Tag Archives: tech

Will Your Nonprofit be Ready for the Future of Payments?

This article was originally published on nten.org in January

15NTC poster

from nten.org on instagram

One recent sunny afternoon in Austin, I gathered with a small crowd of NTEN 501 Club NPTechies to lunch and learn about digital currencies and payments innovations.

We were there to talk about Bitcoin—what it is (digital cash), what it isn’t (internet not required), why you would want to take advantage of it (0% transaction fee, anyone?), and what you need to know before implementing (multi signature wallets!)

The informal discussion was led by presenters, David J Neff, Digital Strategy Manager at PwC and Jacob Parks, Legal Researcher at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. (You can watch the whole thing on Capital Factory’s YouTube or read my blog post for a summary.)

Most importantly, I learned that tech-savvy charities need to address changes happening in the payments landscape NOW.

Timing is perfect for you to learn from trailblazing organizations already breaking ground on the new frontiers, while still being early enough to claim advantages for your own cause. For example, digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, offer an excellent fundraising currency for micropayments and microlending because they provide a platform where you can give $0.25 without credit card fees eating it up.  Organization who have a good strategy in place will be poised to gain exposure to new sources of support with little accounting risk.

Digital currencies aren’t the only thing shaking up the payments landscape. Changes in physical security, such as chip-and-PIN (smartcard) technology, are already being used widely in Canada and Europe and will be expanding in the United States. ApplePay and others are radically increasing the adoption of tap-to-pay NFC platforms, especially in event-based scenarios. Will your nonprofit be ready?

All this innovation has not gone unnoticed at the major nptech software companies, either. PayPal has added digital currencies and wallets to its lineup for merchants and more is on the way. Even Microsoft is accepting Bitcoin! Software providers who want to keep their customers are looking for creative ways to integrate more payment options into their solutions. As they do, more charities will have more ways to connect with donors within existing toolsets.

At the 2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we are going to take this discussion to the next level with an expanded panel of experts to talk about how payments innovations are changing the way organizations engage with their constituents. David J Neff will join NTEN veteran, Jason Shim from Pathways to Education Canada, as well as pros Alissa Ruehl from Blackbaud and Robin Dupont from PayPal in a panel you won’t want to miss!  

See you in at #15NTC

NTC15 Session #1048:
Cryptocurrency that Cares: A primer on how digital currencies and payments innovations can help your organization

 Follow along on Twitter with #15NTCmerchant on Wed, Mar 4 1:30pm – 3pm CT

Nonprofits and Bitcoin – 501 Tech Club Austin panel

In October, the Capital Factory hosted the 501 Tech Club of Austin, an affinity group of NTEN, the Nonprofit Technology Network which is a community transforming technology into change. The panel was entitled “Nonprofits, Bitcoin and Digital Currencies.” Presenters included David J Neff, Digital Strategy Manager at PwC and Jacob Parks, Legal Researcher at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

 

Before our discussion began, participants got a quick primer in bitcoin. You can learn more about Bitcoin in this primer from Princeton:
https://wws.princeton.edu/news-and-events/news/item/bitcoin-primer

 

In the June issue of NTEN: Change, members read about how Bitcoin may be a game-changer for fundraising and nonprofits:
http://issuu.com/ntenorg/docs/nten_change_june2014_final/18?e=11383070/8364413

You can also watch this accompanying recorded webinar with David J Neff and Jason Shim of Pathways of Canada:
http://www.nten.org/events/webinar/2014/05/21/bitcoin-for-nonprofits-a-fundraising-digital-disruptor 

 

Some of the key learnings from the panel included:

What is digital currency or Bitcoin?

  • Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer digital currency. There are many “altcoin” alternative digital currencies too.
  • It’s like digital cash. Once you pass it to someone, there is no real way to track it. 
  • You store your coins in a vault at an online exchange (eg, Coinbase) which generates a wallet key you use to exchange coins. Be sure to pick a reputable exchange!
  • You don’t need a computer to pay with Bitcoin (eg, write your vault number and pass it on a napkin.)
  • Bitcoin value fluctuates more than traditional currencies, making it also like an investment. (Around $650/coin once, now closer to $430/coin and still on the move!)
  • Mining Bitcoins is very complicated. 
  • Accepting Bitcoins on an e-commerce website is technically very easy.

 

Why Bitcoin?

