What I Wish I'd Known When I Was A Client...
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When I work with people who use our data I often mention I was a Target Analytics client before coming to work here. At the end of a recent call with a client, I got a thoughtful question…
What do you wish you’d known when you were a new client that you know now?
Easy! I wish I’d had a better sense of when prospect research time was most productive.
Basically, if I could do it over again, I’d spend more time building relationships when Target Analytics helped identify previously unknown potential and less time digging through granular details and Googling.
Let me be clear—I am not diminishing the importance of prospect research. Quite the opposite. It’s extremely powerful, especially when prioritized and focused on promising, relationship-qualified prospects.
I was a gift officer who never had the benefit of a professional prospect researcher—a big part of why the offices in which I worked needed analytics. TA did the “heavy lifting” for us, and gift officers augmented the data with research time when we felt it was necessary. The problem? I dug in too much before I had indications prospects and donors were ready to engage further with us. When I think about the hours I spent researching people who weren’t ready…(SIGH.)
That’s why I find myself recommending two things to clients who are in similar situations…
What do you wish you’d known when you were a new client that you know now?
Easy! I wish I’d had a better sense of when prospect research time was most productive.
Basically, if I could do it over again, I’d spend more time building relationships when Target Analytics helped identify previously unknown potential and less time digging through granular details and Googling.
Let me be clear—I am not diminishing the importance of prospect research. Quite the opposite. It’s extremely powerful, especially when prioritized and focused on promising, relationship-qualified prospects.
I was a gift officer who never had the benefit of a professional prospect researcher—a big part of why the offices in which I worked needed analytics. TA did the “heavy lifting” for us, and gift officers augmented the data with research time when we felt it was necessary. The problem? I dug in too much before I had indications prospects and donors were ready to engage further with us. When I think about the hours I spent researching people who weren’t ready…(SIGH.)
That’s why I find myself recommending two things to clients who are in similar situations…
- If you’re prioritizing research time, set a goal of spending 20 minutes per record. If it helps, set a timer. The goal is to get an initial overview of what information is available, what makes the prospect interesting, and move toward action. You can always add another 20 minutes at key stages (once you get a meeting, when you’re making introductions to leadership, preparing a solicitation, etc.).
- Ask yourself what information is most valuable to you 85% of the time. For example, does an understanding of hard assets make a bigger difference or philanthropic patterns? Spend your time reviewing this type of information first.
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ARCHIVED | Blackbaud Target Analytics® Tips and Tricks
02/21/2018 8:12am EST
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