Community IT Innovators. Established 1993. Serving social mission organizations with integrated technology services you can trust.

Online Strategy 

The Internet is a big space and it offers an overwhelming array of choices and opportunities. No organization can use every tool to reach everyone. In order to make the most of online outreach and marketing, devising a strategy is critical.

To create an online strategy, Community IT Innovators (CITI) will guide your organization with a holistic and deliberate approach to selecting tools and actions that can be expected to improve your organization's fundraising, communications, and advocacy outcomes. In today's economy, creating an online strategy is essential to fine-tuning your online campaigns for minimum cost and maximum impact.

Philosophy

Any successful online strategy begins with a clear understanding of your organization's goals and resources. Community IT Innovators' online strategists work with you to

  • determine immediate and long term goals
  • examine challenges, and
  • specify metrics that will demonstrate the return on your online investments

We know that tools are just tools, and we collaborate with your organization to create a plan that is a "just right" fit for your organization.   Your CITI strategist will keep up with the ever-changing landscape of Internet tools and how those tools can produce effective results for your organization, presenting you with affordable, innovative options.

Methodology

Our online strategy engagements focus on three phases - Discovery, Planning, and Empowerment - and emphasize collaboration and capacity building at your organization. The initial consulting goal is to create a comprehensive Online Strategy Action Plan.  The Plan aligns your organization's missions and goals to specific and measurable online activities, and provides next steps for your organization to take toward your strategic goals.

  • Discovery

Rather than start with one-size-fits-all solutions, we sit down with you to learn all we can about your organization. Together, we develop an online strategy that is uniquely suited to your organization, your needs, your resources and your budget.

  • Planning 
Now that you know what you want to achieve, CITI works with you to assemble the tools to reach your audience, and to measure your success. We will be your vendor-agnostic advisor in exploring the vast array of innovative online tools available and help you select the right ones for you. 
  • Empowering
Our solutions don't come with hidden (and often expensive) support contracts or training fees. The Online Strategy Action Plan we develop will outline your ongoing costs as part of our analysis.  We provide you with access to the tools and knowledge you need to "do it yourself."  And the Plan will provide steps for you to monitor and measure the success of your strategy.

The Plan focuses on three major realms of online activities--fundraising/revenue, engagement/advocacy, and communications/messaging.  Key metrics and targets are documented so that your organization can measure its success.  Metrics can help support decision making about web site content and other online efforts.

Specific Services

If you need us, we will be there as a resource.  After developing the Online Strategy Action Plan, your organization may call on CITI to install online tools, train your staff to get the most out of your new or existing tools, or execute campaigns, reporting, or analysis.  We can draw on CITI expertise in:

  • Strategic Action Planning
  • Social Media Consulting
  • Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) Tool Selection
  • Email Marketing Tool Selection
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Web Analysis and Metrics

CITI Online Strategies consulting engagements start at $1,500 to develop an Online Strategy Action Plan and require a minimum commitment of three one-hour meetings: kick-off, strategy, and plan presentation.