How Charities Can Raise Money With Twitter and Other Social-Networking Tools

Tuesday, November 25, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Chris Garrett is an Internet marketing consultant in Yorkshire, England, and author of ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income.

John Haydon is a sales consultant in Boston and the publisher and founder of the Web site corporatedollar.org, which offers marketing advice to small nonprofit groups. Mr. Haydon is also the author of a recently released electronic book, Twitter Jump Start: The Complete Guide for Small Nonprofits.

A transcript of the chat follows.

Cassie Moore (Moderator):
    Hello and welcome to today's live discussion. We'll be focusing today on using online networks to help raise money and increase your nonprofit group's visibility. There are lots of new and exciting tools out there, like Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and more, but many groups are only just beginning to learn how to use them effectively. What tools should your group be using? How do they work? Can they really help you raise money? Our experts are here to take your questions on these topics -- and many more -- during the next hour.

Cassie Moore (Moderator):
    To ask a question, please click on the "ask a question" link on this page and ask away. We'll get started momentarily.

Question from Mia, Progressive Future:
    What 'staying power' do members recruited via social networking tools have?

Chris Garrett:
    If you only ever connect with social networking tools then the staying power can be low. You need to deepen the connection by getting people more involved and recruited onto blog subscriptions or email lists. Loose connections can be kept warm by using the tools to send updates and invites to events etc though - in all cases, keep things relevant to THEM, too many tools are used simply to broadcast without taking into account tastes, biases and interests of the targets. Treat the social media tool initially as an attractor, with a planned follow up designed to keep them loyal.

Question from Eric Pourchot, Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation:
    What can we do to create a trusted online identity? There is so much spam, spoofing, phishing, etc. that it seems hard to be "heard" above the clutter and fraud.

Chris Garrett:
    There is a lot of cynicism and mistrust online, so all you can do is plug away and show that you are an approachable person, and use social proof where possible (blog comments, social media conversations, testimonials, case studies). Be transparent, be visibly a real human being (photographs, video, audio, using your own name), make a connection, and most of all provide value. I find a good technique is telling stories that people relate to. It seems that good, human stories still have the power to get past paranoia barriers!

Question from Mike Beebe, Penny Harvest:
    How do I get started using Facebook to fundraise for my program?

John Haydon:
    First of all, thanks for taking the time to submit this question - which is really the only question, isn't it?

Now, while I am not an expert at Facebook, I will say that most social media sites should be approached in the same way we would approach a neighbor or friend at a social event.

You would never run up and ask someone for money. Trust and connection have to be there first.

So, I would do your best to develop a facebook page that reflects your brand. Then search facebook for fans using keywords related to your non-profit. Invite these fans to connect with your facebook page.

Now - here's the money part:

Start a charity group on facebook that these supporters can promote on their own pages. Use this group page to raise money:

https://www.change.org/giving_networks/create_network
http://www.firstgiving.org/
http://www.givemeaning.com/
http://www.uplej.com/
http://twitpay.me/
http://www.onecause.com/

Most of these services have widgets you can use on a facebook page.
The key though is connecting and empowering those who are already talking about your cause.

Question from ceci Stell:
    What are some of the nonprofit website that are available?

Chris Garrett:
    Depends what you mean, if you mean good examples of non-profit sites using social media I quite like http://www.movember.com/

Question from Claudia Freed, EAL:
    Do usernames matter if you use Twitter primarily for fund raising? In other words, is it best to be Claudia Freed or http://inventorydonations.org?

John Haydon:
    Claudia - great question. One I get asked all the time.

Twitter is a social medium with a tremendous amount of connection and relationship. The Twitter culture is connection and community. And who do people want to connect with? Other people.

Think about how you use Twitter. Who are you inclined to connect with? Logos and corporate sounding URL's or people?

It's best to be who you are - just be sincere. Use your face in the avatar (and not one done at a photo studio ;-) ). Use your name as the username on Twitter.

