In a very interesting article from Technology in the Arts, I discovered this week how far Kickstarter has come from its inception, reaching a major milestone in it's operations by securing over $150 million in pledges for 2012.
For those of you that don't know, Fundraiser is a website where anyone with a creative idea can ask the world to help fund it, to see it into fruition. My first experience with Kickstarter was when I was living in Nashville, TN. Some of my roommates went to go see a show that evening at a venue called "The End", and of course, they decided to bring home one of the bands, known as "Ladycop" to spend the night. My roommates were very extroverted.
What I discovered from the Brooklyn natives, is that the reason they even made it to Nashville was through Kickstarter. Through the website, they were able to procure funds to purchase a touring bus, that they lived in every day, and ran on vegetable oil. It was their dream to share their music with the country, till they made it to sunny California, and leave the smallest possible carbon footprint they could behind. Kickstarter made that possible.
Through the utilization of technology, the internet, and philanthropic spirit, Kickstarter has now effected arts communities all across America. In fact, now that they've passed over $150 million in funds donated to the arts, they've also successfully given more than the entire 2012 budget for the NEA. This proves to me that there's just as much capacity to raise money bottom-up then there is top-down.
So thank you Kickstarter, for giving creative people the ability to make their creative aspirations come true.
http://www.technologyinthearts.org/2012/02/kickstarter-reaches-major-milestone/
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
The Difference Between Access & Fundraising Software Database:
By: Jessica Teaford
As an undergrad I had to take an IT class where they taught me how to work all of the programs in the Microsoft Suite. It was a bit redundant because most of the programs I had learned in highschool. The only program I struggled with and really never understood was Access. The teacher tried to explain in as a digital filing cabinet but I never got the hang of it or could understand why it would be useful to me.
I have since started working in a Box Office and begun to take classes in the Arts Management field and now I understand. I currently work at the Box Office at the Center for the Arts at George Mason. At the present time we use Access to track donations that are made through the Box Office when people a purchasing tickets as well as when they are making a subscription. These donations are keep separate from the donations that are made from development and the systems do not talk to each other at all. This makes it impossible for someone like myself, the first person most of our patrons come in contact with, to know who has donated and how much they have donated to know if they qualify for certain discounted tickets.
After reading this article and watching multiple tutorials on youtube.com for Raiser’s Edge is becomes clear that we need to get out of the stone age of technology. Access can simply not track all of the variables that matter when it comes to determining who will donate to your organization and how much they can likely give. Raiser’s Edge can put all of the vital information at the staff members finger tips to ensure that no one will slip through the cracks. I have also read several reviews of the product and it seems the biggest disadvantage to programs like Raiser’s Edge is that it has a hefty startup cost. Which I personally think is a small price to pay for the relationships that Raiser’s Edge can help you cultivate with your long time donors.
CRM Revamp?
Raiser's Edge is one of the power houses in the CRM world, but it seems that the program may have it's limitations as well.
The Great Ormond Street Hospital of London has been using Raiser's Edge for over 10 years to handle they fundraising programming. In the past 5 years, the donation levels they have achieved have doubled. However, even after years of success, the organization is considering whether it is time to move on to a different program. According to Head of Operations, Liz Essex, it is "a good strong work horse", but the organization still seems some limitations in it.
One of the main concerns is that Raiser's Edge has not moved into the Cloud, and does not allow the level of remote work that is necessary for the efforts of such a large operation. This limitation is one that many large institutions would likely have. One of the questions I had, and something I would see as another limitation, is how easy it is for multiple people to use the program, and how would they be able to track who has done what.
It will be interesting to see what decision Great Ormond makes and how Raiser's Edge will respond to meet the demands and limitations set forth.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/government-computing-network/2012/feb/17/crm-great-ormond-street-hospital?newsfeed=true
The Great Ormond Street Hospital of London has been using Raiser's Edge for over 10 years to handle they fundraising programming. In the past 5 years, the donation levels they have achieved have doubled. However, even after years of success, the organization is considering whether it is time to move on to a different program. According to Head of Operations, Liz Essex, it is "a good strong work horse", but the organization still seems some limitations in it.
One of the main concerns is that Raiser's Edge has not moved into the Cloud, and does not allow the level of remote work that is necessary for the efforts of such a large operation. This limitation is one that many large institutions would likely have. One of the questions I had, and something I would see as another limitation, is how easy it is for multiple people to use the program, and how would they be able to track who has done what.
It will be interesting to see what decision Great Ormond makes and how Raiser's Edge will respond to meet the demands and limitations set forth.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/government-computing-network/2012/feb/17/crm-great-ormond-street-hospital?newsfeed=true
Video Resume
Justin Bieber was found on YouTube, why not a conductor?
"Using social media to book artists or winnow out job candidates is on the rise as cash-strapped arts organizations discover they don’t have to travel to world to scout — or take on artists sight unseen — in this global environment, officials say."
I found this interesting article this week about the Windsor Symphony Orchestra. The organization is looking for a new conductor. They requested the standard paper resume and references, but interested parties were asked to post a video to YouTube displaying their skills as a conductor.
I'm actually surprised this is the first time I've read about an organization doing this. What a great way to weed people out without having to sit through hours of auditions. The applicant provides a video that they think best displays how they work and you can go through in your own time to pick and choose. This is a great way to take advantage of social media and in turn save some money and valuable time. I think any way that an organization can use technology and social media to cut unnecessary costs is great. I also agree with the comment in the article that there are some things that you can't leave to social media. If you are going to spend big money then you better see it live. Obviously, Windsor knows this because the finalists will perform live in the fall before one person is chosen to be the conductor.
