NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
What can Social Media do for my organization? | How do I use Social Media?
Where should I start? | Reality Check
Can I get help, is there a turnkey solution? | Let's get started!
WHAT EXPERTS IN non-profits ARE SAYING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA:
From about.com: “…It is increasingly clear that nonprofits are finding ways of using social media to connect with existing supporters and to attract young people...”
From Beth Kanter, the 2009 Scholar in Residence at the Packard Foundation and named one of Business Week’s “Voices of Innovation for Social Media.”: “…Social media is beginning to transform non-profits both in the way they work as well as their relationships with constituents.”
WHAT CAN SOCIAL MEDIA DO FOR MY organization?
Social Media can increase your reach and depth exponentially. It is a powerful way to connect with and influence members, donors, volunteers and recipients.
People expect to find your non-profit online.
Social media allows you to build relationships that traditional forms of communications do not.
People are using social media to get information, evaluate non-profits, to share their opinions, and more importantly, to find recommendations.
Members, donors, potential members and donors, employees and potential employees are looking for you in all the right online places.
Social media can help with…
- Recruiting - both future employees, volunteers, members and donors
- Branding – tell your story anywhere you can
- Call to action - post photos, statistics and stories to your fan base
- Build Awareness - remind them of your unique value
- Internal Market Research - post questions and see what your fan base thinks
- Networking - people like to be a part of an organization that is recommended by people they know (or first hand referrals)
- Most important of all – social media allows you to listen. You may be surprised at what you learn.
Like all relationship activities, Social Media takes a long term commitment and an understanding of the game.
The Social Media formula is:
Content creates Conversations creates Relationships
Some of the ways in which agents can use Social Media:
- Educate members, volunteers and donors
- Give your members, volunteers and donors a voice and a place to connect with others. Allow your followers to post comments, ideas, photos, and stories
- Provide instant answers to questions
- Generate awareness, recommendations and referrals through the conversations of your community
- Give people an open window into your personality, who you are, what you stand for, what sets you apart
- Conduct research with online surveys and use it to make changes to your products or customer service or selling strategy
- Publicize your events
- Don’t solicit. You earn the right to solicit by providing content.
Social Media is all about CONTENT that is valuable and relevant to your target audience (which you want to turn into a community).