Then use inventorydonations.org for the link section and create a background page with facts about your nonprofit group (stories and examples of how donations are used, photos of your supports...), but don't make it too busy.

Follow @LizStrauss - see how she does it!

Also, check out the Twitter Jump Start Guide for more on setting up a Twitter page

Question from Michele, Rawhide:
    What type of risk is there with social media and do you find the risks easy to manage? Are the risks worth the reward?

Chris Garrett:
    The main risks are saying/doing the wrong things, or attracting unsavory attention. To mitigate these risks, decide how approachable you are going to be (eg. don't have personal telephone numbers public) and what information you are willing to share. There is also the risk of spending too much time playing around with these things, as they can be compelling and a real time suck, so setting boundaries is important in all aspects.

Question from graceusa.org:
    What are the critical pieces of information donors look for and would motivate them to give?

Chris Garrett:
    People want to know if you are credible, what the money will be used for (specifics are powerful, and also as important is what the money will NOT used for), and often a sense of urgency (warranted urgency, not fake urgency just to drum up the dollar figure). Essentially you need both the positive ("This money will make a huge difference, x, y and z"), proof (testimonials, case studies, photographs) and also reassuring ("registered organization, secure connection, reliable credit card processor")

Cassie Moore (Moderator):
    Hello--for our curious readers, there will be a transcript of this discussion once we're finished, probably with a few more questions answered by Mr. Haydon and Mr. Garrett. To participate in this text-based chat, click the "ask a question" link at the top of the page. Thanks!

Question from Communications counselor:
    How are organizations first determine what supporters and prospective supporters want in the way of social-networking contacts?

Chris Garrett:
    The most effective way is to start the conversations. Do a small survey within your organizational network to see who is using social media and how. You might be surprised. Then try some of the networks and see what other organizations and members are doing. Rather than try to draw people to one venue or tool, it is far more efficient to see where people already are and engage them there. Once you have a handle on the current situation then you can do conversations, polls, surveys and tests to gauge reactions and results.

Question from Michelle Sedaca, Casa Myrna:
    I am wondering if you could give the most common Dos and Don'ts for nonprofits using FaceBook as an outreach/fundraising tool?

Chris Garrett:
    I would only use Facebook to attract, make connections and keep folks informed, drive people back to your site or blog wherever possible.

DO

1) Lurk and listen before getting too active, know what the playing field is like.

2) Use it tactically, it should not take over your entire day

3) Make connections

DON'T

1) Be frivolous - it will undermine your message

2) Get in your face - people are not all there for the same reason

3) Spend a huge amount of money - if you do spend, test and measure

4) Mix drunken nights out pics with fund raising!

Question from Michelle, performing arts nonprofit:
    Basically, I would like to obtain answers to those already posed: what are these tools? How do they work? And how can our organization--a performing arts institute--use them effectively? I would also like to know, in using these tools, if we are making ourselves vulnerable to contacts that could be harmful our brand.

John Haydon:
    Michelle - thanks for attending.

I'll try to address most of your question throughout the chat.

To your question about harming your brand:

The good news is that social media can enable you to change the minds and hearts of those who would even want to be harmful to your brand. Social media allows you to listen to what people are saying, understand them better and then connect with these folks. Like any relationship, dialogue is the key. Social media can be the platform for this dialogue.

The bad news is that whether you get involved with social media or not, people are already talking about your organization. If someone is dead set on being harmful to your brand, there's not much you can do (aside from legal measures).

But, social media at least allows you to be proactive towards these folks and potentially turn them into supporters.

Also, check this out for a list of more tools you can use: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbarefoot/1814873464/

Cassie Moore (Moderator):
    Here's a comment from Amanda, in Grand Rapids, Mich.:

I disagree about Twitter usernames. I follow real people on Facebook, and use Twitter to follow groups and organizations - news sources, our library, museums, colleges, non-profits.

