Strong strategy means a strong website

ALLIES, a program of the Maytree Foundation recently participated in a website strategy process with Unxvision.  The ALLIES program is looking to create a separate identity to the Maytree Foundation which meant  new branding as well as a first ever website.  Unxvision conducted a two-day facilitated session with the ALLIES core team  to outline goals, identify target audiences, navigation and design creation. 

The new website will be launching in the first week of June.  Says Markus Stadelmann-Elder of ALLIES, “Working with Unxvision on the web strategy for the new ALLIES website was of great value. In particular, it made us sit down as a team and really think about where we’ve been, where we are, and where we expect to be going. Unxvision led us through two four-hour planning sessions which forced us the question everything and focus on what really matters. We now have a much better understanding what we want to accomplish with our website. We will no longer try to be everything to everyone; instead, we will be a valuable resource to our main audiences.”

We look forward to the launch of the website!

Unxvision helps to launch a new generation SuperWalk! site for Parkinson Society

Canada’s Parkinson SuperWalk is the largest national fundraising event for Parkinson Society Canada (PSC) and its 12 regional partners. With more than 13,000 walkers and 2,000 volunteers from coast-to-coast, the event continues to grow each year in awareness about the disease as well as raising revenue to help support critical research and those living with the disease.  

The SuperWalk site has also been re-vamped using Unxvision’s eEventMarketer tool to offer a dynamic, user-friendly fundraising site for participants and supporters.  Participants are offered their very own personal fundraising page that will allow them to:

• Post a picture and tell their story of why they are participating
• Upload email contact list of their own personal network
• Send a request for donation to that contact list
• Monitor messages from initial donation ask, to follow up to a personal Thank You.
• Monitor donations

Participants can register at any of the 12 locations across Canada and either create or join a team.

With Parkinson Society hoping to reach $3 million this year in fundraising revenue, it is important to remember the value of peer-to-peer fundraising and the power that comes from one’s own social network.

Happy fundraising SuperWalk participants!

Credit Valley Hospital Foundation – Lifetime of Care website wins Hygeia Award!

Unxvision is proud to have been a key player in the creation of the Lifetime of Care capital campaign website.  Our strategic role helped to determine key website messages and navigation, a vibrant design and very dynamic donation options.  

Congratulations to The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation!

***Re-posted from Credit Valley Hospital Foundation blog***

NEWS RELEASE

April 23, 2010–Mississauga, ON: The Credit Valley Hospital Foundation won two first place Hygeia Awards from the Health Care Public Relations Association (HCPRA) for best website and best special purpose communication – fundraising.

The National Hygeia Awards are presented annually by the Health Care Public Relations Association (HCPRA) to recognize overall excellence in health care communications and honour outstanding accomplishments across Canada. Eight awards were presented in Toronto at the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy/ Health Care Public Relations Association’s annual conference on April 19th.

The Foundation’s campaign website http://www.lifetimeofcare.ca/ received accolades for its visual equipment catalogue, construction slideshow, patient testimonials, and donor recognition section. The “Help Credit Valley Grow” print advertising strategy was recognized for its emotionally charged creative visual and clear messages.

“I am delighted our efforts to educate and inspire the community to support Credit Valley’s hospital expansion have been honoured,” says Suzanne Hallsworth, Director of Marketing and Communications.

The Lifetime of Care $45 million campaign will help build and equip Credit Valley’s current 270,000 square foot expansion. The Foundation has raised $26 million to date and is now turning to the community to help ensure an even brighter future for health care at Credit Valley. While the government will pay for 90% of construction costs the support of the entire community is needed to fund the remaining building costs plus 100% of all new equipment.

The website, http://www.lifetimeofcare.ca/ gives donors the option of purchasing a brick for $50 to support the building fund or purchase a piece of equipment to support the equipment fund.

Is your navigation for you or your audiences?

I’ve been working with a number of clients lately with website strategy.  Most clients are surprised at the required time needed to spend together to hammer out effective strategy.  In my experience, there are two main areas where most time is spent:

1. Target audience identification
2. Navigation architecture

Interestingly most organizations have a difficult time identifying primary and secondary audiences.  Why?  In most cases it is how the organization is set up to function on a day-to-day basis.  Most organizations structure themselves by departments, position titles and processes which, when running an office and delivering programs and services, is fine.  It is when you apply this day-to-day approach to your website navigation and design that can make your website ineffective .  How many of you know still have About Us as one of your first navigation options?

By understanding your target audiences and determining whether they are primary or secondary, should help determine the navigation architecture. Your website is about them and for them.  When people visit the website, they are looking for information on programs, services, resources, publications, etc.  They are not looking for the organization history or staff list (as examples).

In point with understanding primary and secondary audiences – this too can be difficult to mesh out. Everyone knows that Media is an audience for the website.  But unless your mission is to help the media in some manner, move them to the minor global navigation.  People in media are pretty savvy web users and can typically find “their section”  quickly.  They are looking for quick facts, information and a contact name.  Creating a media link in the minor global navigation or even the footer is appropriate.   And wherever and whenever possible, I suggest putting About Us in the minor global navigation too.

The last point I would like to share is the importance of establishing the context for your organization and therefore the website right from the get-go.  You should be answering the big “why” question about your mission up front and centre.  This means placement as the first option in the major global navigation.  Examples include:

Why Give? – effective for foundations and also as the first secondary navigation option in the Ways To Give section
The Children – example from an organization that focuses on providing services and programs for children
Why Hire Immigrants? – example from an organization that helps skilled immigrants
Poverty – example from an organization who aims to eliminate poverty in Canada

All of these examples ”set the stage” and introduce the organization and website to the visitor.   

