing, you lack support, training, and good interface design if you choose these options.
  3. Putting price at the top of the priority list: The cost is important, but you must find a product that fits your resources and meets your needs as well as offering a good price.
  4. Randomly exploring demos: Only bother to look at demos that meet the needs your current system lacks and fits within your allotted budget.
  5. Falling in love with the features: Yes, software for fundraising comes with some exciting features, but a quality vendor that can change with technologies and provide good support is the most important deciding factor. If the vendor goes away, you’ll be left choosing fundraising software from scratch again.
  6. Buying beyond your needs: While you should plan for the future when buying fundraising software, make sure the bulk of the features can be used now. In other words, don’t buy a Lamborghini when all you can afford to maintain is a Honda.
  7. Thinking that the software will install itself: Someone has to oversee the conversion from the old system to the new software. You may get through this process by reassigning the tasks of your current staff or hiring temporary support staff to work on the project.
  8. Failing to put effort into the software after it’s up and running: Once the software goes live, you must continue to give it attention. Place someone in charge of the software to run periodic audit reports to identify and fix any problems that arise. Keep your budget open for software and hardware upgrades in the future.

For more information about software for fundraising from Donor Direct, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Then, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow our blog.

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