I'm more likely to take a post or request seriously if it's coming from the organization than an individual who may work there or may just be sharing info on their own. I feel it's more credible from the organization name, and that whoever is running that must have approval. But, that said, that Twitter account should only be reporting from the perspective of the group or organization they represent. If the Museum suddenly tweets - "I'm going home to watch 'Grey's Anatomy'" It loses legitimacy with me.

Question from Cheryl, small nonprofit in southern California:
    Of all the social-networking tools available, which is the most essential for groups--especially those that are small and have few resources--to start using now?

Chris Garrett:
    The most essential social networking tool to have is a blog. Treat it as your hub for communicating all your activity, like a cross between a Web site and newsletter. Other social media tools can then feed into that. Twitter is excellent for conversational networking, Linkedin for gaining connections within the business world, and stumbleupon for website traffic.

Question from Nicola Beddow, Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure:
    What seems to be most effective Facebook tool in raising awareness/funds for charity events? Fan page, group page, Causes...all of the above?

Here's a link that offers a nice comparison of the two, but I'm still undecided on which is best: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/facebook
-group-vs-facebook-fan-page-whats-better/7761/ We are building our presence on Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness of the Race for Hope 5k to benefit brain tumor research. We hope to draw people to our Convio Teamraiser website (http://www.curebraintumors.org) where people can donate and register for the event. Thanks.

Chris Garrett:
    Create a page for your organization and create short-term campaign-specific groups. BUT do not get too caught up in the tool, think more about how you are growing your connections and getting the word out. Target well connected people and recruit them into advocating for you.

Another way to use facebook or any other tool is to get people to keep 5k diaries - how are they training for the event, what tips to they have for each other, what is it all about, how can people help, take part or contribute, then on the day get people to report, post pictures, and afterwards how did it go, did they reach their targets ... lots of content and awareness opportunities, and ways for people to become involved in the "story" which becomes a resource for future events and a snowball effect

Question from Mark, Children's National Medical Center:
    We're off to a good start on Facebook, but what tips do you have to attract Twitter followers? We just started at http://twitter.com/childrenshealth

Chris Garrett:
    Get talking to people is the best route - every public reply is an opportunity for someone to notice your twitter name (replies contain your name in the format @name) and to trace back your sparkling conversation! Also, make sure you tell people about your twitter account on your website and other social profiles and email signatures.

Question from Aliza Sherman, Internet consultant:
    What are the pros and cons of having multiple social networking profiles for the same cause or campaign? What are some tips you have for managing them, especially for nonprofits with limited capacity?

Chris Garrett:
    First, only have one main account per service (eg. one for facebook, twitter), but pick your battles, as you can't be everywhere at once. I have short, fixed periods where I go into social media sites, then I close those sites or applications and get on with my work. You do not need to live in these services 24/7!

Question from Jennifer, non profit professional:
    Should I use separate accounts for my personal and professional twitter and Facebook accounts? That just seems like so much work. Is it better to just use one and keep the personal stuff somewhat professional?

Chris Garrett:
    This is a choice you have to make as individuals and also with your organization. The choices are:

1. shared account for the organization - useful for Facebook and so on, but people prefer to interact with people

2. professional account separate from personal - double the work but clearly splits work from fun

3. combined - if people know who you work with then #2 can be tricky, so many people just set clear boundaries and try to be as professional as possible while being a real human being, like richardatdell who works for Dell computer company, and Matt Cutts who works for Google, they are representatives of the companies they work for while mixing in personal anecdotes.

Question from DeAnna Martin, Center for Wise Democracy:
    I can't seem to figure out which function/application of Facebook is best for our organization - creating a group or a cause... Can you explain the differences between the two and how to apply them appropriately?

Chris Garrett:
    I have yet to use a cause myself but the way I understand it they are more feature rich, but not part of Facebook proper (they are an application built on top of Facebook) which means people can block them and mark them as spam if they wish.

