Every week Mashable.com summarizes the site's stories and blogs that they classify as the essential social media resources you may have missed. As a corresponding resource for the non-profit world, I take it each week, mine it for nuggets of information useful for fundraisers and non-profit organizations and share some of the applicable tools through a pair of non-profit spectacles. You can find the May 9, 2010 edition below.
1) On the topic of building a team for your office or small organization, one segment was on using social media to build a voice for your business or organization. The TNPS takeaways and my insight follow...
- Encourage members of your staff to blog for your organization. Not just your communications staff, but those who are closest to using donor dollars and those closest to your constituents. This can make the staff feel more connected to your cause and make it easier for them to make the case for support. It can also help constituents better understand what your org does, as well as put a human face to your efforts.
- All of that applies to Twitter as well...
- The article also makes note of the Tom Bihn story - a good look at how a small company in Seattle has developed a positive presence within social media.
2) If you are reading this blog you likely have considered or are already using social media for fundraising efforts. In that case, you almost certainly have asked yourself "How can we get more people to give to us through social media?" (come to think of it... this firm & blog are named on that concept!). That being said, you should take a minute and pose this question to your leadership: "How can we pay more attention to our constituents?" This approach will make it much more likely for you to find the people you want to and that they will begin to promote you on their own.
3) Speaking of which, how do you find your super-influential-power-users on social media? This is one of the holy grails of social media marketing. Some tips:
- Seek out those who have benefited from your organizations work. Are alumni and students of your institution who depended on scholarships following you? Did your work help save someone's family member or pet? Is there a community program of yours that kept one of your followers in school or at work? Now... Can they help promote you? Listen For Users Who Already Promote Your Product
- Listen and watch for those who already promote your organization. This should not be too difficult to keep an eye on, you just need to dedicate the time to paying attention. On Twitter, hashtags (ex: #americanidol) encourage people to add categories to their tweets. With this and the ability to search for your key phrases in real-time, you can find your key promoters by simply paying attention. Facebook and other networks aren't as streamlined for finding your promoters, but simply by observing who is posting and what they post about will make it easy for your to find them in time.
- Make a genuine connection. While we may not enjoy complaints, those complaining often have passion about what you're doing and are simply expressing their frustration. Rather than push these communications away or deleting the postings, genuinely engage these individuals and address their concerns. That a person is actually trying to address the concern will often exceed expectations... continuing the conversation to find the best possible solution can turn the complainer into an advocate.
You can’t fake compassion. You either care about your users and show it, or you don’t. Compassion also can’t be scaled. But when you find those specific users, engage them in dialogue, and give them latitude. You’ll learn more from them than anyone on your payroll.4) Facebook's Open Graph has been quite the buzz for conversation since being announced by Mark Zuckerberg at the F8 Developers Conference. What does it mean for non-profits? Thus far, not much... in the future, maybe some significant data for mining. Imagine a prospect visits your website - what would he/she see today?
Now, imagine the same prospect visits your page, but before the page loads you know what other non-profits they like, which of their friends have supported your organization and where the visitor is located. Could you generate a more targeted landing page that includes peer references? This can be done and will increase the likelihood a visitor will donate, sign up for communications and stay engaged with your organization.
5) NPOs using social media to generate awareness. Highlights from the Mashable piece:
- Increasing brand awareness I: Enchanted Makeovers uses social media to find artists from around the world to transform shelters for women and children into more desirable - and enchanted - locales (See example below and find more on the organization's website). Enchanted Makeovers used Martha Stewart's Dreamers into Doers networking site to identify constituents who could help make their mission a reality.
- Increasing brand awareness II: The Life Rolls On Foundation was founded in 1999 by Jesse Billauer and his brother Josh Billauer. In 1996, Surfer Magazine named Jesse one of the top up-and-coming wave riders in the world. That same year, he had a surfing accident, which rendered him quadriplegic. Determined to live his life to the fullest and to encourage others to do the same, Jesse became a motivational speaker after he was injured, while he and Josh established LRO to advocate for youth with spinal chord injury. Through the power of online video, LRO’s small staff of three people and numerous volunteers around the world have built a brand famous within the surfing community and beyond. In 2006, LRO produced an Emmy-nominated PSA, attracting recognition from the entertainment industry and raking in more support.
- Connecting with a broader non-profit community: Because non-profits with similar causes are often in competition for the same funds, many times organizations are less likely to collaborate with one another. Fortunately, some groups are bridging the gap and joining forces for the greater good through social media. Working to find a cure for paralysis, LRO merged with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation in 2009, extending the reach of both organizations. The Southern California-based non-profit Free Arts is following suit, and using social networking to partner with groups who share similar messages. Free Arts Development Director Annie D. Armbrust says she always has her eye out for what other organizations are doing with their social media campaigns. “We especially rely on the insight and partnership of First 5 LA, the Free Arts affiliates in other cities, and many other groups for new ideas,” said Armbrust.
- Knowing your audience: Getting to know an audience is important for any non-profit. The San Francisco Symphony, the first major American orchestra to build and launch its own social network, is taking that imperative to a deeper level using social media platforms. In 2009, the SF Symphony held an online contest for members of the community to win tickets to the group’s 2009-2010 opening gala with pianist Lang Lang. To enter the contest, more than 70 people wrote stories and created videos that conveyed their passion for classical music. In addition to eliciting engagement among the community, the competition sparked conversation about the importance of music in people’s lives.
That does it for this edition of Through Non-Profit Eyes... until next time: may the gifts be plentiful, your constituents happy & your mission served,
DTM
P.S. Have you missed previous editions of Through Non-Profit Eyes? - check them out here.
Images courtesy of Enchanted Makeovers & Mashable.com
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