Tracking Events for Nonprofit Salesforce Campaigns

Nonprofits using Salesforce’s NPSP as their primary CRM have a valuable tool at their
disposal – sometimes more valuable than they even realize! We’ve found many organizations keep using spreadsheets for managing work when they could be using Salesforce instead. Here’s one example: Nonprofit Salesforce campaigns can act as a centralized hub for all your event-related activities allowing you to organize, track, and analyze every aspect of your work.

Let’s take a look at how to effectively use Salesforce Campaigns for event management:

1. Create an NPSP Campaign for Each Event:

• Start by creating a new Campaign in NPSP specifically for your event.
• Give it a clear and descriptive name (e.g., “Fall Fundraising Gala 2023” or “Community Volunteer Day”).
• Set the Campaign Type to “Event” to enable event-specific features and reporting.
• Define the Campaign’s start and end dates to encompass the entire event lifecycle, from planning to post-event follow-up.

2. Track Registrations and Attendance

• Use Campaign Members to track individuals who have registered for or attended your event.
• You can manually add Campaign Members or use online registration forms that integrate with NPSP to automate the process.
• Assign appropriate statuses to Campaign Members (e.g., “Registered,” “Attended,” “No-Show,” etc.) to track how folks are engaging with your event.

3. Link Donations:

• Connect any donations or major gifts made in connection with the event to the corresponding Campaign.
• This allows you to track the fundraising impact of your event, and identify potential major donors for future cultivation.

4. Measure Event Performance:

• Take advantage of NPSP’s built-in reporting tools to generate reports on event registrations, attendance, donations, and volunteer engagement.
• Analyze this data to gain insights into your event’s success, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions for future events.

When to Consider a Third Party Ticketing Tool

Sounds great, right? Salesforce Campaigns provide a solid foundation for event management, and can be a good step if you’re ready to stop struggling with spreadsheets. As your events grow or your needs change there are some scenarios where a dedicated third-party tool might be more advantageous:

• Complex Ticketing and Registration: If your event involves intricate ticketing structures (e.g., multiple access tiers, early-bird pricing, group discounts) or requires custom registration forms, a specialized platform can handle these complexities.
• High-Volume Events: For large-scale events with hundreds or thousands of attendees, a dedicated event management platform can offer features like self-service registration, automated check-in, and real-time attendance tracking to streamline the process.
• Assigned Seating or Meals: If your events require a seat assignment, meal selection, or printed tickets, you might want to consider a third party system with those features built in.

Seamless integration is the key!

Whichever tool or app you choose for event management, make sure it integrates seamlessly with NPSP. This ensures data flows smoothly between the two systems, eliminating manual entry, saving you time, and maintaining data integrity.

Do you have questions about managing your nonprofit Salesforce campaigns and events?

Talk to the experts at BackOffice Thinking during a Managed Services check-in or contact us about a Technology Assessment. We’ll help you chart the right path for your organization.