Even if you try the cause route, make sure you have a page

This is a useful link: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/
facebook-group-vs-facebook-fan-page-whats-better/7761/ and this:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/24/project-agape-launches
-via-facebook/

Question from Marcia Wood, small nonprofit:
    Can I check out LinkedIn, Facebook and so on without having to join first, which seems to involve creating a page?

Chris Garrett:
    Both have public pages that appear in search engines but to really see it working you need to log in

Question from Christina Underhill, Le Bonheur Community Outreach:
    I know Facebook has a tool called Insight that reports the demographics of the people who visit your page. Does MySpace have that same ability? Can you target ads to specific demographic groups in MySpace like you can in Facebook?

Chris Garrett:
    To be honest I would not pay much attention to myspace unless your target audience is heavily in the younger age groups

Question from Deb Geiger, small nonprofit:
    We have never heard of Twitter for fund raising purposes. Please provide some basics on what it is, costs, and how it would be used. Also, how do you know when to incorporate blogging into your toolbox?

Chris Garrett:
    Start with blogging, use Twitter to reach out to people via conversation and draw them to your blog with links. The blog and associated web pages/sites will then convert people from contact, to reader, to donor.

Twitter is free and simply a way to send and receive short messages, like an internet version of text on your mobile phone, but public so people can read what you are saying unless you send private "direct" messages.

You can see how I use it here http://twitter.com/chrisgarrett and John is here http://twitter.com/johnhaydon

Question from Larry Brooks, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper:
    Could you please start with a brief overview answering those questions: what are these tools, how do they work, how can we use them effectively?

John Haydon:
    Larry, Quick overview:

Main tool all non-profits should consider: A Blog

Blogs serve as the home base for which to conduct your social media efforts. People can subscribe to posts, comment on posts, find others who support you.

You want to have this central base for social media because:

1- You will go insane trying manage conversations on all of your social media sites.

2 - It will serve as a central location to manage content (updates on fund raising events, contact info, educational material).

I'm sure you've had parties at your house. Have you ever noticed how most of the action the kitchen? People are talking in the den, the foyer, the hallways. But the real party, where people open up, happens in the kitchen. Your blog is your kitchen at the social media house party.

Now, Chris Brogan talks about outposts - other social media sites online.

Twitter - very conversational, very intimate (which you can control using one of four posts types. You can use Twitter to develop one-to-one relationships with your fans.

LinkedIn - Great for those professional types who might sit on your board. Great potential here to develop Corporate Donors.

Facebook - Very much a "group-based" social media site. Fans can support your non-profit by creating campaigns.

This is the best way to use these: Forget about web 2.0, social media for a moment. Think about how you'd use any other medium to connect with your fans: A fundraising event where you meet supports, the telephone call to a potential donor, a casual meeting on the street. Social media is no different from this. It sounds dumb, but it's actually all about the people.

Get started with a blog and set up a few outposts. People will start to appear and will want to help you.

If all else fails, hire me - ;-)

Also See: The Twitter Post Types: When And How To Use Them http://www.corporatedollar.org/2008/11/the-four
-twitter-post-types-when-and-how-to-use-them/

Question from Nick:
    If an organization only had the time to pick one social networking tool to invest in what would you suggest?

Chris Garrett:
    Find out which your target audience is heavily into and go there, each audience, demographic or subject area will have a favorite

Cassie Moore (Moderator):
    By the way, you can follow The Chronicle on Twitter at twitter.com/philanthropy and get announcements of future live discussions through our Facebook group!

Question from Marcia Wood:
    From the answer Chris gave to Eric, it seems that an institution cannot have a social media presence, only a person. So my community music school can't be the online presence, the school director should be. Correct?

Chris Garrett:
    You can have an organizational presence but they are more official news papers and bulletin boards, it is individuals who will make personal connections, so you need to work out what you are going into social media for and how much of an emphasis you will place on each. For example, movember has a website and a facebook application, but individuals post up youtube videos and mustache diaries

Question from Nancy DiBiaggio, Aspen Youth Experience:
    How does an organization start to participate in this type of fundraising? Processes? Real explanation? Thank you,

John Haydon:
    Nancy,

Start with a blog. Then start three other SM sites: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook.