As a final comment on the article and not the organization...I'm not sure comparing finding the leader of your orchestra to discovering Justin Bieber is a great comparison. Depends on who you're talking to I guess :-).
"Using social media to book artists or winnow out job candidates is on the rise as cash-strapped arts organizations discover they don’t have to travel to world to scout — or take on artists sight unseen — in this global environment, officials say."
I found this interesting article this week about the Windsor Symphony Orchestra. The organization is looking for a new conductor. They requested the standard paper resume and references, but interested parties were asked to post a video to YouTube displaying their skills as a conductor.
I'm actually surprised this is the first time I've read about an organization doing this. What a great way to weed people out without having to sit through hours of auditions. The applicant provides a video that they think best displays how they work and you can go through in your own time to pick and choose. This is a great way to take advantage of social media and in turn save some money and valuable time. I think any way that an organization can use technology and social media to cut unnecessary costs is great. I also agree with the comment in the article that there are some things that you can't leave to social media. If you are going to spend big money then you better see it live. Obviously, Windsor knows this because the finalists will perform live in the fall before one person is chosen to be the conductor.
As a final comment on the article and not the organization...I'm not sure comparing finding the leader of your orchestra to discovering Justin Bieber is a great comparison. Depends on who you're talking to I guess :-).
I found this link which feature an honest overview of the Raizer's Edge and how it integrates with Net Community. I also really liked the discussion that followed her post amongst her readers. Happy reading!
Thoughtful and sometimes snarky perspectives on nonprofit technology
CRM&CMS Integration: Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge and NetCommunity
http://zenofnptech.org/2009/02/crmcms-integration-blackbaud-raisers-edge-and-netcommunity.html
Disadvantages in IT
Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Information Technology
Small Business Bible; The A to Z for a sucessful small business
http://www.smallbusinessbible.org/
After reading numerous articles in nonprofit focused periodicals and small business blogs I noticed that there is a real emphasis on the importance of Information Technology for any business especially those in the nonprofit sector. Information increases globalization, communication, and can create jobs while being cost effective according to the Small Business Bible's blog entitled, Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Information Technology. However, I have not read anything that blatantly says that there are some disadvantages in Information Technology until today. I came across a Small Business Blog that talks about the advantages and disadvantages of Information Technology . Although the blog is pretty straight forward and talks about ideas that hopefully most nonprofit managers are aware of, I think it is important this topic is talked about throughout all nonprofits. As the blog explains,"Today information technology involves more than just computer literacy; it also takes into account how computers work and how these computers can further be used not just for information processing but also for communications and problem solving tasks as well."
According to the Small Business Bible, information technology can create disadvantages in the job market, privacy and security of all parties involved. Due to an increase of information technology many organizations have downsized their staff. Now computers are able to do work that people used to do. This means more money for the organization but now many are faced with unemployment. In addition, it is important to keep yourself up-to-date with all technological advancements so your organization is up to date with current ideas and software if possible. Technology has become the dominate culture, a scary reality for many however it is important to embrace this concept. Privacy is another disadvantage according to the Small Business Bible and it is a scary but important issue to understand. "...people are now worried about their one private information becoming public knowledge."
I think a lot of people tend to only look at the advantages and forget that some things that benefit an organization can also come with negative aspects. It is important for all involved to understand those disadvantages in order for them to not become a problem and if they do become a problem, it is important that organization has problem solving strategies to allow them to handle the issues. This blog although does not seem to be geared to nonprofits but small businesses is interesting and I think is worth taking a look at. Each blog is pretty straight forward and provides you with information about a variety of topics that are important for any small business.
Lost in a sea of options…
While Raiser’s Edge is constantly being
praised as being THE fundraising software to use, I found it a tad
overwhelming. In the introduction, the presenter stated that they pride
themselves on the ease of use of their system. After watching the
demo, I felt lost in a sea off windows. While I appreciate all the
tools available within this system to cultivate and grow patron
relationships, I felt like it would take a very long time to acclimate
and adjust to all it has to offer.
I did think that “The Giving Score” aspect of this software was very innovative. As the information is already in the system, I appreciated that the developers are continuing to think of more ways to make that data work for its clients which ultimately saves the organization money.
But, at what point in time does a program try to do too much thinking for its users?
I did think that “The Giving Score” aspect of this software was very innovative. As the information is already in the system, I appreciated that the developers are continuing to think of more ways to make that data work for its clients which ultimately saves the organization money.
But, at what point in time does a program try to do too much thinking for its users?
Pillow Talk: The New M.O. of the Arts Org in 2012
Last week, the Technology in the Arts blog posted a brief interview with Ella Baff - executive and artistic director of the Jacob's Pillow Festival, located in Beckett, Massachusetts.
http://www.technologyinthearts.org/2012/02/talking-about-the-virtual-pillow-ella-baff-executive-and-artistic-director-of-jacobs-pillow-dance-festival/
Today, she'll be giving a talk at Carnegie Melon as part of the Masters in Arts Management speaker series. Her talk will expand upon points brought up in the interview, and presumably go into more detail about Virtual Pillow - an online interactive hub for dance-lovers anywhere in the world to experience Jacob's Pillow.
