Imagine a dividing line that runs between two separate camps.
In the camp on the left are the nonprofits with a highly effective website presence. They are tapping in to a low cost growth medium.
In the camp on the right are those nonprofits whose website doesn't contribute in any meaningful way. They aren't experiencing online growth.
If you are a nonprofit leader, you should ask yourself an honest question:
“Which camp is your organization in today?”
If you classify yourself in the “have nots” when it comes to online growth and strategy, don't worry. We're going to show you how the simple act of setting clear goals can get you into the right camp.
Setting goals that inspire and contribute
“I'll run through walls to get a catamaran trip through the Greek islands, but I might not change my brand of cereal for a weekend trip through Columbus, Ohio.” - Tim Ferriss in “The 4-Hour Workweek”
The reason many nonprofit websites remain looking like shrines to things the organizations did in 2005 is because overwhelm sets in. We tend to suffer from "paralysis by analysis" when addressing questions like “How are we going to fix our website? Where do we start? How much effort will it take?”
To overcome this you need to set online goals that really speak to what your organization is about, that excite your team, that make you happy to get out of bed in the morning. Take inspiration from the Tim Ferriss quote above, and ensure your goals are energizing enough to keep you motivated day after day.
Here's a simple process to follow to find online goals that are relevant to your organization:
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Define your “business objectives”. Why does your nonprofit exist?
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Identify clear website goals for each of the “business objectives”.
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Determine what you will measure for each of these website goals. What are your key performance indicators (KPIs)?
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Identify what “success” looks like. What are your target numbers? (If you don't have a good idea what they might be, just put in a number...and you can update it after “real” data starts to come in.)
Keep your goals simple & visual
The best way to keep your goals clear and in the forefront of your mind at all times is to make a simple graphical representation of your goals.
To illustrate one way of doing this, I'm going to create a sample set of “business objectives”, website goals, what I will measure, and what my success targets are.
How we can help
After going through the exercise of determining website goals that will contribute to your business objectives, you are in a position to begin experiencing positive online growth.
However, some nonprofits may find that their current website presents very real barriers to success. This may include things like:
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Website content is difficult for staff to update.
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Navigation is not intuitive to visitors.
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“Look & feel” is not professional.
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Layout is cluttered.
At IT For Change we build websites exclusively for nonprofits, ranging in cost and complexities that fit their budget and their requirements.
The benefits you will realize from our websites:
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Your website becomes an ally in achieving your online goals.
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Staff can effectively and easily make the necessary corrections to the site.
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Visitors engage with the intuitive navigation and strategic presentation of information, increasing the chances they will “convert” on the goals you have set.
Summing it up
Many nonprofits have under performing websites due to the overwhelm which can arise from a lack of clearly defined, inspiring (yet achievable) goals.
Nonprofit leaders can change this by guiding their team through the process of clarifying business objectives, setting website goals, determining KPIs, and tracking targets.
As you diligently pursue your online goals, your nonprofit will be able to reap the rewards of your planning and implementation, and join the others celebrating in the camp of the nonprofit “Haves”.
(Flickr photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/6453128523 & http://www.flickr.com/photos/misteraitch/4959098093/)