iPad as an Advancement Tool

I stumbled across an important use for the iPad. Earlier this week I was wearing my hat as Chairman of the Board for GeoAid where I was supporting our Director in request for a new grant. GeoAid has a number of positive events and accomplishments that we needed to reference in support of this grant request. Once in the meeting my Director was referencing the typical one page executive summary and I could tell that the execs across the table were not engaged. So I opened up my iPad and pulled up some photos of Cameroon Baka Pygmies whom we had helped. Then I pulled up a video of some kids in a school we built and we had them.

So the important use is to get these iPads in the hands of our Advancement people so that they can pull up the gotcha photos and video clips that will seal the deal for their grant or donation request. This will take some coordination, probably with marketing working with Advancement to script out the most effective way to leverage the iPad. But the real key is that the iPad is perfect for a low key tech sales pitch. Pulling up the clip is quick and non-distracting, then just hand the iPad to your prospect as supporting material. You can’t do that with a laptop. Maybe it works really well now while the iPad is a novelty, but I think the reason it works is because it doesn’t come across as a canned presentation.