Virtual Pillow is part of the Leading for the Future Initiative, a program of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, and is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with the purpose of investing in innovation. The program is innovative, indeed. It includes the Jacob's Pillow Dance Interactive, which stores archives of dance performance highlights from the past and present. This component also allows participants to make connections between programs and dancers and engage in knowledge-boosting games. Pillow Talks is another component which features online lectures and discussions with world-renown choreographers, authors, dancers etc. It is available on FORA.tv, a global video network. Virtual Pillow Views is an email newsletter and archive that interested parties can sign up for as well.
While the goal of this initiative was initially meant for outreach and engagement from the depths of rural Massachusetts to the world, Ella Baff explained that it "is now being used for educational purposes and as a scholarly resource. ... It is an audience development vehicle for dance, and we can capture the results." Virtual Pillow stays true to the mission of Jacob's Pillow and acts as an extension of their program, catapulting an already world-renown dance festival into a worldwide virtual tour de force.
Other arts institutions can have success with similar programming initiatives. Social media is one thing, of course, and most institutions are embracing that as a method of outreach as it is. But to establish an entire identity online, running programming through cyberspace paralleled with the mission and direction of an organization in real time? That is truly innovation, and one that we, as arts managers, should be excited to watch, embrace, and participate in as it grows as an archival tool and a source for audience engagement in the future.
http://www.technologyinthearts.org/2012/02/talking-about-the-virtual-pillow-ella-baff-executive-and-artistic-director-of-jacobs-pillow-dance-festival/
Today, she'll be giving a talk at Carnegie Melon as part of the Masters in Arts Management speaker series. Her talk will expand upon points brought up in the interview, and presumably go into more detail about Virtual Pillow - an online interactive hub for dance-lovers anywhere in the world to experience Jacob's Pillow.
Virtual Pillow is part of the Leading for the Future Initiative, a program of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, and is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with the purpose of investing in innovation. The program is innovative, indeed. It includes the Jacob's Pillow Dance Interactive, which stores archives of dance performance highlights from the past and present. This component also allows participants to make connections between programs and dancers and engage in knowledge-boosting games. Pillow Talks is another component which features online lectures and discussions with world-renown choreographers, authors, dancers etc. It is available on FORA.tv, a global video network. Virtual Pillow Views is an email newsletter and archive that interested parties can sign up for as well.
While the goal of this initiative was initially meant for outreach and engagement from the depths of rural Massachusetts to the world, Ella Baff explained that it "is now being used for educational purposes and as a scholarly resource. ... It is an audience development vehicle for dance, and we can capture the results." Virtual Pillow stays true to the mission of Jacob's Pillow and acts as an extension of their program, catapulting an already world-renown dance festival into a worldwide virtual tour de force.
Other arts institutions can have success with similar programming initiatives. Social media is one thing, of course, and most institutions are embracing that as a method of outreach as it is. But to establish an entire identity online, running programming through cyberspace paralleled with the mission and direction of an organization in real time? That is truly innovation, and one that we, as arts managers, should be excited to watch, embrace, and participate in as it grows as an archival tool and a source for audience engagement in the future.
5 Best Practices to keep your email marketing relevant
I came across this post on a blog and it really caught my eye. I think that as Arts Managers we are always looking for ways to keep marketing relevant and email is the fastest way to get the attention of our patrons. I also think that email is the easiest way to turn a patron off to your arts organization through over saturation or outdated methods. It is important to examine your email marketing and know that it is much easier and faster for someone to click "delete" then it is for them to physically throw away marketing materials. That being said, it is also much easier to respond to an email and buy tickers or donate than it is to write a check and mail it in.
So how to make sure that a patron clicks "buy tickets now"? The key is to keep your patrons happy. That means keeping their records up to date with all of their information in one place so they won't have to re-enter info they have already put into your system. This goes hand in hand with making sure that at the end of every subscription push, big promotion or donor campaigns all records get updated and merged to make sure that any new donor information is added to their account. The most important tip that I got from this article was to make sure to honor the opt out option on emails. Those donors who do not wish to receive any more correspondence should not be pushed upon. That is one of the biggest ways to loose a potential future donor.
http://www.technologyinthearts.org/2012/02/5-best-practices-to-keep-your-email-marketing-relevant/#more-4161
So how to make sure that a patron clicks "buy tickets now"? The key is to keep your patrons happy. That means keeping their records up to date with all of their information in one place so they won't have to re-enter info they have already put into your system. This goes hand in hand with making sure that at the end of every subscription push, big promotion or donor campaigns all records get updated and merged to make sure that any new donor information is added to their account. The most important tip that I got from this article was to make sure to honor the opt out option on emails. Those donors who do not wish to receive any more correspondence should not be pushed upon. That is one of the biggest ways to loose a potential future donor.
http://www.technologyinthearts.org/2012/02/5-best-practices-to-keep-your-email-marketing-relevant/#more-4161
Monday, February 27, 2012
Kickstarter
http://www.technologyinthearts.org/2012/02/kickstarter-reaches-major-milestone/#more-4199
This article discusses a fundraising website that is used by thousands of arts organizations to raise money for arts projects of all kinds. The site just reached it's goal of 150 million in pledges. I find this website model cool because people can donate to a specific cause and it holds the individual accountable, because without enough pledges, a project will fail and won't receive funding. It gives people a chance to support their passion and see projects and organizations succeed
Some downsides that the article points out that I agree with are that if the federal government see all of these individual contributions, they might cut funding for the arts even further, without fully understanding the program. The article explains that unfortunately, at little over half of the projects posted fail, as they do not reach their goal. So while a project might get a lot of contributors, if it does not raise enough money, no money is exchanged. Therefor, if the government cuts funding based on projected donations, a lot of programs could fall apart because their project fails. Another potential issue is that certain niche projects will not collect enough supports and will fail early on. Without government funding, there is no jumping off point for smaller organizations and projects to get support.
