Imagine you are organizing a walk to benefit your nonprofit organization. You’ve never done it before and you have a limited budget. Where would you start? Now you don’t have to worry about websites, landing pages, registration sites, or emails. You can do away with cold calling your supporters, tweeting messages and sending out countless updates (who knew there was going to be a Hurricane on the day of the big event?). What if you had an app that was your personal assistant?It let supporters, donors, and participants know if there are any updates, if the route has changed, or where to go if they want to buy swag. Craig Presser’s Insta-app does all that and more. Not only does it help the organizers get everything under control, it gives participants all the pertinent information they need wrapped neatly in a box.
Brief Overview
Insta-App is the brainchild of mastermind Craig Presser. Insta-App that is crucial for charities and nonprofits to stay connected to their participants and donors. Instead of spending time and manpower sending out emails, reminders, and tweets; Insta-app lets you communicate with your supporters with a click of a button. Whether you want to post news, directions to your event, or contact information, there’s space in the app for it.
It was important to Presser that the app was accessible for everyone whether they are 80 years old or 14. That’s why there are numerous ways to access Insta-app. There is a QR code that can be used or supporters can download the app by entering their phone numbers or email address.
In Use
This all-in-one app lets charities and organizations stay organized while letting donors and participants find out the latest information about an event or walk almost instantly. And considering our society loves one-stop-shops, chances are they’ll love Insta-app too. Not only does it save time and energy, it’s a great fundraising tool for the charity and organization as they can charge sponsors to be featured on the app.
I downloaded the Stollery Children's Run app. After downloading it on my smartphone it opened to the main page (http://ab.flow.net/l/instaapp/stollery). Instantly I had access to the event itself, registration, updates, locations of the event, facebook page, and their sponsors. There the charity posted videos, messages, route information and even a button to donate now incase I couldn’t make the event but still wanted to support the cause. If I needed to check the meeting spot I could. If I was running late and still needed to register, I could on the app. If I was late but wanted to catch up, I had access to the route.
Technology Used
The app is downloaded on your phone and requires a newer version of the iPhone or Android. If you have an early version of the iPhone or God-forbid a Blackberry...maybe it’s time you get an upgrade because Insta-App won’t work on your phone.
Ease of Use
When Presser was developing this project he wanted to make sure that Insta-App not only covered all the bases when it came to planning and organizing a charity event but that it would appeal to nonprofits because of the ease of delivery. That’s why he made sure to include concise directions and defined widgets to make it accessible. He knew that if it was too confusing, charities and nonprofits as well as their supporters wouldn’t use it. So far, the result has been overwhelming. With just one year in business and rave reviews from nonprofit organizations across the country, Insta-App is quickly catching on thanks to its accessibility and ease of use.
When you download the app, you receive directions every step of the way. Once it’s downloaded, it’s self explanatory, as you can access the app by clicking on the features.
Recap
Presser’s Insta-App gathered every feature that a charity walk or event may need and combined them together.
Pick from numerous different widgets to fit your charity’s needs. For instance if you want to have a registration widget you can, if you’d rather have a feature for directions or routes, that is accessible as well.
- The app is $1250, but Presser mentioned that the cost can be off-set by utilizing the app’s ability to be interactive. Presser suggests charging sponsors $100 to be featured on the app with their logo. He suggests that being creative and innovative will get you the money back. If seen as an investment, he believes it’s a great opportunity.
- Easily accessible. Little to no training on how to figure out how to use the app. This is great for app-illiterate supporters.
- Helps organizations stay organized
- One-stop-shop for the event, gala, or walk.
Disadvantages
I had to have Presser explain it to me first. He sent me what looked like a coupon (insert 2) to view, but I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t think I could access it because I didn’t have an app for the QR code. Although it clearly states “enter your email address or phone number”, the QR was the only thing I saw.
$1250 is a daunting number. While I see where Presser is coming from with up-selling and making sure it’s interactive, it’s a pretty hefty price for a charity or nonprofit, especially one with little to no money.
My Opinion
Overall, I think Insta-App is a must-have for all gala events, walks, and charity events. It’s unbelievable that Insta-App has already gained so much traction having just been out for a year. It seems as though Presser has thought of any bugs that could arise from the aps and fixed them before they even happened. The app itself is not glamorous. It does the job, but if you’re looking for a fancy app that will wow audiences on looks alone then you’ve come to the wrong place. If you want an app that is smart, creative, and will wow supporters on content, you’ve come to the right place. It gets the job done and for any nonprofits, that’s more than enough.
