May 15, 2009
Imagine that you’re doing a great job of executing your social media strategy. You have a blog, a YouTube channel, and a Facebook page. You also use Twitter. But there’s one problem: No one knows what you’re doing.
For social media to connect, you must let people know you're out there.
A social media trap that many nonprofits fall into is assuming that if they build a web presence, then supporters will magically flock to it. It’s possible that some might do a Google search for you but don’t count on it. “If you build it, they will come,” only works in cornfields.
Instead you need to make sure that you’re letting your donors know about your social marketing efforts. Do you highlight them in your printed newsletters? Do you add those links to your email signature? Is the information prominently posted on your website. These are simple but important steps. Don’t think about it as “pushy advertising.” Your social media goal is to improve the connections with your donors. By telling them how they can do that, you are providing a valuable service to them.
I do want to give you one word of warning. Don’t tease something if you’re not ready for people to see it. You don’t want people to visit a half finished Facebook page and then never come back.
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Posted by Ken Okel
May 14, 2009
YouTube gives you a great opportunity to share your message with your supporters as well as market to new friends. You can post as many clips as you like and it’s free. You can then link the clips to your blog, Facebook page, and website. Through Twitter, you can let your donors know that you’ve just put out a new clip.
Many clients are excited about using video but they’re unsure what to put in their clips. (Remember, you can post as many YouTube clips as you want but each video can be no longer than 10 minutes.) Here are a few communication suggestions to help get you started:
- Answer a question of the week: What are those questions that donors always have about your organzation? Record your staff talking about the answer.
- Show me something: Is there some kind of behind the scenes activity that I might find interesting? Take me there through video. Teach me something about you.
- Interview someone: Pick a volunteer, employee, or board member and ask him or her a question or two. This is your chance to highlight someone who makes your organization a special place. Plus, they’ll tell all of their friends to watch the video, which can pull in more traffic to your social networking sites. The question does not have to be complex. You could ask why they’re involved with your nonprofit, their favorite memory from your organization, and what they’d like a complete stranger to know about you.
These are just some basic suggestions to get you started. Just grab your camera and go! For more about YouTube clip lengths, you may want to read this post. To take your knowledge of YouTube to a new level, invest in this downloadable presentation.
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Posted by Ken Okel
May 13, 2009
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by social media. If you want to have a successful blog, you need to maintain a steady stream of posts. Many bloggers start out with a lot of enthusiasm and do just that. But after a few weeks, they either run out of ideas, burn out, or have unexpected emergencies that interrupt their schedule. As a result, there are fewer and fewer posts and any readers of the blog abandon it. It’s a lose-lose situation for all.
I tell my clients that blogs play an important role in their fundraising and marketing plans. Blogs can be linked to other social media sites, like Facebook, increasing your reach even more, which in this economy, is especially important. To keep the content flowing, you either need to pay someone to write your posts or rely on a larger group of people to contribute to your blog.
Nonprofits have a lot of good candidates. Set up a rotating schedule where staff members, volunteers, and board members author a post. This is good because it allows different voices to come out of your organization. You’ll still need someone to be an overall editor but most of the heavy lifting will be done by the team. They’ll tell their friends to check out their posts, which will bring more eyeballs to your blog.
Looking for a great idea for you blog? Then you’ll want to read this post.
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Posted by Ken Okel
May 12, 2009
Some nonprofits have not embraced social media because they think that their older donors do not use the Internet. This is a big mistake. For a long time I’ve known that senior citizens have used tools like Facebook and YouTube because they are places where they can see pictures and videos of their grandchildren. If they’re on Facebook already, wouldn’t it be a good idea to make sure that you can connect with them there too?
Consider this statistical evidence from a 2008 Focalyst Insight Report. To see this survey, click here. The finding include:
- More than half of Americans 62-71 are online.
- That online population has an annual household income of $55,000.
- By 2011, it is projected that the number of online users ages 62+ will grow 51%
Keep in mind as seniors become less mobile, they may not be able to physically visit your organization. But they can stay connected with social media. It’s a smart way to maintain contact with these valued supporters through all mediums.
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Posted by Ken Okel
May 11, 2009
Whether you’re writing a blog, posting on Facebook, or even recording a video on YouTube, you need to be very careful in how you communicate. I’ve seen a lot of nonprofits fall into the trap of speaking in “nonprofit language.”
Every industry has it’s own terms and jargon. When you’re communicating with a peer, that’s fine. But with social media, you need to focus your message to the masses. Keep it simple or people will tune you out. Here’s a classic mistake that I see where a news release has been overwritten:
Nonprofit X, Government Group ABC, and the Foundation for Lots of Good Stuff have announced plans to create a fact finding coalition which will result in a partnership designed to serve low income families challenges with housing issues.