Overall, I see this site as a great innovation in how we collect donations for arts organizations and projects, and am eager to see how it does in future years.
Betsy O'Keeffe
This article discusses a fundraising website that is used by thousands of arts organizations to raise money for arts projects of all kinds. The site just reached it's goal of 150 million in pledges. I find this website model cool because people can donate to a specific cause and it holds the individual accountable, because without enough pledges, a project will fail and won't receive funding. It gives people a chance to support their passion and see projects and organizations succeed
Some downsides that the article points out that I agree with are that if the federal government see all of these individual contributions, they might cut funding for the arts even further, without fully understanding the program. The article explains that unfortunately, at little over half of the projects posted fail, as they do not reach their goal. So while a project might get a lot of contributors, if it does not raise enough money, no money is exchanged. Therefor, if the government cuts funding based on projected donations, a lot of programs could fall apart because their project fails. Another potential issue is that certain niche projects will not collect enough supports and will fail early on. Without government funding, there is no jumping off point for smaller organizations and projects to get support.
Overall, I see this site as a great innovation in how we collect donations for arts organizations and projects, and am eager to see how it does in future years.
Betsy O'Keeffe
Old News is New News: Tate's Photographic Research Archives almost tossed
Tate’s National Photographic archive ‘rescued from skip’ after internal tipoff - An art charity saved the crucial collection after employee’s call, but another archive was dumped by the V&A
This article reveals how the Tate (UK’s museum collection of British art) had secret intentions of tossing out photographic research archives that the museum felt was no longer valuable research material. Fortunately, an unnamed employee from the Tate calls Brian Allen, director of the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art (UK educational charity), to inform him of the disposal of the archives: “Someone said...you might like the curatorial photo archive because we’re about to throw it on to a skip.” During the removal process, Allen found confidential material and sensitive documents that he asked the Tate to take back. The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) had no such savior - all archives were dumbed. Although the Tate or the V&A may not have found these archives to be of value to their museums, it does not mean it would be invaluable to any other art museums, educational institutions, scholars, etc. had they just asked.
How does this relate to technology, you may ask? Well, with all the technological advancements that have been made in the twenty-first century, it makes me wonder whether we need a platform in which professional organizations can exchange information. As opposed to tossing out information in which no one will ever have access to again. An idea may be to create a secured website or web-based collections software that is linked to a community of trusted museums, educational institutions and scholars who would subscribe to such a resource. Sure investing in such a platform, if it even exists, takes time, money and human-resources, but wouldn’t it be worth it for future generations?
The New "New Media"
Not All "New Media" Is New Anymore
A recent post on Philantopic, “Not All New Media is ‘New’ Anymore”, explores the idea that once-new media, like PDFs and email, is actually becoming “old media.” Written by the Communication Network's Bruce Trachtenberg, the post focuses primarily on the Center for Digital Information’s “Beyond the PDF” roundtable. As described by Tratchenberg, the roundtable
showed off some impressive examples of how think tanks, foundations, and policy institutions are taking advantage of the best the new technology has to offer -- interactive graphics and visualizations, mapping tools, online databases, multimedia, and touch-interface smartphone and tablet applications -- to do what Jeff Stanger, the group's executive director, describes as more effectively 'injecting' information into public policy debates and other social change discussions.
This fall, I had the opportunity to take part in the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP). A "SnaapShot" of the results, which is available here, includes a summative dashboard, a map, and interactive graphs, making it a clear example of the kind of interactive presentation discussed by Tratchenberg. Tratchenberg notes that “by embracing the power of new digital technologies, we can turn static, often dry data into useful online engagements that hold great promise for thoughtfully informing and advancing public dialogue on topics such as health, education, the environment, the economy, national security, international affairs, and global development.” Based on my experience with SNAAP, this is also true of presenting data on the arts. For example, while the comparative levels of income and debt across degrees and disciplines – while important data – is rather dry, the presentation of this information is done in an engaging way. Imagine if, instead of a traditional research report PDF, the National Endowment for the Art’s 2008 Survery of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA) (PDF available here), had been done in a more interactive way, similar to that of the SNAAP. As with SNAAP, much of the data is itself dry (important and interesting – but dry). Unlike SNAAP, the SPPA is traditionally presented. While the data included in the SPPA is key to a thoughtful, national diaolgue on the arts, its presentation (nor any more recent NEA research reports, all housed here) isn't likely to foster useful online engagements.
While both the roundtable and the Philantopic post clearly focus on public policy, the idea that how work is presented digitally – to the public and within organizations – is changing is certainly relevant to arts managers. In addition to considering the presentation of SNAAP and NEA data, the digital presentation of data is important within organizations. As seen in presentations about different CRM and donor database programs, the ability to turn data reports into visual and interactive forms is not only a promoted feature but a necessity. It is not enough to have the data; the data needs to be refined and rendered usable. The ability to manipulate, compare, and present data as more than “just” data requires sophisticated digital technologies.
