Small Bites vs. Big Meals
June 16, 2009
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Posted by Ken Okel
Writing for Twitter
June 15, 2009It’s not easy to have a meaningful conversation in 140 characters or less. And while some may be frustrated with Twitter’s limitation of its message length, you can still use it to get out some good information about your nonprofit.
Imagine that you’re walking past a friend and neither of you has time to stop and chat. When asked, “What’s new?” you give a quick answer before your friend is out of earshot. You’re looking to giver a quick update and maybe plant the seeds for a future conversation. Do the same thing with Twitter. It’s a social media tool that can quickly inform and make people want to know more about your nonprofit.
In your Tweets, you want to use a punchy and informative writing style. Think of it like a newspaper headline. You want to whet the reader’s appetite. I’ll give you some examples. In each you would also want to include a link to more information. Remember, you’re starting a conversation.
- Tired of your teen sleeping on your couch this summer. Try volunteering with us, which looks great on a resume (link)
- 1 out of 4 kids goes hungry in our community. Find out how you can make a difference today (link).
- Find out why our annual luncheon will be the hottest ticket in town. And it could change a life (link).
- Imagine going to bed without your pillow. Send in supplies for a family that just lost everything. For a list of needs, go to (link).
Additional Resources:
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Posted by Ken Okel
Use Your Volunteers…
June 12, 2009It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by social media. As an employee at a nonprofit, you probably wear many hats and your day may be interrupted by numerous “emergencies.” So why not use volunteers to help you with your social marketing?
People volunteer with an organization because they want to make a difference and yet some find themselves being asked to do dull tasks like stapling documents. As a result, they stop volunteering. Why not put out a request for help to your supporters? If someone has a video camera, would they be willing to come in and record some interviews with staff? Those interviews could yield you several YouTube clips that you can also upload to your blog and Facebook page.
Maybe you’ve got an event coming up, like a luncheon. See if you can have a volunteer at each table take pictures of their group and the event. Nowadays everyone has a digital camera and it’s easy to share pictures. This way you get a whole new perspective on your event that’s different than what we usually see (a bunch of people standing around with forced smiles holding some kind of award while waiting for a flash to go off).
Teenagers are extremely well plugged into social media. Maybe they can help you post items to your blog or sent out Twitter messages. If a lawyer was volunteer, you’d have him or her help you with legal stuff. Why not take advantage of a young person’s skill sets?
In all of these cases, you’re supervising the effort so you still maintain control over the message. But by inviting others to join your social media campaign, you’re getting a lot of free labor and creativity.
Additional Resources:
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Posted by Ken Okel
Convincing a Non-Believer About Social Media
June 11, 2009It can be frustrating when you believe in the power of social media to help your nonprofit but someone above you doesn’t share your enthusiasm. Let’s go over some key points in favor of this new form of marketing:
Successful organizations change over time.
- 100 years ago, UPS delivered packages on bicycles.
- It embraced the automobile and later the airplane.
- Over time it achieved what was once unthinkable with overnight and global delivery.
It’s easy to forget how much the way we do business has changed.
- In less than 20 years we went from typewriters to computers to mobile devices.
- In less time we went from sending documents by courier to faxes to attachments.
- Try working without a computer, a cell phone, or the Internet for a day.
In all of these cases people have embraced new tools like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and blogs. The tools may be different but your marketing mission is still the same. It’s all building connections with your supporters. Social marketing gives you the chance to have more “touches” with your donors without having to pay for so many expensive brochures that may never be read. In this economy, spending less on marketing and getting more it is a good thing.
It’s fine if you don’t want to embrace social media. But don’t expect your competition to sit on the sidelines with you. Learn how to use these tools, get consulting if you need some help, and watch your organization enter a new era.
Additional Resources:
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Posted by Ken Okel
Do You Need Ideas for Blogs and YouTube?
June 10, 2009When you’re first getting started with using social media in your nonprofit, it’s not unusual to feel a bit overwhelmed with having to get out a steady stream of content to your supporters. As I’ve discussed in the past, you want to maintain a consistent posting schedule. So what do you do when you’re stumped for ideas and need to put something out fast?
