Chalk this up as my cynical post. Or an attempted reality check for my readers. Really, I just offer it as a warning for you and your nonprofit's perspective on what social media can do for you in 2011. So I pose this question: How will your nonprofit realistically use social media in 2011? If you could do the time warp to 01/01/12, what are you most certain to have successfully completed?
Can you do a lot with social media? Definitely. Can you raise a bunch of money with social networking tools? Yep.
Take those two questions & answers, sprinkle them with a couple descriptions of current social media trends and you have 90% of the nonprofit social media predictions for 2011.
Here's what isn't always mentioned:
1) Social media can't do it on its own.
Social media is a communications channel and can be an important, productive one. However, for the majority of nonprofit organizations it cannot be the only channel used. Phone, mail, events, face-to-face interactions, etc. all play a role in developing the relationships that lead to gifts of time and financial resources. How these channels work together will be one of the most accurate predictors of your success with social media.
2) A lousy case for support doesn't become great once tweeted. Even if you have someone with "Klout" tweet it.
There are certain building blocks that need to be present for a prospective donor to make a gift, including a solid case for support. Just because you send a tweet saying...
"We REALLY need your $ this week - PLS, PLS RT!!!!"
...doesn't mean gifts will roll in. Your case for support has to be solid and you have to be able to communicate it well.
Take a moment to evaluate your case for support and how well you are communicating this case. Bob Groves (@bgroves3), vice president for university advancement at Michigan State University, often refers to basic tasks like this as "blocking & tackling" - the less fancy aspects of football without which a team will fail. Focus on your blocking & tackling and you'll have more success with your fundraising, communications and social media efforts.
3) Speaking of Klout - it's a lousy metric... don't waste your time on it.
That's my two cents. I truly cannot think of a way nonprofit organizations could use this where the investment of time in moving the metric would be worth the NPO's time. Don't get caught up in this one. Have a great example of how an NPO could or should use Klout? Please let me know and prove me wrong.
With all of that said - HAPPY NEW YEAR! There are plenty of great things that can be done in fundraising and while using social media - just remember that it isn't always easy and it certainly isn't always cheap.
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