-Adrienne
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Raiser's Edge
There seems to be alot of similarity between the Raiser's Edge and other CRM software available. What impressed me about Raiser's Edge (and what was different from some others) was the data enrichment services. How many of us are sitting on large data banks of information and we have no idea how good the information is? I like the idea of RE being able to scrub your data for you and give you back something much more useful and potentially profitable, including assigning a giving score based on the research they do regarding your constituents. With limited budgets and staffing, you would be able to stop wasting resources on chasing people not very likely to give.
As with other similar services (Patron Manager for example) the home page for Raiser's Edge is very user friendly with all the crm data you need right in front of you. I liked the ability to set up a work flow surrounding a constituent or event with automatic alerts and reminders. It seems very comprehensive in its scope, right down to the event management functionality including a seating chart tool. I wonder if there is CRM software available that can do what both Patron Manager and Raiser's Edge do. This it seems is what a large arts organization needs: the ability to do business (sell theater tickets, etc) AND raise money while tracking it all in the comprehensive way that both of these companies offer. I was not able to ask the question, but wondered how Raiser's Edge is priced. Is there a monthly fee based on the organization's annual budget, or based on the amount of money raised? It would be interesting to know. All in all, a very interesting presentation and I was very impressed at the comprehensiveness of the package.
Event Ticketing on the Fly
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goings-on-the-new-yorker/id452137683?mt=8
Goings On: The New
Yorker is an app that allows browsing of events
and offerings currently happening in the New York area. While this is a
great concept, it seems rather limited. Why not take it a step further?
When searching for events to attend in a new
city on a whim, wouldn’t it be so convenient to also purchase your ticket right
on your phone? Ideally a purchaser would
be able to purchase their ticket through the venue (using Ovation, or something
similar) and not be taken to a third party site, such as stubhub.com. And
wouldn’t it be even better if the ticket on your phone were sufficient for the
ticketing collector at your event?
It would be interesting to see how programs like
Ovation and Patron Manager could partner with these apps (and similar
technologies) to capture purchasing and patron information and incorporate the
data into their existing framework. As
patrons are offered more and varied ways to make purchasing decisions and
transactions, it is crucial for these programs to find ways to incorporate
these options into their foundation. Incorporating
this kind of data would make for a more sophisticated set of data for their
clients, and perhaps capture an entirely new set of ticket purchasers that
haven’t been tracked before.
Patron Manager, no really.
When working through the Patron Manager tutorial there was one element that stuck me. I really loved the fact that the patron actually seemed to be the focus of their product. One of my favorite aspects of it was the ability to have every interaction that the patron has had with the organization right in front of the operator of the system. I think that it is incredibly beneficial for the person that has direct contact with the patron be able to see an entire picture of the patron's show preferences, past giving, email responses and so on. The value of knowing the extensive nature of a patron's show preferences, what solicitations they respond to and more can not be measured. If you don't have to spend the time asking them these questions then you can really tailor your "sales pitch" to things that you know they would be interested in. This feature not only makes a patron's interaction seamless and easy, but it also makes a operator's job easier. The more information that an operator has on a patron, the more confidence they can have in their interactions with them.
Github.com, and its effects on the software industry
Github.com started out as a project amongst a trio of friends who wanted to create an easier way for programmers to share code. In 2008, they did just that, and now Github is worlds largest code host. There are over 1.3 million members on Github who post their code for all to see, and for all other members to collaborate with. The number of hosted repositories is over 2 million, and the site itself acts also as a social networking tool between programmers and their work.
Why is this significant? Because it decentralizes code, and brings a higher level of collaboration to the world of programming than there ever was before. Before online code hosting, programmers had little options in where to store code. The main choice was the hard drive. Now, Github has given its users a decentralized space where open-ended collaboration on code can take place at any time. Software development has never been easier due to this. In the article about Github on Wired.com, CEO Chris Wanstrath had this to say:
“I want to live in a world where it’s easier to work together than to work alone… where every part of the software development process is a joy, and I think GitHub can make help make that happen.”
You can review the original article here,
and check out Github.com here!
Why is this significant? Because it decentralizes code, and brings a higher level of collaboration to the world of programming than there ever was before. Before online code hosting, programmers had little options in where to store code. The main choice was the hard drive. Now, Github has given its users a decentralized space where open-ended collaboration on code can take place at any time. Software development has never been easier due to this. In the article about Github on Wired.com, CEO Chris Wanstrath had this to say:
“I want to live in a world where it’s easier to work together than to work alone… where every part of the software development process is a joy, and I think GitHub can make help make that happen.”
You can review the original article here,
and check out Github.com here!
Thoughts on Patron Manager
While watching the webinar last week, I maintained a compare&contrast perspective in regard to Patron Manager vs. OvationTix. It seems that Patron Manager is a much more well-rounded program, and includes more tools particularly for donor cultivation and gift stewardship. I appreciated that the CRM snapshot component allowed for a more targeted solicitation campaign based on information and choices stored in the program. OvationTix on the other hand focuses more successfully on the ticket purchasing/reservations component; while there is a profile feature that could allow for donor cultivation, it seems less user-friendly and useful than that of Patron Manager. However, that could change with time and it could develop into a totally competitive program.