Advantages of implementing Bitcoin at your organization include:

  1. Access to new markets and supporters by being a first leader
  2. Reduced (or zero!) transaction costs 
  3. Increased opportunity of provide micro-financing internationally, especially where anonymity increases program effectiveness (eg, instances of govt oppression, etc) 

 

Security

Tips for reducing your exposure to fraud:

  • Always use 2 factor authentication for bitcoin transactions (eg login with a password, confirm with a text message)
  • Segregate duties (for digital currency transactions, same as you would to reduce check fraud at your organization
  • Multisignature wallets coming soon — support segregation of duties by requiring at least 2 signatures to spend
  • Hot wallet vs Cold Vault — keep a portion of coins in wallet for current use. Unused coins can be put in “cold” storage on a computer that is not connected to the internet

Know before you implement

Before adding bitcoin, know how to account for it! There are no GAAP standards yet, although the IRS has released a statement that bitcoin will be treated as property. Have a strategy in place before you start accepting transactions.

Number 1 source of fraud at organizations is check fraud (#2 is falsified expense reports). Minimize your exposure to risk by segregating duties to spend digital currencies. Implement multisignature wallets as soon as possible.

 

Why now?

By implementing now, organizations can become a leader in nonprofit bitcoin use while still being able to learn from the experience of those already transacting. Organizations can gain exposure to new markets for fundraising messages with little additional accounting risk. Be prepared for the day when a major donor walks in and asks to leave their endowment-starting donation as bitcoin!

 

Additional links mentioned during our discussion:

 

How to mine bitcoin–one of many examples available via search! (this is not an endorsement of any product):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmOzih6I1zs 

 

Newsweek article on the guy who didn’t invent bitcoin:
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/03/14/face-behind-bitcoin-247957.html 

 

Do you have a link to share about Bitcoin and Nonprofits? Leave a comment!

ROCKSTAR Product Management at HTC and Sprint Underpromises, Overdelivers

HTC’s product management is a great example of under-promising and over-delivering on customer expectations. Not only have they been surprisingly transparent on committing to release dates, recently they have been getting to market early and allow service providers to push updates ahead of schedule. All great news for HTC end users as well as good PR for the providers servicing those devices.

This weekend, Sprint customers were able to download the latest HTC software update, which includes (KitKat) Andriod 4.4 update, even thought it wasn’t supposed to be ready until Feb 11. This is a major update, bringing the long-missing inclusion of Google+ updates into Blinkfeed (THANK YOU HTC and Google!) as well other enhancements, especially for HTC Share service.

The update will be pushed out next week, but it was nice to be able to manually download and get it early, especially for a geek like me. The product management team responsible for developing these releases has demonstrated a clear ability to deliver high-quality developer packages to service providers ahead of schedule. In other words, they are being ROCKSTARS!

Do you want to be a ROCKSTAR product manager? Set clear expectations, transparently share them, and then habitually beat those expectations–Underpromise; Overdeliver!

8 Things I Learned at ProductCamp Austin

After so many recommendations and endorsements from my fellow product management and product marketing colleagues, I am pleased to report that ProductCamp 10 lived up to its reputation as a can’t-miss event for product management professionals. Networking, learning, and innovative ideas abounded at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin, Texas this past Saturday.

ProductCamp 10 Austin

Thom Singer presenting, “Giving Better Presentations” at ProductCamp

While I knew I had already missed a few ProductCamps, I had no idea Austin was actually one of the first (following Silicon Valley) to launch an un-conference ProductCamp (2008) and that it has now spread around the globe. Comparing the perspectives of representatives from other cities with our own here in Austin was fascinating.

By far, the best aspect of the conference overall was how open and friendly everyone was. Networking is a pleasure in such an accommodating atmosphere–even for introverts!

My Favorite Learnings from ProductCamp 10 Austin:

  1. Kanban process — Forget Agile, this is the newest trend in product management! It involves managing a queue of user stories, but not grouping into sprints. Very interesting…. (via @johndeo)
  2. Avoid “Tyranny of the Install Base” — Once your product gets going, you tend to only listen to sales and your existing customers. (via @mhelmbrecht)
  3. As an extrovert, I should warn people when I am “thinking out loud.” (via @mhelmbrecht)
  4. Agile experience is irrelevant; executives consider it a check box.
  5. Content isn’t king, it’s the mayor. Audience is king! (via @thomsinger)
  6. LinkedIn Premium membership allows you to see what keywords people are searching on you and prevents others from seeing that you were stalking viewing their profile. (via @MrMillerAustin)
  7. Well written user stories should be able to be re-purposed as sales script. Write as problem/benefit; never feature/function. (via @proficientzppm)
  8. I want to be a “foxy” PM, as opposed to a “hedgehoge” (agile generalist, rather than narrowly focused and intractable) (via @PGopalan & @joshua_d)

What I Missed Most:

PowerPoint Karaoke - This session, while offered, was not actually voted in. That was a shame because it looks hilarious! It basically involves making up a story to go along with the random slides you are given and having been handed a deck by my old boss to present at a major user conference myself, I know how important it is to be able to think on your feet! I hope this is resurrected at an upcoming ProductParty soon. As a former theatre geek, this sounds right up my alley!

