It\u2019s time for the 2017 Nonprofit Technology Conference! On March 23- March 25, professionals across the nonprofit tech sector will gather to learn about the latest developments in tech, build new skills, and meet and network with their peers from across the country and the world. Are you going?<\/p>\n
A conference like the NTC can be overwhelming. Registration is full, and there are a lot of sessions to choose from, and activities to participate in. Without a plan, it\u2019s easy to miss out on things that really would have been useful. Have no fear, CauseVox<\/a> is here with a guide to help you get the most out of #17NTC.<\/p>\n Not going to make it this year? Make sure you follow the #17NTC hashtag online to keep up with the action.<\/p>\n Have you ever gone to a conference, gotten your information at the registration table, then started trying to pick sessions to attend? Maybe you just ended up going to whatever your co-workers picked, or wandering from session to session. At the end of the day, instead of feeling empowered and excited, you may have just felt \u201cmeh.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t let this happen to you! It\u2019s entirely preventable! You can get the most out of any conference, and tailor it to your needs, with a little simple planning.<\/p>\n First things first, decide what you want to get out of the conference.<\/p>\n Do you want to meet other professionals dealing with the same challenges you are?<\/p>\n Do you want to learn more about specific technical advances?<\/p>\n Do you want to find a mentor, learn a new skill, or find an answer to a technical problem?<\/p>\n Identify what success looks like for you.<\/p>\n Put an end to aimless wandering before it starts by reviewing conference materials ahead of time. The NTC agenda is online<\/a>, so you can start thinking about what you\u2019d like to attend right now. \u00a0Introduce yourself on the conference\u2019s online forum<\/a>, and check out tips from other conference attendees, find someone to split a hotel room with, and connect with presenters.<\/p>\n There\u2019s even a #17NTC App<\/a> available for download. You can make a personalized agenda, post to social media, and navigate the conference with your smartphone.<\/p>\n Even if you\u2019ve already given some thought to which sessions you\u2019d like to attend, do yourself a favor and take another look at the offerings. Since registration for the conference is full, spots may be scarce for some sessions. Choose an alternate session to check out if you can\u2019t get into your first choice.<\/p>\n If you are attending with someone else from your organization, take some time this week to compare your plans. You\u2019ll get more value out of the conference if you don\u2019t attend the same sessions, but be sure to share what you\u2019ve learned with each other.<\/p>\n Do you wish someone would sift through the conference information, and make a schedule tailored to online fundraisers? We did! If you want to focus solely on online fundraising, this schedule is for you.<\/p>\n Thursday<\/p>\n 8:30 General Session<\/p>\n My Self Care Fail Story: The Fastest Way to Zero Impact<\/a><\/p>\n 10:30 Breakout Session<\/p>\n Help! People Want to Fundraise for Us<\/a><\/p>\n 1:30 Breakout Session<\/p>\n Ten Things You Can Do To Increase Peer-to-Peer Fundraising<\/a><\/p>\n 3:30 Breakout Session (two great options!)<\/p>\n Love and Happiness: Building Community with Smart Communications<\/a><\/p>\n Steal Smart: What Nonprofit Fundraisers Can Learn From For-Profit Digital Marketers<\/a><\/p>\n Friday<\/p>\n 8:30 General Session<\/p>\n Keynote<\/p>\n 10:30 Breakout Session (two great options)<\/p>\n Breaking Down Silos: Integrating Marketing and Fundraising Departments<\/a><\/p>\n Ready When You Are: Developing An Online Community That’s Primed For Giving<\/a><\/p>\n 1:30 Breakout Session<\/p>\n Secret Share Time: Throw Out Your Email Fundraising Best Practices<\/a><\/p>\n 3:00 Exhibit Hall Open to the Public<\/p>\n Saturday<\/p>\n 8:30 General Session<\/p>\n Keynote<\/p>\n 10:30 Breakout Session<\/p>\n The Donor Journey: Delivering Personalized Experiences Without Breaking the Bank<\/a><\/p>\n 1:30 Breakout Session<\/p>\n Getting Your Digital House in Order: What Smaller Nonprofits Can Do to Raise More Money Online<\/a><\/p>\n 3:00 Closing Reception<\/p>\n A conference is more than attending sessions, of course. It\u2019s also a great opportunity to network. #17NTC will be full of interesting people with experience and information to share. You <\/em>are an interesting person with experience and information to share, so make some connections.<\/p>\n Networking often happens on the fly at conferences, but you\u2019ll get so much more out of it if you\u2019re deliberate<\/a>. Just like you plan your session attendance, you should also plan your networking. Block out time on your schedule, and plan specific actions<\/a>.<\/p>\n The best thing about networking at conferences is that you already know you have things in common with virtually everyone there. This makes striking up a conversation with strangers a lot easier. Try out some conversation starters like:<\/p>\n“Here’s\u00a0a guide to help you get the most out of #17NTC”<\/em>\u00a0<\/i>tweet this<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n
Make A Plan<\/h2>\n
A Sample Schedule For Online Fundraisers<\/h2>\n
Network<\/h2>\n