There’s no question that technology has profoundly impacted the nonprofit sector. To keep up with the ever-changing digital landscape, nonprofits need to adopt martech tools and strategies to help them achieve their missions. But with so many options available, it can be difficult to know where to start. We’ve put together this guide of six mission-critical martech tools for nonprofits.
Understanding your marketing technology (martech) stack is critical to achieving your marketing goals. By understanding which tools you have at your disposal and how they work together, you can plan and execute your marketing campaigns more effectively. Your martech can also help you troubleshoot issues, identify potential areas of improvement, and make more informed decisions about future technology investments. So if you’re not already familiar with your technology stack, now is the time to get up to speed.
What is martech, and why do nonprofits need it?
Martech, or marketing technology, is an essential set of tools for any nonprofit that wants to succeed in today’s digital landscape. With so many different channels and platforms available for conveying messages and engaging with customers, it can be difficult for nonprofits to keep up. That’s where martech comes in.
Cutting-edge software, often found in the cloud, allows nonprofits to optimize their marketing efforts and get the most out of every dollar they spend. Whether tracking website traffic, managing email campaigns, or leveraging social media platforms, martech provides the tools that nonprofits need to engage effectively with their target audiences.
With martech playing such a pivotal role in the success of modern organizations, nonprofits must take the time to evaluate their own strategy and determine whether they are making the most of these powerful tools. By investing in effective martech solutions, organizations can create a more sustainable impact in their communities. After all, when it comes to nonprofit work, every little bit counts.
The six mission-critical martech tools for nonprofits
Association Management Solution (AMS)
When it comes to managing a membership society or association, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, an association management solution (AMS) can offer a number of benefits for organizations of all sizes. An AMS can help to streamline operations, reduce administrative costs, and improve communication with members. In addition, an AMS can provide valuable insights into member behavior and trends. As a result, an AMS can be an essential tool for association staff who are looking to create a more efficient and effective organization.
Platforms to look at:
- iMIS
- Aptify
- Fonteva
- netForum
- Altai Systems
- Cobalt CRM Solutions
- Personify
- NimbleAMS
- Your Membership
Features to be most aware of: Detailed contact profiles, dues collecting, committees, benefits access, and ledgers
Email Marketing Solution
When it comes to marketing, email is one of the most effective tools at your disposal. It allows you to reach a large audience quickly and easily, and it’s relatively inexpensive compared to other marketing channels. Email marketing can also be highly personalized, which can help improve click-through rates and conversion rates. And with an email marketing solution, you can automate many of the tasks associated with email marketing, making it even easier to reach your target audience.
Platforms to look at:
- Adestra
- Informz
- Constant Contact
- Mailchimp
- Real Magnet
- Prop Fuel
- Zoho
Features to be most aware of: email frequency caps, email throttling, email staggering, segmentation capabilities, a separate IP address for transaction emails
Social Management Solution
These solutions help you effectively and efficiently manage your social media presence, improving your reach and engagement with customers. By creating and sharing content tailored to your audience, a social management solution can help you boost visibility and increase brand awareness. Additionally, these solutions provide valuable analytics data that can be used to optimize various aspects of your marketing efforts. Whether you’re looking to engage existing customers or attract new ones, a social management solution has the tools and resources you need to achieve real results online.
Platforms to look at:
- Hootsuite
- SproutSocial
- CoSchedule
- Zoho
Features to be most aware of: scheduling and reporting options, calendar planners, unlimited accounts, approval workflows, and staff alerts
Advertising Management Solution
An advertising management solution can provide a number of benefits for organizations of all sizes. Perhaps the most obvious benefit is the ability to save time and money by streamlining the entire advertising process. With an advertising management solution, organizations can easily create, track, and manage their campaigns in one central location. This can save organizations a considerable amount of time and money, as they no longer need to coordinate multiple campaigns across various platforms.
Additionally, an advertising management solution can help businesses measure their campaigns’ effectiveness better and make necessary adjustments on the fly. This data-driven approach can result in more effective campaigns that generate better ROI.
Platforms to look at:
- Google Ads
- Feathr
- TikTok
Features to be most aware of: a strong LinkedIn focus, target employers, VIP campaigns, and geofencing ads
Marketing Automation Solution
An effective marketing automation solution can help you save time and resources while still reaching your target audience. With marketing automation, you can automate repetitive tasks such as email marketing, social media campaigns, and targeted ads. This allows you to focus on more strategic tasks, such as developing new program ideas or crafting creative content. In addition, a good marketing automation solution can provide valuable insights into your customers’ behavior, helping you to fine-tune your marketing approach. When used effectively, marketing automation can be a powerful tool for driving growth and success.
Platforms to look at:
- ActiveCampaign
- Eloqua
- Hubspot
- Marketo Engage
- Salesforce Pardot
- Salesforce Marketing Cloud
Features to be most aware of: multi-channel journeys involving the acquisition, onboarding/welcome, engagement, renewal, and win-back of recipients
To stay on top of these constantly evolving challenges, nonprofits need effective business intelligence solutions. These solutions allow nonprofits to collect and analyze huge amounts of data and gain deep insights into their operations and competitors. Additionally, business intelligence systems can identify trends and patterns, predict future events, and optimize decision-making processes. Overall, using a reliable business intelligence solution ensures success in today’s fast-paced business environment.
Platforms to look at:
- Association Analytics
- Google Data Studio
- Power BI
- Tableau
Features to be most aware of: member-detail drill down, external report sharing, staff role filters, and antiquated or siloed data sources.
How to choose the right martech tools for your organization
When looking for martech tools to help your organization succeed, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind.
- First, it is important to think about the needs of your company and the goals you are hoping to achieve. Different martech solutions will have different strengths, and it is important to find one that can address your organization’s unique challenges and priorities.
- Additionally, it is important to consider your team’s existing skill set and experience when selecting martech tools. This will help you find solutions that will be easy for your team to learn and use effectively.
- Ultimately, it is crucial that martech solutions are chosen with care to help you achieve the best results possible for your organization.
Implementing martech in your nonprofit
When it comes to implementing martech in your nonprofit organization, you should follow a few key steps.
- The first step is to assess your current organizational needs and determine which martech tools would best address those needs. This might involve surveying your team members to understand better the specific areas where martech can help optimize workflow or boost your marketing efforts.
- Once you have identified the right martech solutions, the next step is to devise a strategy for implementation. This might include enlisting the help of an experienced martech consultant or working closely with your IT team to ensure that all systems are properly integrated.
- Finally, it is important to regularly monitor and evaluate progress, making any necessary adjustments along the way. With these guidelines in mind, you can confidently implement martech tools in your nonprofit organization and achieve greater success and efficiency throughout all stages of operation.
The future of martech for nonprofits
It is clear that the future of martech for nonprofits holds enormous potential. With the increasing availability of affordable, user-friendly technologies like analytics platforms and marketing automation tools, nonprofits have never had greater access to valuable data and insights about their donors and supporters. Furthermore, martech makes it easier than ever before for these organizations to target their messages and campaigns to specific audiences, engage with key stakeholders in meaningful ways, and build lasting relationships with their members and constituents.
Looking ahead, it seems clear that martech will only continue to play a critical role in driving success for nonprofits. Whether through dynamic new innovations or ongoing improvements to existing solutions, martech will continue to be a vital force in fundraising efforts, communications strategies, community outreach programs, and more. Thus, while the future of martech is bright for the nonprofit sector, it will be important for organizations to stay on top of emerging trends and best practices to fully leverage this powerful toolset. After all, with challenges like increasing competition and funding constraints looming on the horizon, martech is more important than ever before as a key driver of success in the nonprofit sector.