There’s probably some good info in this sentence but it’s not easily digestible. Off the top, I’m not interested in what groups are involved. Instead I want to know what’s going to happen. I’m also not clear on the issues. Let’s try it again:
There’s new hope for families struggling to pay their mortgages. The help would be for those with annual household incomes below $30,000. Several community and government groups, including Nonprofit X, Government Group ABC, and the Foundation for Lots of Good Stuff, will work together to come up with an action plan.
The idea is to use shorter sentences and explain things as if you were having a conversation. Here are some questions to think about while writing:
- Did you answer the question: Why should we care?
- What exactly is being done and who is being helped? Tell me that before you start throwing around big titles.
- Would my neighbor/butcher/best friend understand the story? How would they explain it to someone else?
- Can you use this as an opportunity to thank donors for their support, because without it, good work like this could not be done.
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Posted by Ken Okel
May 8, 2009
Youʼre good at what you do but when it comes to blogging, youʼre a little tone deaf. Let me turn your marketing ideas into blog posts that will be read and remembered.
Let's make sweet music!
I spent more than a decade as an award winning journalist in TV News. I’m a deadline trained, fast writer who knows how to boil down complex ideas into simple terms. I have also raised millions of dollars in the nonprofit world and understand the importance of crafting a message that moves people. These skills will allow you to connect with your supporters like never before.
Together we will:
Create a blog that your followers will look forward to reading.
Stand out from the pack because youʼre effectively telling your story.
Be able to repurpose your blog into online articles that can get even more publicity.
Imagine not having to worry about making your blog memorable. Youʼll be able to focus on what you do best, while knowing that your message is engaging your audience.
I charge $50/hour. Knock ten dollars off that rate if you refer me to a future customer. Most blogs are about 500 words long.
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Posted by Ken Okel
May 7, 2009
Tell your supporters how your organization is handling the recession. Are you cutting services or staff? Have you found new ways to become more efficient. Donor like to know that you have some sort of plan for these challenging times. Don’t be shy about sharing yours. People like to know they’re supporting proactive organizations and social media gives you a great way to get the word out.
Some nonprofits try to candy coat bad news to their supporters, telling them that nothing is wrong until they are one step away from a nuclear meltdown. This is a mistake.
Don’t fall into the trap of having your recession update be only a plea for cash. You want to use your blog to thank your donors and let them know your plans for the future. This can solidify your relationship and help you maintain their support without making them clutch their wallets in fear.
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Posted by Ken Okel
May 6, 2009
Does one person hold the keys to your social media empire? Does anyone else on staff have the ability to update your blog, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube accounts?
A common mistake is to have only one person be the keeper of all of the passwords for these sites. But if that person goes on vacation, gets in an accident, or is dismissed, would all of your social networking comes to a standstill? Consistency is very important with social media and it’s important that your efforts can overcome any unexpected staffing challenges.
Make sure at least two people know all of your login information and know how update the sites. As a nonprofit, you’d hate to lose out on an opportunity to update your supporters because you marketing director is visiting Disney World.
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Posted by Ken Okel
May 5, 2009
Imagine if a friend needed a dollar. You’d probably give it to him or her without thinking about it. Now imagine if every time you saw that person, you’d be asked to give another dollar. Before long, you might try to avoid that friend.
Don't become toxic to your supporters
That’s the same mistake that many nonprofits make in their use of social media. Too often, blogs, Facebook, and Twitter accounts are seen solely as fundraising tools. That’s a mistake that will cost you fans of your organization. Most of these people are already giving you financial support. Do you want to squeeze them for more cash and risk seeing them walk?
I know the recession has taken a toll on nonprofits and budgets are tight. But in your social networking, you want to share things about your organization with your supporters. Tell me about your successes, your long term goals, and your best kept secret. The idea is to give a quick bit of info that will strengthen the relationship between you and the supporter. And in the text, encourage them to forward the information to someone else who might enjoy it. That’s a good way to gain new followers.
You can include donation information but don’t make it the primary focus of your communication. Remember, the key to a long relationship is making people feel good about their investment in you. That’s accomplished through sharing and not shaking people down for spare change.
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Posted by Ken Okel
May 3, 2009
A lot of nonprofits suffer from writer’s block when it comes to their blogs. Here’s a quick tip that I’ve found always produces a good response: What is your organization’s best kept secret?
Tell me about something that you do really well that no one knows about. The idea is to make sure it’s a secret no longer. It’s all about sharing your expertise and bringing people inside your organization. Make sure you relate this story to your larger mission. If it’s about something you do well, is there a call to action you can make in terms of how, with their help, you could do it even better?
Another litmus test for your social media updates is the phrase: Why should I care? If you can answer that, you’re on the right track.
Remember to link your blog to other social media sites like Facebook . If you’ve done good work in one place, why not share it everywhere. And do a Twitter post about it. Write it like a tease where you’d say something like, “Find out our best kept secret… follow this link .”
Resources:
Click here for my post on how often you should blog.
Twitter & Nonprofits post.
Need to turn your link into a tinyurl? Read this post.
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Posted by Ken Okel