Use google alerts and Tweetbeeps.com to find out what people are saying.

All of this, of course should start with your brand. That will drive the quality of the conversations.

John

Question from Nick Ramsey, small nonprofit:
    What emerging social media tools excite you the most?

Chris Garrett:
    The one that excited me most recently is qik - this is a live video tool for your telephone, so I can switch qik on, start filming, and people around the world get my video live as I take it or later at their leisure from the archives. Outside the social media aspect, I think the possibilities for campaigning and citizen journalism are tremendous.

Question from Jack Tracey, California Native Plant Society:
    Could you give a quick "This is what Twitter is and why you should use it.." I'm using Facebook and Linked-In and have started using Facebook for my organization. But I have to confess that Twitter confuses the heck out of me!!! Not being of the texting generation probably doesn't help!!!

Chris Garrett:
    Twitter is a way to have conversations using short messages (140 letters), share links, or just broadcast what you ate for lunch. The best way to get to know it is to download John's free ebook :) http://www.corporatedollar.org/twitter
-jump-start-the-complete-guide-for-small-non-profits/

Question from Sandy, The J9 Foundation:
    I don't know the best way to get fans to my foundation's Facebook page without spending money on advertising. I've hosted events to bring the page to the attention of friends, but I don't know how to bring it to the attention of others in the social network. Facebook doesn't offer the option to invite people to the page. Just getting started on twitter, so exploring that option now.

Chris Garrett:
    Get your members, colleagues and contacts to promote it, invite their friends, and generally spread the word More info here: http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/archive/tags
/Facebook/default.aspx

Cassie Moore (Moderator):
    Here's some more food for though, a reader comment from Aliza:

I totally agree with Amanda, in Grand Rapids, Mich. I would definitely NOT follow a nonprofit if it were an individual from within the organization unless their CEO/E.D. - it devalues the nonprofit's brand. That said, if that person is also well-known for his/her work within the sector or at the nonprofit, I would follow them not to find out about the nonprofit but to get insight into their individual thinking. It is totally appropriate for a nonprofit to have a Twitter account as the agency or organization.

Question from Nancy Hughes; CA Urban Forests Council:
    We are revamping our website, what is the bet way to incorporate Twitter and all into our communication efforts?

John Haydon:
    Nancy, If you had a blog, particularly Wordpress, there a few applications that will allow your tweets to appear on your blog.

I would highly recommend changing over to a blog. Blogs are a lot more effective for social media efforts--and they can do everything a traditional web-site can do.

Use Twitter to connect, listen and converse with your fans. Invite them back to your blog for a long-term, deeper conversation.

See the Twitter Jump Start Guide for more details.

Question from ShapingYouth.org:
    Could you speak to any filters we can use within Twitter to funnel info without being deluged? (e.g. etiquette when people want to follow you and 'chat/comment' constantly) How is this handled w/nonprofits who have limited staff and time, and is it a situation of 'do it well or not at all'?

Chris Garrett:
    Don't feel you have to follow anyone back, and you do not need to read or reply to every message. I dip in once or twice a day and if I miss something, so be it. Your "replies" page and your direct messages are the most important pages, and it is relatively easy to keep up with those. Also you can use http://search.twitter.com to see if people are mentioning your organization or cause.

Question from Rebecca Atkinson, Web Marketing/Analytics Consultant:
    How should a non-profit make the best use of these tools like Twitter? Should they simply tweet to ask for donations?

Chris Garrett:
    Don't make it me-me-me, instead talk about all the great things you are doing, talk to people, involve people, search using http://search.twitter.com for people discussing topics related to your work, and drive people to your blog or website to do the conversion from reader to donor.