I’d suggest looking at past newsletters. Let’s take a look at the stories you’ve written in the past. Can you freshen them up a bit. Instead of having to create a story from scratch, you’re updating your work. Each story can be a post or a video clip. TV stations and newspapers do updates all the time. Why shouldn’t you?
Isn’t there a danger of putting out the same information multiple times to the same potential audience? I wouldn’t worry about this too much. If you’ve got good news, make sure it’s being heard. In our society, we are bombarded with a ton of information every day. A little repetition won’t hurt. And I have to admit that sometimes I receive beautifully written and designed newsletters but I never do much more than scan the headlines. This isn’t a comment on the quality of the publication but rather on my free time. Deliver the info to me in bite sized chunks and it’s much easier to digest.
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Posted by Ken Okel
Get Inspired By Movies
June 9, 2009Whether you’re watching in a theater or checking out a DVD, what do you see before you get to the film? Previews! Movie studios understand the importance of building anticipation for future releases. Before you see a summer blockbuster, you’ll often see up to five previews. Can it be annoying? Sure. But the studios don’t want to miss out on a chance to get you excited about what’s to come. It’s a time tested strategy.
Bring some Hollywood to your nonprofit!
Bring some Hollywood to your nonprofit!
You should be doing the same thing with your social media strategy. Too many nonprofits only talk about what they’ve accomplished but say little about the future. As a donor, does that get you excited about supporting a cause? You do want to celebrate your achievements but make sure it’s balanced with a discussion of what’s next.
Twitter is a great tool for building anticipation. Let’s say you are announcing a campaign goal. Maybe you could “tweet” something like this, “Just announced our campaign total of $2 million. Thanks! But we’re not done yet. 1 in 4 children still need our help.” Then I would add a link that would take you to a blog or a YouTube video that tells you more about this issue. Remember that with Twitter, you only have 140 characters for your message.
Facebook also provides you with a way to let your supporters know what you hope to do and how they can help. By providing, short but powerful updates, you’re engaging people in your mission. You don’t want you donors to think that their gift has produced a, “Mission Accomplished” situation where one year’s support has permanently solved a problem. Social marketing can keep them focused on your future, a good thing in this economy.
Additional Resources:
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Posted by Ken Okel
Social Media is NOT an ATM for Nonprofits: Part 2
June 8, 2009
Don’t Just Be A Transaction: If all you do is use social media to hit me up for cash, how are you any different than any other nonprofit that contacts me? I’ll hit the delete button on you before you can say, “online giving.” Don’t be lazy and think that putting out an electronic ask is all you have to do for a fundraising strategy.
Isn’t Something Better Than Nothing: That depends. Do you want spare change or an ongoing investment in your organization and mission? If you hit someone up for an online money grab, they might give you $5 or $10 dollars. It’s a reasonable transaction for many. But who’s to say that they wouldn’t have given you more, if you had taken the time to use social media to tell them more about your organization. And while I may give you five bucks, does that give me a false sense that my gift has just solved a major problem?
Use social media to take the potential donor into your world and let them know why you are important. Many people have no idea what exactly you do and why it’s critical to your community. They just know that you do, “good stuff.” By highlighting your mission, your successes, your staff, and volunteers you can become known as the nonprofit that does good work and gets things done.
With more and more people using tools like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, can you afford to not take advantage of this chance to connect with your supporters? Make me develop a habit of wanting to learn interesting things about you and how my support is making a difference. If you do this, you’ll lock in my support.
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Posted by Ken Okel
Social Media is NOT an ATM for Nonprofits: Part 1
June 5, 2009
If you think your organization is going to make a wheel barrel of cash from social media, then you’re wrong. Social marketing is a tool that can help raise the profile of your nonprofit but you’ll be disappointed if you think it’s an instant cash machine. Let’s go through some of the myths associated with online fundraising:
But The President Used It: Yes, President Obama did raise a lot of money during his campaign with the help of small, online donations. But he also had the national media following him and reporting on him every day. This coverage helped convince people to give to his campaign and feel like they were part of a larger movement. As a nonprofit, you don’t receive that level of attention that can be turned into cash.
Donation Buttons: On the front page of your website you put up a donation button. Usually these give people a variety of gift levels to choose from. I guess the idea is that someone will whip out his or her credit card and start giving. The problem I have with the button is that it’s rarely association with any kind of information. It’s like you’re saying, “We do good stuff, now give us your credit card number.”
