Fresh Eyes Digital was back at ENCC D.C. 2024 at the beginning of October. This year we were able to send Rachel, Ilana, and Thelma to learn, connect, and get inspired by the incredible work being done with Engaging Networks (EN) by nonprofits, agencies, and consultants around the US, Canada, and Europe.
FED didn’t present a case study this year, but we did help facilitate some great conversations. Ilana guided a packed room through questions about AI Trends in the Nonprofit Space. And Rachel partnered up with Gwynne Dixon at EN to get technical and strategic about Email Deliverability and Fatigue.
Get a taste of what it’s like to attend the Engaging Networks Community Conference (ENCC). Hear our top takeaways and favorite moments below.
Rachel’s Takeaways from ENCC 2024:
- Biggest takeaway:
- Our sector is bringing some serious nerdy creativity to their user experience and online engagement. From eCard pages that work super nicely with donation pages, to test ideas for formatting on buttons and ads – no one here is settling for a static program. I need to subscribe to the lists of so many new nonprofits and follow every ding dang attendee on LinkedIn so I can keep
stealing ideaslearning! 😉
- Our sector is bringing some serious nerdy creativity to their user experience and online engagement. From eCard pages that work super nicely with donation pages, to test ideas for formatting on buttons and ads – no one here is settling for a static program. I need to subscribe to the lists of so many new nonprofits and follow every ding dang attendee on LinkedIn so I can keep
- Favorite moment:
- The Q&A’s! Seriously, after every session the folks in the room always brought such smart questions. No rooms of passive listeners in this conference! In every interaction you were not only learning from the experts on the stage, but getting insights about the audience’s on-the-ground experiences, questions, and creativity in optimizing their online campaigns. Loved it.
Ilana’s Favorite Moment and Lessons Learned:
- Biggest takeaway:
- There’s so much to know about email deliverability! Not in a like “wow look at me a person at a digital fundraising agency that doesn’t know anything about it”, but just that it’s SO much more complex than the 101 basics. In particular, the fun little tidbit that Yahoo addresses that were on file since 2018 but not engaged since 2019 and basically deleted and/or turned into spam traps was super interesting. I also really liked seeing how people had put real-time email verification on their EN pages to try to keep their list as clean as possible right from the start
- There’s so much to know about email deliverability! Not in a like “wow look at me a person at a digital fundraising agency that doesn’t know anything about it”, but just that it’s SO much more complex than the 101 basics. In particular, the fun little tidbit that Yahoo addresses that were on file since 2018 but not engaged since 2019 and basically deleted and/or turned into spam traps was super interesting. I also really liked seeing how people had put real-time email verification on their EN pages to try to keep their list as clean as possible right from the start
- Favorite moment:
- I said this last year but sue me, I’m saying it again this year – my favorite moment was less of one specific moment and more of a lot of little moments where I had random little convos with other agency and nonprofit folks and we shared our EN hacks and workarounds with each other. Part of the reason I love ENCC so much is because the EN squad is such a community. It’s so cool to see the aha moments other people have had and learn how I can implement them here!
Thelma’s Favorite Moments and Learnings:
- Biggest takeaway:
- There were so many delicious tidbits of information that I’m storing for the future: creative ways to use EN’s API to reduce sustainer attrition; getting creative with CSS classes to show personalized content; running small but impactful sustainer upgrade campaigns. I’m inspired by this community and the work they’re doing. My biggest takeaway is that the programs that I admire deeply did not get there in a day. Getting to a level like the Humane Society of the United States, the Nature Conservancy, and the WETA (all presenters this year) takes time! They’ve been on EN for years, and they prioritize the ways they will test and grow, what areas they will continue to push, what functionalities they want to try and incorporate year over year. This work is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Favorite moment:
- This is my third ENCC and I think my favorite moment was simply every time I ran into a familiar face. From reconnecting with nonprofit and agency friends to being on a first-name basis with what felt like the entire Engaging Networks staff, I shed my introvert tendencies for a few days and soaked it all in. I just know that when I first came on my own in 2022 I didn’t know the platform very well and I definitely didn’t know anybody there (and was ANXIOUS about it) – and now it feels so comfortable. I commend EN for building a community and user base that is so supportive and curious.
Stay Tuned for Recorded Sessions
ENCC D.C. 2024 was a wonderful whirlwind filled with case studies, workshops, panels, and good conversations about the best practices and challenges in the nonprofit sector. If your nonprofit uses Engaging Networks we’d highly recommend this conference for inspiration, facetime with support and product staff, and the chance to learn all about creative ways to use EN. Recordings of main-stage sessions will be shared on the Engaging Networks site here. Recordings from their Toronto and London conferences (that’s right, they do this three times a year), are available now and are also on YouTube.
Did you know? Fresh Eyes Digital can help you find the perfect tools for your nonprofit’s needs, including determining if Engaging Networks is the right fit for your email, fundraising, or advocacy programs. As fully accredited Engaging Networks partners, we combine deep fundraising strategy with expert technical support. Get in touch with us at sayhi@fresheyesdigital.com to explore how we can support your digital strategy.
