Social media can still be valuable outside of the notion of relationships. [Insert horrified gasp from the purist crowd here.]

Social media is lots of things. It’s a distribution network. It’s a communication framework. It’s sharing of information and intelligence. It can be a transaction conduit if dovetailed with other efforts (ask Dell). The common thread is really and making all of these touchpoints a bit more personal and relevant in the moment, and less scripted and contrived. But that doesn’t always constitute a long term commitment between [donor] and [organization], or some kind of emotional bond.

It has the potential for lots of things. But saying that it’s always about “building relationships” I think is making it dangerously generic, and potentially putting [donors] in the uncomfortable position of always being courted for something more than they might be after.

Amber Naslund, Relationships Aren’t Universal