If a group of strangers walked up to you and said that, would you give them money? Any ask for support (especially in a recession) needs to be supported with proof of what you’ve done in the past and how you’ll spend my money in the future.
And stop putting large amounts like, $10,000, as an option for an online gift. If someone wants to invest that much money with you, then you need to have personal contact with them. Don’t rely on the charms of an online form to secure a big gift.
If All You Do Is Ask Then We’ll Tune You Out: If every blog post, YouTube video, Twitter message, or Facebook update is an ask for cash, then you’re doing nothing more than acting like online junk mail. Your social marketing should be highly informative. Tell me what’s happening in your world. What have you achieved recently, how are you handling the economic slowdown, and what’s your unfinished business in my community? If you provide me with good information, I’ll want to give to you.
You’ll see part 2 on Monday.
Additional Resources:
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Posted by Ken Okel
A Great Video Tool
June 4, 2009If you have Windows on your computer, do you know that you already have a video editing program? It’s called Windows Movie Maker. With a little practice, it can make putting together movie clips for YouTube very easy. To see tutorials on this program follow this link.
Video should play a key role in your social media strategy. The ability to show your supporters the work that you do is very powerful. In my decade of working in television, I saw many examples of how images leave a strong impression in people’s minds. Think what an impression it can have on your fundraising.
You’ll want to do a little editing of your video on Movie Maker before you upload it to YouTube. Besides cutting out things like people saying, “Okay the camera is on, start talking,” you can add titles, transitions like dissolves,and other graphics. These are the same tools the professionals use and you can make great looking videos that won’t cost you the big bucks they charge. In this economy, that’s a great thing.
For a beginner you can even take a bunch of photographs and edit then together. Here’s an example of this technique:
I added some royalty free music but you could also add a voice track. Before using any music, make sure you have the right to use it for your purposes. Royalty free music is available online and there are also some music licenses that you can purchase from the various musician unions.
Recently I was at a seminar, where in a short amount of time, a roomful of people, some with few computer skills, were able create their own videos. With social marketing it’s easy to post your YouTube videos in your blog and on Facebook.
Do you have students who volunteer with your organization? Video creation could be a great project for them as they tend to be pretty tech savvy. Still not sure how to get started? I also offer video consulting. Click here for an example of my work.
Additional Resources:
YouTube Tips
Consulting Services
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Posted by Ken Okel
Teleseminar Recap
June 3, 2009A big thank you to everyone who called in to yesterday’s teleseminar. I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to learn more about social media for nonprofits. As I mentioned, I’m posting some of the main points and notes from the call. Feel free to send me any additional questions you may have. Some of your questions were so good that I’ll address them in future posts.
To order a CD or a mp3 of the teleseminar, go to the Resources Page.
Big Thought: You don’t want to be the best kept secret in town. Social media give you the opportunity to inexpensively connect with your supporters and strengthen your relationship.
Four Good Tools For Social Media
- Blogs: Can set up a free one at either blogger or wordpress.
- YouTube: Can host an unlimited amount of video clips. A good length is about two to three minutes. Take people inside your organization, go behind the scenes, and teach us something about you. Don’t be afraid to get creative. YouTube videos can be embeded in blogs and Facebook.
- Facebook: Create a page for your organization. Have your supporters become “fans.” When you post an update on Facebook, all of your fans will see it. Remember, more people visit Facebook on a daily basis than your website. You can also have your blog appear on your Facebook page.
- Twitter: Use this to alert people of important things that are happening in your organization. Don’t forget that you only have 140 characters for each message. Twitter is great for getting out the word about something new that’s been posted on your blog, YouTube channel, or Facebook page. Don’t send out tweets about dull stuff like eating pizza.
Here’s the link to the newspaper article I mentioned about senior citizen Internet use. This link may only be active for a couple of weeks.
It’s fine to keep using traditional media but make sure you’re getting a good return on investment.
Don’t think of the primary use of social media to be fundraising. It’s more about creating and strengthening relationships between you and the community. A product of that is financial support.
To shorten web addresses so they are easier to post use a url shorting site like tinyurl.com.
I mentioned how Google Alerts can help you with research. To find out more read this post.
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Posted by Ken Okel