Comment from Aaron Stiner, Valley of the Sun United Way and YNPN Phoenix:
    Hello, as to your question from the performing arts person about a basic overview of these tools, I recently completed my Masters in Nonprofit Studies final report on how nonprofits can use blogs, online video and facebook to promote their organizations. It's not completely comprehensive, e.g. it doesn't include twitter, but its a good overview of the background theory behind Web 2.0 and it's free online - http://www.scribd.com/doc/7795111/Nonprofit-20
-Blogs-online-videos-and-Facebook-to-promote-your-mission

Question from Indy Little, Campus Crusade for Christ:
    With a really large, non-profit that has thousands of different possible donation possibilities (self-supported employees/staff as well as specific events/causes), how can we effectively use a tool like Facebook without having thousands of pages for users to peruse &/or donate to?

Chris Garrett:
    Use facebook and so on to make connections and maintain those loose connections, but you still need a website or blog for the comprehensive reading material. Attract with social network tools but drive people onto a blog/site and associated email newsletter so you never lose contact and can maintain the relationship

Question from Alan H. Frosh, The Gordian Fund:
    In targeting the next generation of philanthropists, as the Gordian Fund does, what is the best balance between the credibility of traditional marketing/giving approaches and the convenience of online methods?

John Haydon:
    Alan,

I think there needs to be a healthy mix of offline and online communication. However, most of the next gen will be involved with social media. At this point, 70%+ of these folks have a profile on at least one social media site.

Credibility in social media is a non-issue for the most part. SM as an organic check-and-balance system built into it. If something doesn't look credible, people give it the thumbs-down!

John

Comment from Roberta, Grand Rapids Community Foundation:
    Comment: We've used Twitter for a few months now and here the media are heavy users and followers. Contact with this audience alone makes it worth the tiny amount of effort to post a message.

Question from Joan, Fundraising Firm:
    Do you recommend using one of these tools to make an actual ask for an annual fundraising appeal?

Chris Garrett:
    Use tools in parallel to create "events", build anticipation and participation, build up to the appeal with momentum, but drive people to a dedicated fundraising appeal page for the actual donation, even if that page is on facebook or whatever. These tools work best when they are used together, but your blog or website needs to be the hub that all these threads connect to.

Question from Lon Newman, Family Planning Health Services:
    To supplement twitter, do you suggest an aggregator like twitterific or tweetdeck to track and search twitter easier?

Chris Garrett:
    I try to avoid overloading my time with these tools so the only search I use is http://search.twitter.com and http://tweetbeep.com to notify me when someone mentions a keyword

Question from Robin Mohr, middle-aged non-profit:
    How can we set up guidelines for who can tweet on behalf of our organization? Should there be limits? Who should respond to positive or negative references to our cause or our organization? When should we just ignore a conversation? How can we monitor staff using work time to read Twitter or Facebook?

John Haydon:
    Robin, Guidelines...

First of all, if you have younger staff, most of them are might already be tweeting about your non-profit.

Set up a policy to educate staff about legal disclosures, but create an environment where your staff get's fired up about what you're doing. Encourage them to tweet!

I would not recommend monitoring - as in "big brother". That will potentially dump water on a fire that you really want to burn brighter. Trust is the key - develop trust.

You can't control social media. Sorry.

John

Question from Alexis, Big Apple Circus:
    What demographic does Twitter reach?

Chris Garrett:
    The demographic of twitter is widening but it is still very much in the tech-savvy realm at the moment, it is still unknown to the vast majority if internet users.

Comment from Tracy, Ohio:
    I was lost for a long time about how to use Twitter - the easiest explaination I was given was: everytime you post something new on your website or put out a news release, you go to Twitter and say "just posted a news release" and give the link to your website/blog. Here's a great one to follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/juneholley - for how to use Twitter and other social networking with lots of resources to help clarify and understand social networking for non profits on her linked website.

