Part 3 | #BoostYourBusiness Series
Location data technology has become a go-to tool in the corporate world, and with it’s proven ability to generate revenue for businesses, it’s no wonder why. However, that same bottom-line success can cause some nonprofit organizations to view location data as a money-making service that doesn’t align with their mission. This is a common misconception, as countless nonprofits, from environmental groups to social services, have found success through location data!
Here are three proven location data practices that can help drive success for nonprofit professionals:
Let Geography be Your Guide
For nonprofits focused on environmental issues and public safety concerns, understanding the lay of the land can significantly streamline their efforts. The use of data maps, demographics and external KML files provide increased visibility to the best areas to focus. Geopointe saw the impact of this tactic first-hand when we partnered with nonprofit Ecology Action to help with their Water Link Program, aimed at reducing water-waste during the recent drought in California. In order to hit key areas, they drew custom polygon shapes of the flood zones and laid a KML file over them that represented their service areas. Just like that, they drastically focused their efforts and eliminated excess footwork.
Location data is also used prevalently by nonprofits involved in emergency response and prevention efforts. In fact, experts assert that all emergency response organizations should make data maps a high priority. “To protect people from hazardous events such as wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and industrial accidents, emergency managers and first responders must have access to maps showing the terrain, transportation networks and location of vulnerable populations in hazard-affected areas,” said Micah Brachman, Ph.D. in Geography with 20 years of geospatial expertise.
Find Your Target Audience
Whether your nonprofit utilizes a field team or team that operates from active reachout, understanding the geography, demographics, and key attributes of each region can be imperative to your messaging and fully understanding your target audience.
By mapping your location data using Geopointe, you don’t have to log an entire afternoon’s work to find ideal prospects. Just look at key Salesforce data points and map out routes based on area-specific variables. You can also search new territories to see if they’re worth exploring based on a variety of data points including average income, age range, the percentage of family-to-single households and countless others. Once you’re finished identifying the area, you’ll be able to use the next business boosting tip in this list!
Create Custom Routes & Territories
One of the most useful functions for nonprofit organizations that regularly have reps recruiting in the field is the ability to map out those routes based on the guiding hand of location data. On one end, you have your field team’s manager who can map out routes and territories for specific team members, placing them in the best areas for success based on key data points. On the other end, field reps can easily follow those predetermined routes through Salesforce1, check-in and check-out of each stop they make and leave important notes on prospects to share with the team.
Location data collected in the field can also help guide future awareness campaigns. With services like Geopointe, each interaction can become an opportunity to add more depth to your data, learning more about which demographics are receptive to your messaging and the cause as a whole. In fact, many nonprofits have come to value the data collected in the field so much that they’ve started giving field reps iPads. After all, taking notes using pen and paper may work in meetings, but when you’re on-the-go talking to hundreds of people each day, an iPad represents a significant data-grabbing upgrade.
Want to learn how geolocation is driving success in other industries? Follow the link below for more use cases by industry!
