CIO Bulletin

Designed for Growth and Built for Good: Neon One

The average small to midsize nonprofit uses three to five tools to manage their donors, volunteers, and communications. At Neon One, the team envisions a world where organizations have simple and connected tools to help them make real, lasting change in the world. Neon One started in 2018 when four technology companies came together and decided there was an easier way for nonprofits to use technology to enable their mission – the team believes that small to mid-sized nonprofits thrive when enabled with a platform designed to create magical generosity experiences. Designed to grow with you, Neon One connects nonprofits with the technology and resources that empower them to build a community of generosity.

Finding the best membership management software for your nonprofit can be a game-changer. Not only will it help administrators track and process member data, but the right tool will come with features covering automation, personalization, and campaign analysis that will make it a nonprofit’s best friend. The best membership management software platforms for nonprofits deliver all these features and more. These nonprofit CRMs support all your membership management needs and make it easy for you to track member data, create personalized communications, and build relationships that encourage members to stay involved long term.

6 Ways Outdated Processes Damage Nonprofit Growth

One of the biggest technology issues plaguing nonprofits is a reliance on multiple systems that don’t communicate with one another. It’s not uncommon for someone to use human-driven workflows, Excel spreadsheets, payment processors, and email platforms to process new or renewed memberships.

But entering data and moving it between these systems manually takes an immense amount of time, focus, and energy. It’s an approach that can quickly become unwieldy for staff, and it can result in errors that result in a sub-par experience that’s frustrating for members.

Preservation Houston, for example, used spreadsheets to track memberships, process donations, manage events, and communicate with their supporters. As they grew, they quickly realized the limitations of spreadsheets. Manually tracking every single interaction involved with building and sustaining a membership program can pose lots of problems.

1. Errors

Human error is a big factor in workplace accidents and it’s also responsible for 82% of data breaches. It’s also the cause for other headaches like duplicate records, spelling errors, and inaccurate data.

Staff and volunteers can make mistakes that filter throughout a nonprofit’s various software tools, leading to ineffective campaigns, inaccurate member information, and poor financial tracking.

2. Wasted Time

The average knowledge worker reports spending about 60% of their time on “work about work.”

These tasks that focus on managing small tasks, workflows, processes, and internal management are time wasters that could be spent on strategic planning and mission-critical work.

3. Poor Quality

Quality membership programs come down to one thing—data. Inaccurate or faulty information leads to off-target messages, ineffective contacts, and bad tracking. In fact, it’s estimated that bad data alone costs organizations $15 million per year.

4. Lower Engagement

Engagement is driven by personalized interactions that reinforce your nonprofit’s impact and value to your members. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to engage with your constituents on a personal level if you don’t track the right data and details about its members.

That’s a major risk in a market where 67% of consumers state they’re frustrated by companies that don’t deliver personalized interactions.

5. Missed Opportunities

There are dozens of small opportunities to turn donors into members (or inspire members to become donors)—but only if you send them the right information. Sending an email to a one-time donor that explains your mission and invites them to become a member can be a great way to grow your membership base.

Welcome emails, for example, generate 320% more revenue per email than other promotions. They’re useful even if you rely only on memberships and don’t take individual donations: Welcome emails are a great way to communicate how valuable membership with your organization can be. Without technology that can trigger and send these emails to donors, you run the risk of missing out on engaging potential members.

6. Member Attrition

Member attrition will always be a concern for organizations. Just as many nonprofits focus on retaining donors, organizations that rely on memberships as a revenue stream must have processes in place to engage their members and encourage renewal.

Keeping track of factors that contribute to lapsed memberships can help to improve renewal rates, but that requires a robust, data-rich monitoring program.

Features of the Best Membership Management Software

Using a nonprofit-specific CRM is the obvious choice for most organizations because it’s the quickest and most cost-effective to implement. However, not all these options are created equal. To see their true advantage, look for the eight following nonprofit CRM features.

1. Low Code/No Code

One of the best benefits of a CRM is the ability to run it without a team of developers or a dedicated administrator. Many programs are designed with simple drag-and-drop features so you can design membership forms, build emails, create workflows, and set up automated processes without development experience.

2. Multi-Entity Records Support

Many nonprofit systems come only with the ability to create individual records for donors. However, not all donors are members, and not all members also make donations. If you want to track the different types of support your members and others in your community provide, you need a CRM that allows you to track different activities.

3. Customizable Templates

You work hard to create a brand that’s instantly recognized and trusted by your members. Having access to a variety of customizable templates for various forms, emails, and messaging campaigns makes it much easier to keep a consistent presence. When your enrollment form, membership communications, reminder emails, and other assets have the same look and feel, you’ll create a more positive experience for your constituents.

The True ROI of Membership Management Software

The best membership management software supports nonprofits of all types and sizes while still ensuring a customizable, personalized approach to building relationships with your community. By focusing on features that allow you to automate tasks easily, you can gain greater insight into your membership, find new ways to engage your constituents, and build relationships that will ensure your organization grows and thrives for years to come.

If you’re looking for a membership management solution, look no further than Neon CRM for Associations, which adds a suite of membership-specific features to Neon CRM’s powerful nonprofit software. It’s the best membership management software for nonprofits aiming to make a bigger impact.

Steve Kriter, CEO