Question from Christina DePaolo, Seattle Art Museum:
    I have been using Twitter over the last few months and it has become a normal part of my daily routine on getting information on non-profits I am interested in, as well as information on politics and culture. I would like to start a Twitter feed for my museum, focusing on giving visibility to our upcoming exhibition programs. However, I feel like Twitter is a bit of black hole, who is out there using it? How do we reach them? How do we let people know we are on Twitter? I want to propose to our staff here, and not sure, beyond my gut feeling, that it is a fit for us.

Chris Garrett:
    Ask, and search eg.
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=Seattle+Art+Museum These things start small and snowball. You can add your twitter account to your outgoing emails, to your website, and just start letting people know.

Question from Kristine Welter, Community Foundation for Southern Arizona:
    Hi. Once we have profiles set up for our organization on social networking sites, such as myspace and facebook, how do we recruit "friends?" Do I start with my personal contacts?

John Haydon:
    Kristine, First step: Do a search on myspace and facebook for folks that are already talking about your cause. Connect with them. They will naturally come to you.

The key is to give them a reason to come to you - get them to say "Wow, Kristine Welter is doing some amazing stuff. I've got to be a part of that".

Social media leverages out human need to belong and feel valued.

John

P.S. Also find other NPO's in your space - form partnerships - work together instead of competing (if you are competing at all).

Comment from Emily, Oklahoma Humane Society:
    To comment on controlling social media: THAT is the heart of the matter. As long as we try to control it, we will fail and we will fear it. You have to let go of control. Trust that it will work FOR you--after all, you're doing good work!

Question from Jean Terranova, Food Business Collaboration:
    Would like to know demographics of users of the major social networking sites - facebook, twitter, youtube, myspace, flickr, etc. Curious about age, income, geographics. If this info is out in the world, can you please forward a link?

Chris Garrett:
    Studies and surveys have been done, eg. http://business
.rapleaf.com/company_press_2007_11_12.html but I am not sure how much weight you can give them as things are moving so fast.

Question from Bob, Medium sized non-profit:
    What are your thoughts on use of Second Life and similar virtual communities?

Chris Garrett:
    They can be interesting and draw a lot of attention for the novelty factor, but the cost in money and time can be prohibitive and the return on that investment is still unproven.

Question from ShapingYouth.org:
    Are virtual worlds and microloans being used successfully in fundraising or more for awareness? (e.g. Kivo in Second Life, etc.)

Chris Garrett:
    From what I understand it is 99% all about publicity and experimentation at the moment, I have to say I am a virtual world cynic at the moment though!

Question from Evan Lowenstein, George Eastman House, Rochester NY:
    The sheer number of options and opportunities for online social networking is a bit intimidating and overwhelming to me. There are so many, and new ones every day, it seems! How do we begin figuring out which are the best for what we are trying to accomplish?

John Haydon:
    Evan,

Start with searching a few sites like facebook, linkedin and twitter for people that support your cause.

Get involved with the communities on these three sites. Through this process, you will find out if there are other socmed sites worth spending you time on.

Start with three - but just start.

John

Question from Marlene, Berkshire Taconic:
    How does the donation get processed using Facebook? Does it appear from a third-party nonprofit, or will it be listed as a direct donation to our foundation?

John Haydon:
    Typically third parties manage the transaction, but it should appear as a donation from your foundation.

Question from Marc A. Pitman, FundraisingCoach.com:
    Hi Chris and John. (It's really weird to post this rather than tweet it! *grin*) How do you coach nonprofits that try to use Facebook and Twitter as "announce-only" broadcast lists rather than two-way relationship building?

Chris Garrett:
    Some organizations choose to be announce-only and very formal, and that is fine, but I think using these tools to actually connect with people is more beneficial longer term as many people have a variety of causes, campaigns and organizations they keep in touch with or donate to, feeling involved and a sense of attachment can help keep you top of mind and turn "interested bystanders" into advocates who then recruit others

Question from Eva Dankanics, Camp Korey (small WA nonprofit):
    Are there any metrics yet showing how successful social networking has been in driving donor traffic to nonprofit websites or increasing giving? I am particularly interested in the Generation X and Y connection.

