5 Reasons Why You Should Attend NPSP Day in Europe

By: Sergey Erlikh, Netherlands Nonprofit User Group Co-Leader and Salesforce MVP and Ruben Schuring, Nonprofit Marketing Specialist

NPSP Day is coming to Europe and hitting up Amsterdam and London and we’re excited to say the least. But before we dive into why these events are a must attend, here are the sign up pages for both:

16 May – NPSP Day Amsterdam

19 May – NPSP Day London

Ok, let’s get into it!

1. Salesforce isn’t just about Sales

It’s about a lot more. And that’s a good thing because your organisation isn’t all about sales either, is it? You have a constituency that’s made up of donors, volunteers and much more. You’re following a bigger vision – making the world a better place. And that’s exactly the reason why you should take your CRM system seriously. Come join us at one of these events, learn more about the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) and meet its European community of users. 

2. It’s not just a great educational event, it’s saving you money!

Getting to know NPSP before you even choose a CRM system could prove a very valuable step indeed. It always pays to do your homework, and what is maybe even better – you can build valuable relationships. Getting to know other Salesforce admins and enthusiasts is extremely important. They are like your first aid kit! Imagine you cut your finger – ouch. You could go to the hospital and ask a doctor to help you, but it makes more sense, and is *way* faster and cheaper to use a bandage from your first aid kit. 

3. CRM implementations are ERRR….

Let’s not sugarcoat it: these projects often fail. Am I going to tell you that it can be different? You’ve guessed it, I am. And you know why? Because you shouldn’t do it on your own. Do it together – join the Salesforce Community. NPSP is a solution that was created by Salesforce.org in conjunction with the many Trailblazers that exist in its community. And this amazing community has successfully helped thousands of nonprofits to greatly improve their effectiveness. And they’re still here, answering all of your great questions in the Power of Us Hub.

4. It’s the first time NPSP Day is coming to Europe

This is the first of its kind community-driven NPSP event in Europe. NPSP is still relatively new on this side of the ocean (we’re writing from Amsterdam) so this event could give you a real edge. And just like we said before – it will pay off to check this system out as soon as you can.

5. Don’t change your vision to match your system; find one that matches yours!

You could of course change your language, your preferences and more to make a new system work, but that’s not the idea of IT. Well, maybe it was, because IT was kind of rigid, but this is 2017. Your vision matters. Be proud about it and don’t be afraid to put IT back where it belongs – as a facilitator, not a dictator. You want to talk about households instead of accounts? Do it! You want to value people by engagement, not just by money. Good idea!

There are organisations out there in the nonprofit sector with similarities to your organisation. Talk to them and hear their advice and their experience with CRM systems and NPSP. Talk to them, because that’s relevant. And guess what? They are also coming to the NPSP Event. So don’t listen to me, come and listen to them!

About the authors: Ruben Schuring has been working in both commercial and nonprofit marketing departments and is a big Salesforce enthusiast. This article represents his honest, non-commercial opinion 😉 Sergey Erlikh has been involved in the Dutch Salesforce scene for several years helping to spread his knowledge and inspire the local community to become better educated users.