Thursday, May 19, 2011

Student Feedback - Marketing and Technology Trends in Fundraising

My students were asked to write a reflections blog about the course and the topics we covered. Here are some notable excerpts. —Merritt Engel

“It is crucial to not be left behind. So it is important now more than ever to start learning the benefits, capabilities and endless possibilities technology has to offer for nonprofits.”

• “Being in an IT career for decades, I was old school in technology. I was excited to hear the latest and greatest technology trends in marketing for a nonprofit. But I've gained so much more. I'm sure the younger generation already knows all about tweeting and mobile apps, etc. But this class isn't just about how cool the technology is or how to use it personally. This class has focused on when and how to use the technology to benefit the nonprofit cause.”

• “I currently sit on a board for an organization that is looking to diversify its revenue by utilizing direct marketing strategies. This class gave me ample opportunities to learn different methods to use direct marketing. More importantly the class really taught us how to use social media.”

• “I was impressed by the speakers who came and were willing to share their knowledge that clearly was gained through experience.”

• “Social media has the ability to create an extraordinary concentric circle of friends, but it has to be treated as true “friendships”(a two way street). Get to know your donors and don’t be afraid to let them get to know you. Offer them more engaging opportunities to interact with your organization. Share your story. Get them involved.”

• “It is a rare day when I feel the need to stand up and say that I need more class time. But I am now.”

• “I thought I knew email and social media… ha! I was surprised how much I didn’t know. Tweetpic? Foursquare? AB Email Testing? This class definitely reinforced my belief that Facebook and Twitter are literally taking over the world. It’s kind of scary actually, but as a 21-year-old, I guess I should be on top of the technology trend