Presenting “Architecting a Successful Whitepaper” - Unfortunately, my colleague with whom I had planned to offer a workshop session on Architecting a Successful Whitepaper had a family medical emergency and was not able to make it on Saturday. Talking with several attendees, I am sure the material we were planning on presenting would have been relevant and interesting. And I know it would have a lot of fun! I look forward to the next ProductCamp so we can try again!

Useful links:

Throughout the day, I picked up useful links to resources, articles, and online tools. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order!

Word Cloud generators:

“Best Session” winner which I missed – boo! (I’ll have to make sure I catch Mike presenting at the next ProductCamp in July…)

 

Do you have a favorite resource, moment, or funny story to share from PCATX?

ProductCampATX: 5 Steps to Architecting a Successful Whitepaper

Technology that allows marketing professionals to endlessly segment audiences and target campaigns is driving more and more content into the marketplace, but more is not necessarily better. While marketing teams need a constant stream of fresh content to fill the sales funnel with qualified leads, creating vital marketing assets like whitepapers can’t be a haphazard afterthought to product management.

Lori Witzel, a demand generation and content marketer, and I have proposed a session for ProductCamp 10 Austin on February 16, 2013 which will address this issue specifically with product managers and product advocates in mind!

Please join us for our session, 5 Steps to Architecting a Successful Whitepaper, Faster to learn our systematic approach to architecting and driving the creation of successful whitepapers, faster. This will be fun, lively, interactive discussion with a hands-on activity.

Also don’t forget to check out the rest of the great sessions proposed for ProductCamp Austin!

See you there! Follow the fun on Twitter with hashtag #PCA10

********

 

5 Steps to Architecting a Successful Whitepaper, Faster

Experienced tech product managers know that Information-rich “written for people not search engines” content drives inquiries that convert to sales quickly. Whitepapers are one such tool to help your product out-perform revenue goals. All too often, though, it takes months and high-priced outside resources to create good whitepapers.

This session will teach you a systematic approach to architecting and driving the creation of successful whitepapers, faster.In this session, product managers will learn 5 steps to faster whitepaper creation—and will also receive a handout that’ll make it easier to architect the next whitepaper. One product manager will be selected from the audience to participate in a hands-on whitepaper activity, so all can share in the experience of putting these steps into practice.

The session leaders (Product Marketing Management and Demand Generation Marketing Management) have worked with software product managers in the rapid development of whitepapers that drive product sales.

QR code Case Study: New Albion Ale

As a product marketer, I am always looking for the new and interesting ways brands are interacting with their consumers and the general public. And while the talk last night may have been about all the Superbowl commercials, at least one company is making use of QR codes as a simple way to create a relevant, customized user experience without the big spend.

On the back of their limited edition, New Albion Ale, brewer, Sam Adams included a QR code link to additional content online. The code links to a brief, well-produced video discussing the history and background of their product (which is actually really cool!) This is great use of a QR code as a living hyperlink in real life to online content that enriches the end-use experience.

It could have been more mobile optimized. If it had been a direct YouTube link, it would have automatically prompted me to open the video with the appropriate app, making it a one click experience, instead of two, but I understand why they chose to use a custom landing page. Overall, this a great example of QR code placement and content quality .

Lots of lessons to learn here for small biz and charity alike!

View the video here: http://bbc.wistia.com/medias/4vi44xtr0m

Do you have an example of a great implementation of a 2D bar code? Please share!

Hello 2013, Hello New Website

Thanks for reading! After many happy years of hosting my tomatosgarden.org at blogspot, I am refreshing things a bit for 2013. I’ve got a new url here at stacydyer.com, and a new wordpress-based blog site to enjoy.

Please let me know what you think of the new experience and remember to update any RSS or email subscriptions you have.

Party Mode = Crowd-source Event Pics

Recently, I waxed philosophical about certain demographics’ adoption of Google+ and how it drives participation and content there. Another great example of how Google is implementing content driving services to their new G+ adopters is the crowd-sourcing photography feature, Party Mode. Basically, Party Mode enables smartphones to automatically upload any photos or videos taken during an event to the Google Event, sharing them with other attendees in real time.

What a great feature! Live, real-time photo sharing?! There are vendors charging an arm and leg to provide this kind of service, including hardware and complicated infrastructure set ups. However, by capitalizing on the phenomenal growth of the BYOD (bring your own device) craze and the ubiquity of high-speed data network access (4G, LTE, etc) for smartphones, groups of any size can crowd-source party pics!

