Nonprofit organizations need to raise funds constantly. Fact. They also have programs, mission and special activities that must be funded. Fact. There’s all this trendy talk about leveraging social media to raise money – and the question I get asked most often is
When does social media lead to more money?
That’s not the right question. The right question is:
When does engagement lead to more money?
Annual reports do not create a relationship. Email updates do not create a relationship. Alerts do not create a relationship. These are all examples of one-way communication. Relationships are about two-way communication.
I’ve also seen a lot of nonprofit organizations using social media fail to create relationships using these tools. Automatically feeding blog posts through a twitter feed does not create a relationship. Using your organization’s official icon and not associating a person’s name (in either the description or title) to the twitter account cuts short the possibility of a relationship. Publishing a blog but not commenting on other blogs or responding to comments on your blog…does not create a relationship. Consistent Facebook wall posts that do not engage or ask questions…stop conversation.
These methods of using social media are, quite honestly, no better than the old newsletter and annual report. If you are going to commit time and energy to social media, pick one or two platforms that make sense for your organization and act as if you want to meet people and learn from them. They want to talk to you, and you should want to listen to them. That’s why your fans and followers online are following your organization, after all. So talk. Yes, publish your newsy updates, but ask questions and listen…learn…engage…and respond.
Engagement leads to donations – really, it does – but you have to put the time into creating the relationship first. Or re-creating the relationship with your stakeholders. Social media is a great tool for doing this, as social media tools are merely platforms for creating conversation.
When you are listening, responding, and engaging -
then asking for money to support this great relationship is a natural extension of the conversation.
Debra Askanase has 20 years of experience working in nonprofit organizations, from Community Organizer to Executive Director. She is the founder and lead consultant at Community Organizer 2.0, a social media strategy firm for non-profit organizations and businesses. She blogs about the intersection of social media, nonprofits, and technology at communityorganizer20.com. Debra is an occasional contributor to eJewish Philanthropy.
Debra-
Great post! All nonprofits utilizing social media (or still thinking about it) should read this. With so much news about the tools themselves, organizations tend to focus on these tools, rather than communications and engagement.
As these tools become more widespread/common, I think nonprofits will be able to think strategically about if/how to use them to improve communications and engagement. For now, we can help by spreading your message!
Kevin
Kevin,
Thanks for the supportive comment! I know Grinspoon Foundation does, in fact, engage – a great example of a nonprofit that listens, engages and responds. Keep up the good work!
Debra – thanks for this important perspective. I’ve been an enthusiastic participant in social media, and have been hearing and talking a lot with folks about how to use social media to garner more support and more visibility. There’s a bit of a runaway train feeling behind these conversations – “we’d better get in there and DO this!”
Thanks for reminding us to slow down, think things through, and keep our eyes on the ball – it is still “all about the relationships,” and not just about the Next New Thing.
Laurie,
I agree with you whole-heartedly: there is a “bit of a runway train feeling” about doing social media. In fact, it boils down to how to create a real online relationship, doesn’t it? Great comment!