One component of Patron Manager that I imagine could be especially useful is the dashboard. I appreciate that one click of a button can create a graph from any information the user wishes to input. The dashboard automatically updates in real time, so all members of a team can be constantly aware of changes in sales/donations/participation/etc.
With this sort of "immediate gratification" and its Facebook-style "Chatter" communication component, Patron Manager is a modern performing arts manager's dream. In a constantly evolving society, we need tools that not only help us keep up, but can keep up themselves.
Which brings me to the one question I was able to ask in the Q&A, which was essentially "As social networking becomes more advanced and more pervasive, how does Patron Manager intend to keep up?" Our guide explained to me that because Patron Manager is web based, it can alter and add features at a very fast pace. She mentioned that in 2011, there were 6 new updates to the program, and in 2012, they have 5 planned updates to existing features alone. Unfortunately, then my work phone rang and I was unable to listen to the conclusion of her answer; however, I do think that this is very promising as a program is concerned. Software needs to be able to keep up with the needs of its users, and a web based software can do that more seamlessly than an installation can. She explained that often these updates are unannounced, and users will log in one day and see a new feature or a changed feature that they can learn. This is how people learn these days (Facebook's constant lay-out changes, like the new Timeline, are an example of this) and I think it's beneficial for both the software developer and user to mimic this pattern.
One component of Patron Manager that I imagine could be especially useful is the dashboard. I appreciate that one click of a button can create a graph from any information the user wishes to input. The dashboard automatically updates in real time, so all members of a team can be constantly aware of changes in sales/donations/participation/etc.
With this sort of "immediate gratification" and its Facebook-style "Chatter" communication component, Patron Manager is a modern performing arts manager's dream. In a constantly evolving society, we need tools that not only help us keep up, but can keep up themselves.
Which brings me to the one question I was able to ask in the Q&A, which was essentially "As social networking becomes more advanced and more pervasive, how does Patron Manager intend to keep up?" Our guide explained to me that because Patron Manager is web based, it can alter and add features at a very fast pace. She mentioned that in 2011, there were 6 new updates to the program, and in 2012, they have 5 planned updates to existing features alone. Unfortunately, then my work phone rang and I was unable to listen to the conclusion of her answer; however, I do think that this is very promising as a program is concerned. Software needs to be able to keep up with the needs of its users, and a web based software can do that more seamlessly than an installation can. She explained that often these updates are unannounced, and users will log in one day and see a new feature or a changed feature that they can learn. This is how people learn these days (Facebook's constant lay-out changes, like the new Timeline, are an example of this) and I think it's beneficial for both the software developer and user to mimic this pattern.
Everyone hates to find parking, so why not make it easier?
Parking is one of the challenges to getting patrons to our
venues especially in a downtown city setting. There is now an app for
that! Wired Magazine has an article that
explains the process. This
wonderful app, QuickPay, works by
having users "download the app and
enter payment and vehicle information, then scan QR codes to pay for parking or
gain access to private lots without parking attendants.” While this has clearly not been applied to
all parking garages or private lots, it could definitely be beneficial in
luring individuals to your event by continuing to identify and eliminate at
least one of the excuses people tend to make for not attending performances or
exhibitions.
Technology and its applications are rapidly changing, and as
far as arts managers are concerned, the need for application developers has
quickly become an unforeseen need in today’s job market. As arts organizations create strategic plans
for their future, as well as budgeting calendars, how can we prepare ourselves
for rapidly expanding technological advances that we cannot even begin to
predict six months from now, let alone five years?
Additionally, I found the “Chatter” feature available within
the PatronManager program to be a great tool for increased involvement and
communication within the staff. I was
curious to know if PatronManager has an app available to their clients, as that
could be a great tool for work issued phones.
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/02/quickpay-turns-your-smartphone-into-a-parking-attendant/
Monday, February 20, 2012
OvationTix vs Patron
As I began to watch the webinar for Patron, I was surprised to find how many similarities there are between it and OvationTix. In my head, I kept making the connections between the two systems. They are both web based programs that end up getting incorporated into each venues individual site. Both systems seating chart system and functionality seemed pretty comparable as well. One of the main functions that I appreciated over Ovation was chatter. While Ovation did have a way to manage task delegation, it was not quite as streamlined as chatter is. I believe that any system that provides as much communication as possible between coworkers in one place is preferable. On the other hand, I would say that I prefer the customer profile on Ovation better than on Patron. I feel that not only is it more detailed, but the interface is more accessible for the company.
I went on a search to try and find some other opinions on the two systems, and happened upon multiple different sites with listings of all major ticketing systems. I was absolutely shocked at the vast number of different systems available for use by venues. I would be overwhelmed in choices, so I am glad I had the opportunity to get an inside look at these two systems so that I know what I like and don't like in my ticketing system.
http://www.technologyinthearts.org/?page_id=474
I went on a search to try and find some other opinions on the two systems, and happened upon multiple different sites with listings of all major ticketing systems. I was absolutely shocked at the vast number of different systems available for use by venues. I would be overwhelmed in choices, so I am glad I had the opportunity to get an inside look at these two systems so that I know what I like and don't like in my ticketing system.
http://www.technologyinthearts.org/?page_id=474
How to Evaluate Ticketing Systems
Having seen both the OvationTix and PatronTechnology CRM presentations, I felt that both would be very good options for organizations looking for ticketing systems that offered more than just tickets. However, in the end, organizations are not all alike and do need to weigh their options when deciding on technology purchases. How would one go about comparing the two systems in general? How can an organization know what’s best for them?
