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The Internet: Taking Advantage of the New Normal

The Internet has changed our lives.

On a personal level, it has dramatically changed the way we inform ourselves, amuse ourselves, care for ourselves and educate ourselves. The Internet has changed the way we work, shop, bank, pray and stay in touch. It has changed the way we search for a home, search for food and search for information.

The Internet has rapidly become the "new normal" in our American way of life - so much so that those persons and organizations that don't go online constitute an ever-shrinking minority.

In the business world, the effect has been even greater. Not only do companies sell their products online, many now exist only online! Today, Internet-based companies offer services such as banking, telephone and music - areas once dominated by brick-and-mortar stores.

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project:

     ·  83% of Americans say they have used the Internet to seek information         about their hobbies and 29% do so on a typical day
     ·  43% of Internet users - about 63 million American adults - bank online
     ·  45% of Americans say the Internet played a major role in their major         investment or financial decisions

I have often heard CEOs and Directors declare that the nonprofit world is a "handshake business," and there is much truth in that statement. Donors and volunteers will always need the human touch that comes from a phone call, hand-written note or face-to-face visit. Yet we must also adapt to the (digital) world we live in - because chances are, our volunteers and our donors already have. Today, nearly two-thirds of online Americans use the Internet for faith-related reasons, while more than 7 percent have made online donations to religious organizations or charities.

Take a moment to ask yourself the following questions:

     ·  If a donor wanted to make an online payment to my organization, what         would I tell them?
     ·  When was the last time my organization updated its website?
     ·  Does my organization's database keep track of e-mail addresses?
     ·  How much money did my organization spend on postage
        last year?

If any of these questions left you feeling anxious, don't worry. We understand and we can help. Steier Group campaign managers are trained to help your organization make a seamless transition into the digital age, while making the most out of the Internet's unique ability to connect your organization and your donors.

In fact, at the Steier Group, we're putting our advice into practice and redesigning our own website from the ground up - and we'd like you to help us. Please take a moment to complete this online survey. Your answers will help us to design a site that is more accessible and better suited to meet the needs of you and your organization.

The survey can also be found by clicking here.

Thank you in advance for your candid answers and helpful suggestions.

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