20 Effective Strategies to Unleash the Power of Salesforce

A Celebration of 20 Years in Business 

The realm of nonprofits and education has at least one thing in common with other industries: time and resources are prized commodities. To thrive, it’s crucial to streamline operations and get the most value from the tools you have. Salesforce comes with a wealth of untapped potential that can supercharge your organization’s business processes. Sleek has learned a lot in our 20 years of system implementations and, as a toast to those 20 years, we want to share 20 practical and impactful ways to elevate your Salesforce experience.

1. Get Tailored Insights with Custom Dashboards

Begin by crafting custom dashboards that spotlight the data most pertinent to your mission. These visual hubs offer at-a-glance insights, helping your team keep its finger on the pulse of your operations and objectives.

2. Harness the Power of Custom Fields

Instead of trying to mold your practices to vanilla Salesforce, create custom fields. Capture unique data points that resonate with the nonprofit and education sectors and your particular mission, transforming Salesforce into a form-fitting powerhouse.

3. Streamline Data Entry with Automation

Improve efficiency through automated workflows that slash manual data entry. Automate field population to minimize human error while freeing up your team’s time.

4. Make Informed Decisions Using Masterful Reports

Craft tailor-made reports to decipher trends and gauge progress. Use charts and graphs for clear data visualization that bridges the gap between complex information and actionable insights.

5. Nurture Donor and Constituent Relationships

Seize Salesforce’s communication tools to engage donors and supporters regularly. Build a connection through personalized emails and recognize accomplishments that underscore your appreciation.

6. Enhance Student Success Tracking

For educational institutions, Salesforce excels in tracking student data. Track degree progress so that you’re ready to help new alums become lifelong donors.

7. Manage Events with Ease

Manage and track events using Salesforce to stay organized and produce valuable data. From registration to post-event follow-ups, streamline processes and ensure seamless experiences. With event data in your CRM, you can easily provide stakeholders with metrics on engagement and ROI.

8. Integrate to Amplify Impact

Fuse Salesforce with accessory tools like marketing automation platforms or accounting software. This integration ensures seamless data flow, optimizing operations and leaving less room for error.

9. Simplify Volunteer Management

Nonprofits thrive on dedicated volunteers. Use Salesforce to organize tasks, monitor needs and participation, and express gratitude for their time and effort.

10. Conquer Grant Management

Did you know Salesforce is perfectly equipped for grants management? Stay attuned to deadlines, prerequisites, and milestones, maximizing your funding potential.

11. Embrace Mobile Accessibility

Stay connected while traversing the USA in your RV, or anywhere else, using Salesforce’s mobile apps. Enter a contact report while waiting in line for your coffee. Stay abreast of data, even on the move.

12. Empower Your Team Through Training and Onboarding

We’re willing to bet there’s features in Salesforce that you haven’t even heard of yet. Invest in comprehensive training for your team. A proficiently trained team leverages Salesforce’s potential for optimal outcomes.

13. Fortify Data Security Measures

Prioritize robust security protocols to safeguard sensitive data. Uphold the trust of donors, supporters, and stakeholders alike. You can never be too cautious when it comes to protecting the personally identifiable information of your constituents.

14. Personalize Data Views

You likely have Salesforce users with very different job functions. Craft personalized data views that suit your nonprofit or educational institution’s unique needs and the needs of individual users. This can save time and promote user adoption.

15. Analyze Campaign Efficacy

Assess campaign effectiveness with Salesforce. This usually doesn’t take much more data entry than you’re already doing. Compare strategies, assess impact, calculate ROI, and decipher results for informed decision-making.

16. Solicit Valuable Feedback

Nobody knows your system like the people who use it every day. Employ Salesforce survey tools to gather stakeholder feedback. Leverage this valuable input to enhance offerings and cater better to your users.

17. Segment Donors Strategically

Segment your donor base thoughtfully to tailor interactions. Recognize distinct motivations among supporters and align your approach accordingly. With all of your data in one place, you can slice, dice, and segment in hundreds of different ways.

18. Foster Alumni Connections

Nurture alumni bonds with Salesforce. Foster engagement, harness expertise, and garner support from your institution’s proud graduates. Alumni portals, automated and personalized journeys, fundraising challenges are just some of the proven ways to keep your alums in close community.

19. Refine Continuously for Progress

Regularly evaluate and refine Salesforce processes. Identify areas for enhancement and implement adjustments for continuous growth. A simple change that saves gift processors 2 minutes can help you save thousands of dollars in the long run.

20. Assess Propensity Holistically

Seek equilibrium between donor capacity and inclination. Gauge propensity through past giving, affiliations, and other indicators, enabling accurate donor valuation. Wealth screening tools can help, but you can typically get started without any addons. With limited time and resources, make sure you’re prioritizing your most valuable prospects.

In an age of abundant digital resources, Salesforce offers unparalleled potential for organizations of all sizes. With these 20 strategic tricks, you can revolutionize your Salesforce experience. As we reflect on our 20 years of business Sleek, we’re honored to have served so many forward-thinking nonprofits and educational institutions. Join us in maximizing the transformative capabilities of Salesforce. Keep an eye on our blog for more insights from Sophie and the Sleek team!