There are many similarities between OvationTix and PatronTechnology CRM. Both, for example, are web-based. They each allow for customized interfaces that mimic the look of the organization’s website. OvationTix and PatronTechnology CRM both offer a profile feature that allows organizations to consolidate, track, and analyze patron activity. Each is equipped with customizable reports; while these reports sync with Excel in OvationTix (to allow for data usage elsewhere in the organization), PatronTechnology CRM offers integrated database and email functions (OvationTix does sync with Constant Contact). Based on the presentations by both companies, they are both updating their systems in response to client needs.
An arts organization would need to determine what their needs were before buying a ticketing system. Some of the factors that organizations should consider include:
-What kind of venue are they? Do they primarily sell general admission tickets or are their seats “assigned?” Do they have pricing catergories (regular, student, etc).? Is this supported by the ticketing system?
-What types of performances (reoccurring, one-offs, a combination thereof) do they offer? Is the ticketing system designed for one type of programming or is it easily customizable for different kinds of programming?
-What other technologies does the organization use? Will the new system integrate with them? For example, OvationTix allows data to be exported to Excel and also will sync with ConstantContact. PatronTechnology can be synced with QuickBooks (using a plug-in from Quickbooks).
-On the other hand, how much does the organization want the ticketing system to behave like a database? PatronTechnology, for example, behaves like a ticketing system-database-email/marketing hybrid.
-What kinds of peripherals (ticketing printer, credit card swipers) would we need to purchase? Can we reuse the ones we already have? Can we operate the system without printing tickets?
When looking for a ticketing system, it’s not necessarily about which system is the best overall, but which system is the best fit for the organization. After all, the needs of a 15,000-seat venue are often different from that of one with only 15.
-Adrienne
Parton Manager Chatter=very revolutionary!
Can anyone remember what life was like before Facebook? I certainly can’t. It is one of my leading ways to keep tabs on what the people in my life are up to. Today in fact I was on my Facebook newsfeed and saw that one my mom’s (who is an aid at a school) co-workers had posted in their status that they were going to be two hours late tomorrow. I preceded to text my mom to tell her I was jealous and she had no idea about the delay. It is awesome the speed that word can be spread around.
One of the coolest features I loved about Patron Manager was Chatter. It is an instant way to communicate vital information to your co-workers. This instant communication can save so much time as well as patron frustration because all of the information is right there at your fingertips. I cannot tell you how many times I have walked into the box office I work at just to answer a phone call and have no idea what the patron is referring to, I then will have to go into their account which has very limited ways of leaving notes about the patron or the situation or finding their subscriber form in our vast filing room. I think it is also ingenious to use the format that we are all so used to such as Facebook and Twitter because it is clear that Patron Manager is keeping up with the times and wants to make their features as user friendly as possible. I unfortunately had to watch would have asked if there was an instant message feature to the Chatter. An instant message component would only make chatter more useful because not everyone might stay on their Chatter feed the whole time.
Security Breach
After completing the webinar for Patron Manager, I was excited to learn more about it. Patron Manger would be an asset for any nonprofit, especially those trying to increase their relationship with their shareholders and community. Since all nonprofits rely heavily on donations and community involvement, strategic planning is vital along with creativity and creating new models of business. With the use of Patron Manager those steps can be easily achieved. The interface seemed to be very user friendly for beginners and a lot easier to learn than Rasiers' Edge. I have used Rasiers' Edge in the past and in the beginning I had trouble with the interface. Patron Manger seems to be more straight forward and less ambiguous. I am looking forward to learning more about Rasiers' Edge next week to better compare the two programs.
One aspect I really liked about Patron Manager was the ability to inform the entire staff about any edits or additions made to the database or to a particular individual through their Facebook style social media/business communication program called "Chatter". I think that communication is a large problem in many organizations, big or small. Chatter is such a familiar form of communication, it seems to allow staff to become more efficient in terms of communication.
However there is one thing that was left out of the webinar. How secure is Patron Manager and are constituents' information threatened? I was unaware of this problem and I never really thought about this type of issue until I read on a nonprofit IT blog that explained an organization's database was hacked. (See Link Below)
NON-PROFIT TECH BLOG: Confessions of a Non-Profit Executive Director
"ONVIO REPORTS SECURITY BREACH ON GET ACTIVE SYSTEMS"
http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/breaking-news-convio-reports-security-breach-on-getactive-systems
I am curious if nonprofits understand their risk for their patrons' information to be compromised by a third-party. I am sure that a majority of programs of this nature protect organizations against attacks but this may be an important issue for a Board to discuss. Also, I think that donors need to know that their private information is protected against third-party intruders or many may be less likely to provide an organization with credit card and other private information. It is important that software companies emphasis the steps that the software, the company providing the service, and the organization will take in order to provide their stakeholders with top notch security.
Thoughts on PatronManager
I'm a big fan of things that make life, professional and personal, easier and I have to say I was impressed with what PatronManager had to offer. This was my first exposure to a CRM program. Most times when I had a question it was answered and if I was wondering if the program also did something else (like notify a staff member of a task assigned to them from within the program) a majority of the time the answer was yes. From the presentation it seemed like PatronManager was very aware of itself and what its clients want. It already provides this cool 360 view of patrons and all these tools to keep up with them (ticket sales, subscriptions, who has been in contact with them, etc.), but they also have additional tools in the works that specific clients are testing out for them. I think it's great that the company seems to be constantly working to improve itself and I assume some of the new things they have planned for the future have come from research and client feedback.
