Your data management system can affect your nonprofit organization’s fundraising success. Managing data can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process if your organization doesn’t have the right tools. That is why looking into companies such as UpMetrics for nonprofit impact measurement tools can be essential. Collecting and analyzing the “numbers-based” data can take your team members away from compiling the qualitative information that’s at the heart of a nonprofit’s mission. These are the human stories that bring into focus what your organization has accomplished and what still needs to be done.

Furthermore, this is also why investing in a CRM system is so important in the NFP sector. CRM systems like HubSpot make it easy to keep an eye on sales data gathered from clients, customers, donors, and shareholders, and this data can then be analyzed and processed to provide valuable insights for the organization. Plus, nowadays CRM systems are easier than ever to use. For example, you can choose hubspot app based CRM packages that make managing your marketing processes simple and efficient using a smartphone or tablet.

For instance, metrics and donor profiles go hand-in-hand in shaping your most effective fundraising and marketing strategies. Your team can gain much-needed traction by selecting the best integration software for nonprofits and applying it to its fullest advantage. Here are four best practices to keep in mind and some tips to make the most out of your data management.

Ensure You Have the Right Integration Tools in Place

First things first; start by making sure you have the right data integration system (for example, Zendesk integrations) in place. Your requirements differ from those of a for-profit enterprise. The application programming interface, or API, of the system you choose to employ, can be a critical factor. Your team will be more effective if your system comes with built-in ease-of-use and you can make the most out of the time invested. Choosing a software supplier that has a track record of providing applications for nonprofits can better assure you that you have the right tools in place.

Properly Integrate Your Nonprofit’s Donor Data

Building positive relationships with your donors will keep them engaged and active. To make your organization’s relationships meaningful, learn from your supporters’ donation patterns and tie your next outreach to their individual motives and expectations. Matching donor profiles to your organization’s funding strategies and record of accomplishments can help you maintain donors’ enthusiasm for continued support. A system that can integrate nonprofits donor data with their supporters’ past donations, demographics and personal interests can help your organization stay on track with thank-you messages, repeat outreach campaigns and accomplishment updates.

Understand the Scale of What Your Data Represents

Meaningful comparative data can provide your organization with insight while it also sharpens your fundraising instincts. It can tie your efforts to the work of other organizations with similar missions and provide a useful basis of comparison. Relating your nonprofit’s accomplishments with others within your focus area helps you to see how far you’ve come, what’s ahead and why donors should support your efforts. Remaining aware of “what’s normal” and what represents a performance outlier can be helped by a system that can process input extending beyond the boundaries of your own team’s efforts.

Minimize Blind Spots and Duplicates in Your Data

Duplications and blind spots detract from the actionable data that propels your fundraising efforts. Take steps to ensure that your team doesn’t waste time on duplicated or sketchy information. Your team also needs to be alerted to real and potential blind spots that may need to be filled in manually. Your donors will be looking for reliable feedback that shows a verifiable and quantifiable return on their social investment. Working with a data management system that can provide the analytical power of a CRM-based platform such as a blackbaud salesforce integration app can make a significant difference in the impact of your donor outreach content.