Yes, Non-Profits CAN Build an Energized Fan Base with Social Media

As many know, last week, I hosted my first independent webinar. It was a great success with over 95 registrants from all over North America. Many requested a transcript or recording of the presentation and as such, I invite you to take a look:

Open up the video in a separate window and/ or download it
For your information, the video is in Quicktime and runs for a total of 54 minutes, 21 seconds. (Click here to download Quicktime). You can also download the slides in Powerpoint format here or in Keynote format here.

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Mark Buzan is the Principal and Chief Magnifying Officer in Action Strategies, a full service Public Relations and Advocacy consultancy for associations and non-profits. He employs a number of services such as social media in order to aid his clients increase support and engage their stakeholders. Please register for his free newsletter series in public relations or government relations.

Training in Social Media Marketing for Non-Profits

Over the course of the last few weeks, I can honestly say I have been surprised by a continuing trend I have seen from those in the association sector. That trend has been the request to learn more about how they can leverage this new and emerging communications vehicle called social media. I believe this is a positive trend because there is no indicator from our data that Social Media will go away, in fact the adoption rates of Generation Y, indicate this is a trend (I'll even be speaking to this issues at the CSAE's annual convention in November). The trouble with social media is that with everyone able to create content and share the details of their personal lives in detailed minutia, the problem of excessive content becomes an issue. Every 60 seconds, 13 hours of content are uploaded to YouTube (says YouTube employee), and millions of tweets are generated every day. With so much content being created, how will one filter out what’s important?

Through all this clutter, non-profits face three challenges:

1st challenge: What do I say?: Determining content that will drive followers and recruit support requires serious thought and strategy.
2nd challenge: How much time should I be spending Tweeting or on Facebook?: Once you start tweeting or facebooking you will find that there is a lot of content and it is easy to spend a lot of time going through the content. Non-profit executives need an understanding of how they can coordinate staff and time resources to be most effective online without compromising their day-to-day operations.
3rd challenge: Staying organized: As one follows more folks on Twitter, it is easy to forget who they are or why I decided to follow them.

In response to these challenges, Action Strategies is launching a training module we hope to have ready by mid October covering the following issues:
Here are just a few of the inside techniques you'll cover in this intensive one-day workshop:

1. Learn how to monitor your reputation online, starting today


2. Discover how to set up a measurable, accountable social media program


3. Identify and track top blogs in your industry–––and decide the best time to join in the conversation


4. Acquire the techniques for placing the right messages on leading social media outlets, like FaceBook, del.icio.us, Digg, and YouTube


5. Harness the power of blogs and podcasts (including critical insight on who in your organization should blog and who should not )


6. Start using the latest Search Engine Optimization techniques to supercharge the visibility of your website and press materials


7. Find out the smartest (often ignored!) features of a social media newsroom

We are taking pre-registrations now for webinars and in-person seminars. Contact us today. I invite your team to book its training spot now!

Leveraging Social Media? What are all these internet forums and are they really applicable to associations?

Interestingly, it is the internet’s depth and vastness that mystifies many association executives. Sadly, I hear many associations express veiled excuses for not involving social media in their outreach efforts. Commonly thought of as the domain of Gen-Yers, and twenty-somethings, social media and internet viral marketing offer practical and sensible applications for all audiences. Social media strategy depends from case to case and will require an investment of time. Used correctly, social media can:

• Build networks and community, connect and mobilize members on the key issues confronting your association
• Build a donor base and gather emails
• Tell your story –Put a face and a personality to your organization
• Share information and resources quickly
• Promote brand and cause

If carried out correctly, viral web marketing techniques can be very effective in boosting your member list and getting your organization’s name and message out. Many non-profits are using “Tell a friend” buttons or links on their websites and email newsletters. Whether used for connecting or recruiting members and donors, and developing advocacy can take different channels through the various goals sought.

Recruiting members and soliciting donations:
The very essence of making online “friends” and developing a base of followers through social media extends this ability far beyond the reach of the amount of people or prospects you could physically reach in one day. With one of my charitable clients, the Success Factory, we have just begun an online campaign through Facebook to raise money and build word-of-mouth awareness for its employment training programs. Using the “Causes” application, Facebook is allowing board members and staff of this brand new organization in one full sweep to: 1.) Demonstrate the mission of the Success Factory, 2.) Engage other Facebook members to recruit their friends as supporters of the cause, and 4.) Allow a forum of communication for Success Factory supporters, thereby spawning the creation of new innovative ideas.

Facilitating communication between association staff, members, supporters and the board
The concept of sharing ongoing association business with the entire world on Facebook is less than appealing. To answer this situation, there are social media options such as Ning.com and Google Friend Connect that can create either a separate network for an association or integrate social networking elements right within an association’s website. The Canadian Table Soccer Association is one association that has effectively utilized Ning (http://tablesoccerca.ning.com) as an opportunity for members to connect, share ideas, and announce events.

Within an association website, there are means a communications team can take to ensure that it remains current and relevant for members. Using Google Friend Connect, a free set of customizable tools offered by Google, associations can embed html code within their website that easily invites friends from social networks and contact lists to visit and join your site.

If associations are not blogging, they need to begin. Integrating a blog into your web presence provides regular information for members and board to follow. For those associations less inclined towards a full blog, Twitter comes to the rescue offering a micro-blog option. Creating an account is free and each blog entry is limited to 140 characters. As a result, your association’s ability to be found in search engines is increased.