I did sign up for the webinar and had to watch it at work. I was unable to ask any questions because I had things to work on and I missed some parts of the presentation. Luckily, we were sent the prerecorded version and I was able to watch it again in my free time.
As far as questions I would have asked here's what I have:
I thought I would end this by sharing some reviews I found of actual PatronManager clients. Enjoy :o):
I did sign up for the webinar and had to watch it at work. I was unable to ask any questions because I had things to work on and I missed some parts of the presentation. Luckily, we were sent the prerecorded version and I was able to watch it again in my free time.
As far as questions I would have asked here's what I have:
- Does the system allow friends to choose seats near one another by clicking on links shared through Facebook? I ask this because I would want to make sure I was sitting near a friend and the system automatically giving me that option would save me time from asking my friend where their seats are. It could always be a feature that the original ticket buyer can choose not to include.
- I love the Chatter Feed, but wondered if there is an instant messaging feature? It would be nice to quickly ask a question of another staff member right there in the system if both of you are logged on. I also think it just makes sense to have along with the Chatter Feed.
- Lastly, I would have asked how they compare themselves to competitors like Tessitura when they are pitching this tool to potential clients? When we get into the demo for Tessitura it would be cool to see how the two compare based on the others view of the competition.
I thought I would end this by sharing some reviews I found of actual PatronManager clients. Enjoy :o):
Thursday, February 16, 2012
One-Stop-Shop = PatronManager CRM
PatronManager CRM definitely fits the characteristic of a “One-Stop-Shop” CRM system. Two of the main questions that I was really looking forward to getting answered with this system were issues regarding “time” and “efficiency”. When you work in a small nonprofit arts organization where staff is very limited and overloaded - “time” and “efficiency” become very crucial in ensuring the achievement of goals and responsibilities, and meeting constituents’ needs. PatronManager CRM does this by consolidating all the necessary data that organizations use on a daily basis and puts them into one central location - what I consider pushing the “easy” button. The 360 degree feature is a prime example of this - everything you want to know about a patron is all on ONE PAGE - history of donations, pledges, subscriptions, ticket purchases, etc.
Also, I’m always looking for new ways to organize all the tasks that I need to do in a given day, week, or month. One of my other questions was whether the “Open Acivities” feature that PatronManager CRM offers could be connected to current communication systems that were already in place - it is! As an employee and manager who checks their Microsoft Outlook first thing in the morning - its great to know that the tasks I have to do for the day are already organized, ready to go, and in my inbox. This is the same for generating reports in PatronManager CRM as well - the thought of creating a report template ONCE and having it automatically generated, timed and sent to your supervisor’s inbox in REAL TIME, at the same time, every week is a Director’s or Assistant’s DREAM COME TRUE! If you haven’t already sensed it - I would want PatronManager CRM at my current organization today!
If I were to find a glitch in this CRM system it would also be the feature that acts as a double-edged sword - 100% Web-based. I do understand that 100% Web-based is a benefit that allows organizations 24/7 accessibility anywhere on the planet, but I also can’t help think of the risk factors - hackers and crashing systems which are both realistic risks when conforming to paperless systems. That said, it is comforting to know that PatronManager CRM does offer customer support all days of the week - phone/email - and in reasonable time frames, should the unthinkable happen. Also, organizations do have the choice to continue keeping hard copy forms of data if hackers and crashes are of high concern.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Pinterest for Business?
http://bx.businessweek.com/social-media-marketing/view?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.compukol.com%2Fblog%2Fpinterest-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it-for-business%2F
Pinterest is one of the newer tools out there that was created as an image-sharing app. At first I was hesitant to get involved with this app, but after navigating it I am definitely addicted. It allows users to login and create their own "Pinboard". When a user sees something that they like they can "Pin it" to either their main board or another board they have created with a particular category.
I thoroughly enjoy Pinterest for personal use, but until coming across this article I had never thought of using it for business purposes. The most obvious business use would be for someone who sells a product that can be documented in photograph form. They can take pictures of their products and put them up on their board. This creates a domino effect when customers "Repin" pictures of the product on their board and so on and so forth. When someone clicks on a "pin" that someone has put up on their board they are automatically driven back to the original site that the post came from. This format keeps potential customers being driven back to the business' homepage. Pinterest could be viewed as technology's stab at "word of mouth" marketing.
Pinterest is one of the newer tools out there that was created as an image-sharing app. At first I was hesitant to get involved with this app, but after navigating it I am definitely addicted. It allows users to login and create their own "Pinboard". When a user sees something that they like they can "Pin it" to either their main board or another board they have created with a particular category.
I thoroughly enjoy Pinterest for personal use, but until coming across this article I had never thought of using it for business purposes. The most obvious business use would be for someone who sells a product that can be documented in photograph form. They can take pictures of their products and put them up on their board. This creates a domino effect when customers "Repin" pictures of the product on their board and so on and so forth. When someone clicks on a "pin" that someone has put up on their board they are automatically driven back to the original site that the post came from. This format keeps potential customers being driven back to the business' homepage. Pinterest could be viewed as technology's stab at "word of mouth" marketing.
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