Tweet or Not to Tweet?
Social Media for Your NonProfit
I am writing this after spending the morning on Twitter and FaceBook. You may not have any idea what I am talking about or know just enough to believe it is a waste of your time. That is the whole reason we at Ocean Grand have decided to put together a series of ongoing articles around “social media” for non profits. Read on to learn how social media is here to stay and how you can get on board to help your nonprofit become more successful.
The key to getting, keeping and engaging donors, funders, and corporations is by building a relationship with them. There is no alternative to building relationships, the relationship comes first and always first. There is also no alternative, not even through social media, to engage your non profit supporters in the “flesh”. However, social media is a great platform to tell and retell your story (read more about “your story” here). The more ways you are able to get the information and successes out to people who are interested in them the farther your reach. Social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc) is another way to get your story and successes out to those that want to know about them, plus find some others that maybe interested in the mix.
Social media is also a way to keep donors and others up-to-date with your cause and what you’re doing to impact the world in a simple and easy way. A couple “tweets” (tweets are short messages on twitter) a day will help all those following the progress of your non profit to know what you’re doing today to help the cause. Likewise, it is a great way to invite people to your fundraisers, events and projects. By using Twitter, others who get your tweets can pass the message along very easily, possibly generating lots of buzz about your upcoming function. If those tweets are also posted automatically on your FaceBook “wall”, then you have reached two audiences that otherwise would have had no idea what you were doing. For example, maybe you are holding a fundraiser or event in Virginia. Several tweets throughout the day from your mobile phone and everyone around the world knows how it is going.
This morning I wrote an article on “What Have You Done Lately That You Are Proud Of?” When I posted the article from the Ocean Grand blog http://www.oceangrand.org the post was tweeted and then also sent to our FaceBook wall. Almost instantaneously several people joined our twitter following who were not following before. The link to the article in the tweet was also clicked on and read by many from our twitter following. It was a quick, easy and effective way to let those that were interested know there was a new article.
The Virtual Water Cooler
Social Media is the present day water cooler and unlike the water cooler in your office, it is an ongoing global conversation. If you want to be more successful in the non profit world, you want your non profit activities to be a part of that conversation. From Twitter and FaceBook conversations I have connected to other non profit organizations who were ecstatic to find out about all the free information and help we provide to non profits at Ocean Grand. Through those same social media channels I have also made new friends and reacquainted myself with old friendships halfway around the world.
The Afternoon Coffee Break
As I’m going throughout the day I hit points where I need a pick-me-up and many times caffeine does the trick. However, while I am getting my afternoon infusion I also check in on my FaceBook and Twitter accounts to see what is happening around the world. Inevitably I run across a quick conversation or am able to offer some input that renews my inspiration to motivate me on to the end of the day. It has been well documented that the human brain needs breaks throughout the day and can be much more productive once given one. You would be surprised at all the little notes of encouragement you can get on Twitter and FaceBook that can get you through the day.
Each platform of Social Media has its own nuances and particular use, but the lines quickly become blurred once you start integrating them together. We will show you how to get the best use out of each in further articles. We are going to focus on FaceBook and Twitter below and give you some quick instructions on getting started.
FaceBook
The simple explanation: FaceBook is a platform where you can add “friends” old and new to your profile. Then you can message each other back and forth, add video and share pictures. You are able to keep tabs on your “contacts” and and they can do the same with you. It’s a quick glance at what everyone you know around the world is doing, interested and involved in. As a nonprofit, you can also create a “cause” page where people can join to be involved and even donate online to your nonprofit.
FaceBook Steps:
- Sign up and create an interesting profile. Add a photo and definitely put up a “cause” page so others can join into your non profit work.
- Use the site’s feature to search your email address book for people you know.
- Each time a friend adds, look at their friends for others that you may know and add them as a friend.
- Use your existing friends as a way to find more friends. Try to stay within the boundaries of people you actually know and have some type of relationship with.
- Create a “home like” feel to the information you put on your site. You want people to get to know you better or all over again if it has been a while.
- There are a ton of “applications” you can use that will allow you to share books your reading, videos you like, blogs you read etc.
- The number of “friends” you have depends upon you but the more friends you can connect to the farther your message will go out to the masses.
- Keep in mind, as a non profit you want people to both get to know you and your non profit so try to think of ways that you can introduce what your non profit is doing.
- Make sure you are actively getting your donors and those interested signed up and promote, promote, promote your FaceBook link so people can connect to you.
- Focus your efforts on building relationships and letting people know what you are doing. A few “What am I doing” updates a day goes a long way. Likewise, reply and respond to other people’s updates.
Twitter
Twitter uses quick posts of 140 characters or less to let people know what you are doing throughout the day. The same goes for your responses to others’ posts. Unlike FaceBook there are not pages or places to put video and “causes” but instead you do short updates, “tweets”, throughout the day and reply to others’ tweets. In some aspects “less is more” and keeping track of your and other people’s tweets can be managed easily by using TweetDeck http://www.tweetdeck.com. Throughout the day “tweet” several times and let people know what you’re up to; you will be amazed at how interested they are in the little things you do each day. Respond to a few tweets. You can find others to “follow” (when you follow someone you are able to see their tweets) that you may have interest in and again you will be amazed at what you learn.
Twitter Steps:
- Sign up and create an interesting profile. Add a photo.
- Use the site’s feature to search your email address book for people you know.
- Find people you maybe interested in following at Twitscoop http://www.twitscoop.com/ by searching topics you’re interested in.
- You can always find more people to follow by reading the posts of those you are already following that seem like interesting conversations.
- The number of people you follow or allow to follow you depends upon you but the more people following you the farther your message will go out to the masses.
- Keep in mind, as a non profit you want people to both get to know you and your non profit so try to think of ways that you can introduce what your non profit is doing without giving a sales pitch.
- Make sure you are actively getting your donors and those interested signed up and promote, promote, promote your Twitter link so people can connect to you.
- Focus your efforts on building relationships and letting people know what you are doing. A few “What am I doing” updates a day goes a long way. Likewise, reply and respond to other peoples updates.
Remember that all the information, pictures, video and updates are able to be seen by all your friends or followers so keep that in mind when you put information on the internet.
If you contact me I can help you integrate your tweets to automatically be posted to your FaceBook which keeps you from needing to update two different places.
To Tweet or Not to Tweet, That is the Question
Social Media is a great way to get your message out and also connect people across the globe to your non profit cause. It is time well spent if you keep focused while using these media. It is easy to get caught up in it; however, now is the time to get involved because Social Media looks like it is here to stay. This is just a brief introduction to the Social Media arena and we will cover each separately and give more detail on how to use these great platforms to your advantage other posts. Stay tuned. In the meantime, sign up for an account and begin getting a feel for them.
Don’t forget to add us as a friend on FaceBook and follow us on Twitter. The links are to the right of this post and also below.
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32978279968
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ScottRingo
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