Building recognition with the Media and Influential Bloggers

The internet is crawling with bloggers on issues as vast as the internet itself. Social media also changes the presence of how non-profits present information to journalists. With the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), I have been working their media relations and internet teams to promote collaboration between these two fields. Journalists will also be kept up to date with every story development of via an RSS subscribe option. Even the delivery of traditional press releases changes with social media. Instead of the typical boiler plate press release, a photo was embedded along with clickable links over to the organization’s website. To best ensure the internet is leveraged as a communications vehicle, make sure the message you devise is clear, well presented, and easy-to-follow. This includes replying to personal messages and posting constant updates. Online profiles can be time-consuming, but their targeted visibility is unparalleled.
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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultancy for non-profits and associations.

Does Your Organization Have an Effective Viral Web Strategy?

Non-profits have the seemingly insurmountable task of constantly trying to find inexpensive marketing techniques and campaigns to effectively promote their programs and organizational objectives. Staying on top of every new form of marketing to their audience is key to ensuring they always have a number of marketing strategies working for them at once. Consider viral marketing. As a nonprofit professional or executive, you have heard the term, but still not completely sure of its definition or relevance with your non-profit marketing needs and goals. In this article, we discuss the definition of viral web marketing, how it is most commonly used, and the best tips for using it to your non-profit’s advantage.

What is viral web marketing?

Various forms of new online marketing tactics fall under the category of viral web marketing. Viral web marketing extends from just the basic first tier network that you may reach with a standard marketing campaign-such as email, newsletters, etc-to the networks that feed off the first tier network. For example, many nonprofits and profits alike are using “Tell a friend” buttons or links on their websites and email newsletters. Not only do they extend their welcome to the person receiving the email or visiting the website, but they also extend the welcome to any mutual contact interested in nonprofit-related updates.

It is important to note that viral marketing extends beyond emails and newsletters. With the recent developments in social media, viral web marketing includes targeting groups through video, podcasts, and articles strategically posted on popular networking community. By covering various media, your organization can effectively launch a viral marketing campaign. Viral marketing requires strategic advocacy planning in order to leverage the potential membership. This requires identifying key online audiences and their favoured sites and communities. If your organization doesn’t already have an online component, consider starting with Facebook, Twitter, and/or LinkedIn. Your organization can consider posting video and podcasts related to your cause. By becoming an active member of such online communities your organization effectively reaches out to potential members and interested individuals.
If carried out correctly, viral web marketing techniques like these can be very effective in boosting your customer or member list, and getting your organization’s name and message out there.

Tips for Viral Web Marketing

Now that you know what viral web marketing is and how it can help promote your nonprofit quickly and without much-if any, investment; how do you begin to start using it to your advantage. Here are the best tips you’ll need in devising and carrying through with your first viral web/email marketing campaign.

1.First things first: ensure that you have a professional and attractive website to direct your current members and customers to, as well as potential new members and customers. It should never be underestimated that first impressions are the ticket-or one of the most important tickets-to success. Impress them with an attractive, easy-to-navigate website and they’ll stay there-reading up on your cause, mission, and programs; which, in turn, makes them that much closer to getting involved with your non-profit.

2.Make sure the viral marketing message you devise is clear, well presented, and easy-to-follow. When your members or visitors are surfing the web, and come across your site or email campaign; they want something quick and convenient. Make sure you choose a viral marketing tool that is unmistakable, welcoming, and easy for the person to use. If it is a “tell a friend” button, ensure that the user only has to make a couple of actions to tell their friends. Not only does this make them more susceptible in telling a friend, but more likely to tell a bunch of friends. The same applies for online community profiles, they should be concise and complete. A user should be able to obtain the important information about your cause “at a glance”. If this isn’t possible, your organization has neglected the opportunity to funnel membership or donations.

3.Offer incentives to those who join or relay your message. No matter our age, we all love the idea of getting something for nothing. For your email, newsletter, or web viral marketing campaign; you should always offer your audience something in return for their help in boosting your network of potential customers and members. It doesn’t have to be expensive or lofty in anyway, just a little something that thanks them-and inspires them to do so-for recommending your site and nonprofit organization to their friends, relatives, and/or contacts. This is where your organization can use web services such as YouTube and podcasts to relay first-hand accounts or tips for your membership. In keeping with this strategy, make sure you are prepared to deliver these freebies or incentive prizes at a fast pace or large demand. Delivering once called upon will also show your present and new network the extent of your professionalism and credibility.

4.Follow up with appreciation. Many newcomers to viral web marketing forget-once they set up their viral web campaign-to follow up with thanks and appreciation once they have gleaned new members, customers, or overall response from their viral marketing network efforts. One of the best rules in any kind of marketing, and this extends especially to nonprofits, is to always be aware of your customers, clients, members, etc; and to make them feel not only involved with your nonprofit mission, but more importantly, valued. The trick with marketing is that you have to reach as many people as possible in a manner that seems personal and one-on-one. Follow up with a thank you email, an unsolicited gift or privilege, etc. For organizations with online profiles, ensure that you have budgeted for maintenance of those online profiles. This includes replying to personal messages and posting constant updates. Online profiles can be time-consuming, but their targeted visibility is unparalleled. Just taking a small amount of time and effort to recognize these people who contribute to the success of your nonprofit business, makes them feel good about their efforts and inspired to do and be a part of more.
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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultancy for non-profits and associations. Make sure to contact him for advice on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications and PR campaigns. Drop him a line if you are looking for help in developing a public relations campaign. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.