Mastering CiviCRM #9: Getting professional help
Wouldn't it be nice to be totally self-sufficient with CiviCRM?
That's my aim for all my clients.
But now and then you may want professional help. It's out there:
Training:
Have someone who knows the ropes take you through a set curriculum or a customized educational plan so you know the ins and outs of the features you will need.Coaching:
Work through your specific goals with an experienced pro who can help you decide on strategy, reduce uncertainty, and achieve measurable outcomes. Unlike training, which is focused on explaining the features of CiviCRM, coaching is a partnership that focues on your specific situation, goals, and resource limitations, to get you from where you are now to where you want to be.Custom development:
When the existing features of CiviCRM and its community-provided extensions aren't enough for you, you may have a business case for investing in custom feature development. Because CiviCRM is open-source, virtually anything is possible. Just be sure that the expected value is greater than the expected resource investment.
Finding the right professional for you:
Look for someone who has experience and expertise specifically with CiviCRM. There are good and bad ways to work with CiviCRM, so experience counts.
You probably don't want any of these:
A random "web developer" who specializes in "anything for anybody".
A WordPress or Drupal developer who hasn't worked with CiviCRM before.
You probably do want any of these, depending on your needs:
The author of a CiviCRM extension that you already use and like.
An established CiviCRM expert whose insights you already value.
And if you don't have anyone in mind yet, find a CiviCRM partner who is active in the community. You might start by checking CiviCRM’s Partner Directory.
Hiring outside help is an investment.
When you need it, it's not always cheap.
But when you know why you need it, it's very often worth it.
All the best,
A.