The big buzz in marketing for nonprofit organizations and government agencies these days is all about social networking, viral campaigns and Web 2.0 tools. Organizations of all sizes are starting to ask…Do we start a Facebook page, set up a new blog, start using Twitter, Flickr and YouTube?
Before you start using the latest and greatest social networking tools, take a moment to review your strategic business plan.
Keep it simple. Who are you trying to contact, what is your message and what benefits do you have to offer?
After all, if you just start using web 2.0 tools just because you don’t want to miss out on the latest technology or popular website, you can end up wasting a lot of time, effort and money…
So with this in mind, you may want to ask yourself three simple questions prior to starting a big, new marketing effort using the latest and greatest social networking tools:
1. Is this tool going to help us reach our target audience(s) with the appropriate message?
2. Do we have valuable information to provide via these networking venues?
3. Are the resources available to regularly update and enhance our new, social network marketing campaigns so we experience the best results?
If you answered “Yes” to these questions, then please move forward and plan how you are going to incorporate these social networking tools into your marketing and development plans.
But if you answered “No,” it may be best to do some more research about the tools and trends. This way, you’ll be able to focus your efforts on the marketing activities that will give you the best results while still being aware of new tools and technologies that are available.
Cheers!
Dave
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
How Wired is your Nonprofit?
Following are questions that nonprofit organizations should use to figure out how well they are doing in meeting the demands of their supporters. These questions are excerpted from Allison Fine’s new book, Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age
(Jossey-Bass).
· Reputation Management: Do other people and organizations trust you and your organization? How do you know? How can you increase and strengthen that trust?
· Outreach: Are you reaching out to new people and organizations to learn with and from them? Do you approach networking as an opportunity to push your "brand," and/or to strengthen a connection with others?
· Recognition/ support: Do you support and celebrate your alumni and other ambassadors to other groups and communities?
· Community Building: What information are you sharing with the world? Are there other kinds of information that you could share?
· Outreach: Are your Web site and other communication vehicles inviting to strangers? Can anyone looking at your information figure out who you are? Which individuals are critical?
· Search Engine Friendly: Do your communication vehicles (e.g. Web site, brochures, plans, proposals, reports) use words that people understand, or language that says that your organization is made up of really smart people?
· Community Building: Do you think of questions from outsiders as time-suckers that need to be answered, or as the beginning of a conversation?
· Community Building/ Outreach: Do you ever introduce people for no other reason than the fact that they should know one another? Does that include introducing collegial organizations to potential partners/ alliances/ funders? What do you expect in return for these introductions?
· Sharing: Do your supporters (board members, donors, volunteers, members, friends, etc.) ever talk to one another about your organization (cause, charity, mission) without your prompting?
· Sharing: Can you help your volunteers start their own conversations, have their own meetings, and develop strategies to support your efforts?
· Recognition: Do you celebrate achievements by other organizations in your network?
· Collaboration: Do your participants (board members, volunteers, clients, collegial organizations) watch you make plans or help you to make them?
Share your ideas and comments.
Cheers!
Dave
(Jossey-Bass).
· Reputation Management: Do other people and organizations trust you and your organization? How do you know? How can you increase and strengthen that trust?
· Outreach: Are you reaching out to new people and organizations to learn with and from them? Do you approach networking as an opportunity to push your "brand," and/or to strengthen a connection with others?
· Recognition/ support: Do you support and celebrate your alumni and other ambassadors to other groups and communities?
· Community Building: What information are you sharing with the world? Are there other kinds of information that you could share?
· Outreach: Are your Web site and other communication vehicles inviting to strangers? Can anyone looking at your information figure out who you are? Which individuals are critical?
· Search Engine Friendly: Do your communication vehicles (e.g. Web site, brochures, plans, proposals, reports) use words that people understand, or language that says that your organization is made up of really smart people?
· Community Building: Do you think of questions from outsiders as time-suckers that need to be answered, or as the beginning of a conversation?
· Community Building/ Outreach: Do you ever introduce people for no other reason than the fact that they should know one another? Does that include introducing collegial organizations to potential partners/ alliances/ funders? What do you expect in return for these introductions?
· Sharing: Do your supporters (board members, donors, volunteers, members, friends, etc.) ever talk to one another about your organization (cause, charity, mission) without your prompting?
· Sharing: Can you help your volunteers start their own conversations, have their own meetings, and develop strategies to support your efforts?
· Recognition: Do you celebrate achievements by other organizations in your network?
· Collaboration: Do your participants (board members, volunteers, clients, collegial organizations) watch you make plans or help you to make them?
Share your ideas and comments.
Cheers!
Dave
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Sharp Difference
A Blog for Those Interested in Making a Difference Through Social Marketing....
The Sharp Difference blog is for people who are interested in learning, sharing and discussing new trends in Social Marketing, Cause Marketing, Strategic Partnerships, Social Networking, Community Engagement and Development. It's aimed at building community with other professionals involved with nonprofit organizations, government agencies. socially responsible corporations and media groups.
I'm planning on sharing some observations, ideas, trends and questions that I find interesting in the hope that you will comment and share your thoughts and questions about making a difference though Social Marketing.
Cheers!
Dave Sharp
Sharp Consulting Group, LLC
The Sharp Difference blog is for people who are interested in learning, sharing and discussing new trends in Social Marketing, Cause Marketing, Strategic Partnerships, Social Networking, Community Engagement and Development. It's aimed at building community with other professionals involved with nonprofit organizations, government agencies. socially responsible corporations and media groups.
I'm planning on sharing some observations, ideas, trends and questions that I find interesting in the hope that you will comment and share your thoughts and questions about making a difference though Social Marketing.
Cheers!
Dave Sharp
Sharp Consulting Group, LLC
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