Q&A with Justin Guinn, Market researcher at Software Advice
How can technology alleviate small business/nonprofit pain points related to registration?
Perhaps the simplest and greatest aspect of events/nonprofit software is that it automates previously tedious manual processes. This alleviates small business (SMB) and nonprofit pain points by creating more efficiency for tasks like event registration, donation acceptance/processing, and attendee management-- a great time savings for staff, and a better user experience for attendees and donors.
What are some software selection best practices?
When researching and choosing between event management and registration software, it’s important to keep in mind exactly where your pain points are and what features will help you alleviate them. One feature you’ll certainly need is a user-friendly mobile interface for your event staff and attendees to use. You’ll also want to be aware of any necessary integrations, either with a marketing or accounting system. Consulting technology guides and comparison tools can be a good starting point for getting a sense of the common features that are available. Also, coordinating with your team to provide feedback on product demos can ensure that you purchase software that is the best fit for your organization, which will assist with user adoption.
What is the return on investment (ROI) for registration/event management technology?
The ROI on event management and registration software is two fold. First off, the automation and additional features offer newfound efficiencies for managing donors/attendees, accepting donations, signing up new members, etc. Secondly, this automation and efficiencies enable you and your staff to spend more time on the intangible aspects of your events, ensuring attendees are having the best possible experience, and promoting the mission of the organization.
How can nonprofits leverage technology to increase donations?
Simply providing an easy-to-use digital platform for giving is enough for nonprofits to see an increase in donations. Going a step further, nonprofits can partner their online donation platform with software-driven marketing campaigns to reach more potential contributors and provide them with an easy way to give. Software solutions like those offered by Paperless Transaction Corporation can help with donor management solutions and and payment processing, and are well worth exploring.
Researcher Bio
Justin Guinn is a Market Researcher at Software Advice, a company that hosts research and reviews of registration software, event management comparisons, and software for small businesses and nonprofits. His work has been cited in dozens of notable publications, including The New York Times, Forbes, The Huffington Post and TIME Magazine. His research explores the impacts of emerging software and technologies, and he has conducted primary research with both consumers and business owners to get a full picture of technology’s role in these markets today.