There are unlimited possibilities for nonprofit organizations and special event managers to use this free functionality:

  • Stream photos from the Event page on a big screen
  • Devise photo “scavenger hunts” to drive participation (eg, a couple dancing, group shot of your table, self-portrait)
  • Provide props to boost creativity. (eg, silly hats, mustaches on sticks) Make it fun.
  • Schedule a photo “flash mob” time, when everyone takes a photo at the same time. Got an MC? Have them call it out. “Everyone smile!”
  • Silent Auction: Post photos of items with recent bids. Consider assigning a volunteer to do this rather than the bidders themselves.
  • Too busy at the event itself? Encourage participants to upload their photos “after the fact” when they get home.
  • Honor your best photographers with acknowledgements, praise, and prizes 
  • Share photos in event follow-up communications. Don’t forget to include a call to action!

If you want to try this at your event, start by setting up your event in Google+ and inviting attendees. Provide instructions to attendees when they get there: Log into G+, Join Event, Enable Party Mode. If attendees have already joined the event on Google+ and have a Droid smartphone, the event will already be on their calendar and (depending on settings) they will receive automatic notification to start Party Mode at the start time of the Event. (Bonus! = You don’t have to do a thing!) For other attendees, consider providing a 2D bar code (QR code, MS tag) that links to the Event page itself, so they can join too without having to search for it.

Screenshot of Google Event example with 4 contributing photographers in Party Mode

G+ finds its audience! And it’s not who you think.

My husband never joined the infamous Book of Face… and now he never will.

At first, he was just being contrary; he actively avoided doing what everybody else was doing. But after a while, I think he was just intimidated. The thought of managing the flood of all those friend requests was too daunting and so he avoided the unpleasantness altogether.

Now, he has finally initiated himself into the ranks of social networking–without the Facebook baggage. And he’s not the only one of my friends to do so. I now have several friends in G+ who are not anywhere else. They are all male, thirty-something and have families.

I’m sure Google wanted entrepreneurial, tech savvy Millennials to flock to their new social network, and we did at first, but then we never really engaged there. Who Google is actually attracting and getting engagement from are thirty-somethings: fathers, busy with kids, who have never joined a social network before. This means that techies like me now have to update multiple social networks if I want all of my friends and connections to see my pictures, posts, and event invites.

My husband on G+

What a great opportunity for Google! They have at their fingertips a brand new audience as yet untapped by social media marketers. This demographic is ripe for opportunities for marketers of all types–sports, food & beverage, entertainment, news & weather.

G+ has won in 2 ways: Not only to they get a brand new, untapped audience of thirty-something men with little exposure to existing social networks, but they also get the tech savvy mom who just wants to see the cute pictures of daughter that dad is sharing from his ‘Droid…

Stacy Dyer on G+

Increase Your Donations through Audience Segmentation

This article originally appears on the SageWords.net blog.

Increase Your Donations through Audience Segmentation

By Stacy Dyer

Audience segmentation is something businesses figured out a long time ago. To get an idea of why segmenting your audience data is so important, watch this video about Star Trek Red Shirt Death Rates with Matt Bailey:

OK, so you’re not trying to survive the next away mission (maybe you are, but that’s a different article), still there’s a few key points to learn from this example.

  1. Different people are motivated by different things
  2. People are more likely to do what you want when your message resonates with their individual perspective
  3. Tailor your message to connect with that perspective

Let me give you an example of what this means for nonprofit fundraisers.

Pretend you run an animal welfare organization. You have both myself and my husband in your database because we both animals. But there is a key difference in our perspectives. (You happen to track this key detail in your CRM because you are a rock-star fundraiser!) What is it?

I am a cat person.

My husband is a dog person.

Now you want to send us each an email asking to give to your annual fund.

To me, your appeal features a picture of a sweet, fuzzy kitten. I am more likely to connect emotionally with your message and click to go to your donation form.  There, I see a picture of another cute kitten. Now I know I am in the right place! You are bunch of kitten-loving fools and of course I am going to support you!

To my husband, you send the same appeal, but feature an image of a dog instead. He sees your adorable puppy face and raises you another donation!

What happened here? It was the same campaign, the same message, and you doubled your responses (and donations) just by segmenting your audience.  By targeting each segment with an email and landing page specifically designed to create an emotional connection with them, you were able to tap into sources of support which you would not have otherwise.

That is the power of segmentation.

One message doesn’t work for everyone. Identify what key attributes differentiate your audience and target campaigns to emotionally connect with each segment of your donor base.