If you haven’t gone through the exercise to vet out your primary and secondary audiences, I invite you to do so.  You’ll find it extremely useful.  Once done, take a look at your website and determine whether the navigation is for you (the organization) or for your audience.

New Constituent Upgrades for YOU

We’re pleased to announce new enhancements for the Re-Source Center.  Here at the Unx office, we continually work with clients and listen to their current and future needs.  It is also important for us to be leaders within the sector for online Constituent Management.

There are 2 main categories of software enhancements in Phase One (of which there are two):

1. Changes to how email lists are created.  Email lists can now be associated with Interests and Groups, saved as templates and used again.  Campaigns are now targeted to email lists instead of specific interests and groups, providing more flexibility.
2. Introduction of a new preference management portal for constituents to update their personal information, select interest categories and choose which email communication topics they would like to receive. All updates are automatically made to the constituent’s profile in your Constituent Database.

Constituent Preference Management

This function will allow a constituent to log into their account and gain access to the following:

• Edit personal information, including name, address, phone numbers, email address, etc.
• Subscribe or unsubscribe from available e-mail topics.
• Identify interests (as defined by the organization)
• View online donation history
• Change password

Pretty exciting.

We’ll be posting more about this upgrade in the coming while.

Evolution of support to charities

Question

What will (general donor) support look like in the next five years?

Supporters will:

- have increasingly less time and capacity to support multiple charities;

- want to be more selective;

- go deeper with fewer charities; and

- be more savvy about where time, money and relationship is invested.

Organizations will:

- need to engage their supporters;

- empower supporters to engage their social networks;

- enable supporters to easily communicate with the organization; and

- communicate with “intelligence” to their supporters.

Answer

At the basic level, effective online stewardship.

Over the  next few weeks, Unxvision will blog about ways to start getting your online stewardship plan established and working for you.

Good energy, great speakers and inspiring awards

As we all get back to the regular work week, I am certain that many people who attended the AFP Toronto Congress felt it was well worth it.

The Congress 2009 speakers were refreshing. New faces meant new learning and value. Returning speakers were the best of the best in the fundraising world. It was a very successful formula.

The plenary speakers were fantastic.  Kiva  is making an incredible  impact with $100 million available in microloans.  The organization has only been in existence for four years.  Ron Archer was mesmerizing. Not a sound was to be heard during his talk.

The AFP Philanthropy Awards Luncheon was truly inspiring.  A thousand-fold congratulations to Bilaal Rajan, whose organization has raised millions to help children in need all over the world.  Bilaal is only 13 years old.  He became a fundraiser at the age of four.   All I can say is wow.

Unxvision was proud to be a Gold Sponsor and the exclusive New Media Sponsor. We look forward to next year.

Yes, a weed… Why a weed?

With the launch of the Unxvision website just days away we want to address a matter of importance head on.  We’re now synonymous with a weed.

We’ve chosen the dandelion as the image to represent our company’s message to the fundraising world.  Here’s why:

Connectedness

The dandelion symbol fits well with today’s culture of connectedness, collaboration and interaction. With increased accessibility and mobility, a large network of family, friends and colleagues are all linked together through shared experience, the Internet and technology.

Client vision centred

Like the dandelion clock, each web solution we build, design and develop is part of a greater whole always centered on our client’s vision.

Breaking down barriers
 
Dandelion root systems are strong enough to break up tightly compacted soil so crops can grow. Unxvison sees our work as key to the breaking down of barriers that challenge the growth of your supporter base.

Hope for a better future

The dandelion is a hopeful symbol. When seeds are blown into the wind and wishes are made, there is hope for a better future. Unxvision works conscientiously to offer non profits the hope and reality of sharing their vision and achieving social mobilization.

Perseverance

The dandelion plant embodies the spirit of perseverance, rootedness and change and Unxvision embraces these core values.

Climate change
 
As the dandelion adapts readily to all kinds of climates and environments, Unxvision is constantly evolving and reinventing itself in response to emerging philanthropic trends and client needs.

Taking root… well anywhere and within reason of course!
 
Dandelions take root almost anywhere. Similarly, Unxvision’s reach extends far beyond the familiar or where it is easy to establish a presence.

We’ve put a lot of thought into it as you can see from the above list.  Maybe, just maybe, this weed is quite an extraordinary flower.

The AFP Congress it’s-a coming

With the 2009 AFP Toronto Congress just days away, folks are scrambling with last minute Holiday campaign launches and prepping to attend the Congress.

With a sold out crowd of over 900 registrants, a dynamic list of Speakers and Sessions and the fresh, almost chic approach (feels very Toronto), it promises to be rewarding.

We’re pleased to be the New Media Sponsor for this year’s Congress and are chuffed that the AFP Planning Committee had a desire to communicate in savvy new ways. The mix of Vismail, video postcards and standard but effective traditional email have helped create and maintain an electrifying momentum leading up to Congress.

View a video postcard of David Parkinson, talking about the upcoming Congress.

Hello fundraisers!

Well we’ve done it.  After setting up blogs for our clients and extolling the virtues of why certain clients and/or campaigns need a blog, we’ve gone and got one for ourselves. 

We will share tidbits about online fundraising, stewardship and communication.  Our products and expertise are about eCRM and I, myself, am an eCRM Strategist.  Our entire team works diligently at chipping away at challenges and obstacles that clients face when stewarding supporters. 

Welcome to our blog!