Whether your business model is based in serving socially responsible companies, or you simply want to win more business in the nonprofit sector, there are a number of cultural and economic factors to be aware of as you develop your pitch and work plan. This session is about working with nonprofits: how to win the business and how to work with them successfully.
The first step is understanding how nonprofits are organized, the common dynamics that make projects difficult, and techniques for managing the project so that you don't lose control of the schedule or budget. The next step is setting the project up for success by mentally preparing yourself and your team, establishing good habits of communication, and implementing processes that enhance productivity and mitigate the inevitable pitfalls.
The session will cover:
+ The most important questions to ask during the very first call or meeting.
+ The challenges you will encounter on (almost) every nonprofit project
+ How to talk about budget with an organization that is unfamiliar with the concepts of revenue, investments and profitability
+ Getting approvals in a hyper-democratic, consensus-obsessed environment.
Business owners, business development professionals, project/account managers