This year is a year of change.  

In January, I turned in my folding table and chair for my first adult standing desk (with all the bells and whistles). In April, I took my first intentional vacation without bringing my iPhone, iWatch, laptop...you get the idea. Recently, in July, I traveled for work, which I haven’t done since early 2019. I had the pleasure of attending the Bridge Conference, which is why I am writing this blog post. 

For those who do not know Bridge, it is where #ChangeMakers unite! This year was the 18th Annual Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference. A three-day extravaganza (located just outside of Washington D.C.) for nonprofit, fundraising and marketing professionals.  

It was an exciting couple of days filled with workshops, friendly introductions, free coffee, fist pumps, air-conditioned rooms, networking, scanning badges and pleasant conversations in every corner.  

Through all my interactions and note taking, I found a few gems to put in my pocket and carry with me beyond my time at Bridge. So, here I share with you my top three takeaways I will bring back with me to CDP: 

1. The privacy landscape is changing. 

If you work in some form of marketing, this is not the first time you have heard of Apple’s consumer privacy updates for digital users. Donors can now opt out of cookie tracking right from their phones, and email metrics like open rates are becoming less reliable.  

Channels like Facebook and Instagram, which reliably produce donation volume and revenue, have been affected. Targeting audiences by interests using web tracking data is no longer available. Even the data from soliciting donors based on email behavior can no longer be trusted. 

Due to these dramatic shifts, we are forced to rethink digital campaigns and strategies at the campaign level. For now, we will stay the course with the impacted channels and continue testing ways to raise station awareness, affinity and engagement across all revenue categories. 

2. Testing, testing and more testing. 

If you gave $1 towards your favorite public media station for every time I heard the word “testing” at Bridge, then you would be on your way to major donor status! Talking about testing is one thing but deploying tests and gathering data is where the real value lives. While evergreen content and campaigns continue to be reliable, there are facts and insights that come from testing you cannot find elsewhere. 

By creating tests, whether it be trialing different creative or targeting a slightly modified audience, you help to forecast the actual market for your offer. You can find out what your donors respond well to, and what minor tweaks and updates you can make to refresh current strategies. 

Here at CDP, we continuously scan the nonprofit and for-profit landscapes for new technologies and approaches to donor engagement and development. This way, we can build station-specific tests, collect data and produce high-quality, scalable fundraising services. 

3. Be the leader you would follow. 

Whether you are a first-time manager or running a large group of smart-minded folk, all of us are leaders in one way or another. Your inspiration to your colleagues and staff is critical to meeting your organizational fundraising and marketing goals.  

Consider the type of leaders you have encountered in your journey, either directly or indirectly. What made those folks excellent? Was it their trusting nature, their advocacy or empowerment? What concepts, patterns, conditions and examples do you find similar between those folks?  

Now, take those recurring themes and write a commitment to yourself. What actions or ideas will you follow to become a better leader? I will share first: I want to be a leader and a manager who is not afraid to think big. I want to inspire those around me to stretch themselves and reach their full potential as we create change together. 

There was one common theme at Bridge this year, and if the #ChangeMakers hashtag wasn’t obvious enough, let me close with this little tidbit: The thought of creating change can be a lot of pressure. What is important to recognize first is that the world around us is ever-changing. See the change. We must remain open, adaptable, resilient and ready for what is next. Continue to test in your market, communicate results, and don’t forget by leading, you are inspiring momentum and change for those around you.