John Haydon:
    Eva,

A great source on social media stats is Beth Kanter's site. The most recent success is with Obama - a great deal of his campaign was funded using social media tools. His average donation was less than $200.

John

Cassie Moore (Moderator):
    Hello again--we're going to wind this discussion down, but make sure to check back later this week for a transcript of the discussion, along with a few additional questions answered by John and Chris! And make sure to check out The Chronicle on Twitter and Facebook. Thanks for all the great questions!

Comment from Eva Dankanics, small nonprofit:
    Chris and John, thanks so much--you have demystified social networking so well and have absolutely convinced me of the need to add these communications tools to my efforts. I appreciate the links and tips as well--can't wait to get started and see what works for our constituents. Thanks! Eva

Comment from Lisa Colton, Darim Online:
    Another resource for learning how your demographic is using these tools -- check out Groundswell's profile tool http://www.forrester.com/Groundswell/profile_tool.html And read up on the characteristics of each of the participation types they describe.

Question from Britt, Red Cross:
    With the increased emphasis on video/photo services such as YouTube and Flickr as well as brief updates/messages (Twitter) why are you pushing blogging so much? Thanks, Britt

Chris Garrett:
    Britt that is an excellent question. Blogs can help centralize all these different venues media while playing to the strengths of the individual services. Also you want to bring people in from the satellite locations back to your blog to inform, and engender loyalty using email or feed subscriptions.

I see flickr/YouTube as good recruitment sites and supporting players, but they are never going to have the donation pulling appeal of a good sequence of blog posts or emails that send people to a dedicated donation page :)

Question from Qui Diaz, Livingston Communications (@beautifulthangs):
    Any advice for integrating social media marketing with email/direct marketing? List management is tedious, donor cultivation is fragmented - nonprofits want to make the most of their tools w/out being overwhelmed.

Chris Garrett:
    My advice would be to use the social media tools to drive people to your content, in turn pulling them to subscribe to your email lists, postal newsletter opt-in or feeds. The direct mail would then be sent as email or letter in the traditional way.

Question from Jeanne Newman, Community Renewal Society:
    Can you give some good, successful examples of fundraising via social media? What strategies and sites were used?

John Haydon:
    Again - huge success for Obama - see more here: http://vtnonprofittools.wikispaces.com/SOCIAL+MEDIA
+LESSONS+FROM+ELECTION+2008

Question from Christine, VSITA:
    Why use Twitter to send links when people won't be able to do anything with them unless they have a fancy phone with internet access?

Chris Garrett:
    You can use twitter on your phone but most people use twitter on their computers rather than their phones. I only rarely check twitter on my phone in fact.

John Haydon:
    Hi everyone! Thanks so much for again attending today. Chris and I did our best to answer as many questions as we possibly could and will get to the unanswered questions later tonight.

I will be publishing a blog post tomorrow where you can submit questions that may have come up after this chat: http://www.corporatedollar.org Otherwise, thank you again - maybe we'll bump into each other offline somewhere!

;-)

John

Cassie Moore (Moderator):
    OK, now we're really ending the chat! Make sure to check back in later this week to see some additional questions answered. Thanks again for your lively participation. We apologize if we didn't get to your question, but we had quite a few and couldn't answer them all.

Question from Catherine, leadership engagement nonprofit:
    Facebook, My Space and other social media tools were originally developed for use by students -- who, frankly, have a lot of time on their hands plus willingness to explore the technology. Does anyone have any examples of successful social networking applications being used by leadership audiences (i.e., C-level executives)who have little time or inclination to use something that doesn't provide immediate return?

John Haydon:
    Catherine,

Twitter is an excellent social media app for executives. It's very easy to use and requires very little commitment in terms of time and content. What is required is a willingness to sincerely connect with your non-profit's fans.

If executives are looking for immediate return, however, I would encourage them to consider the "immediate return" of developing relationships with their non-profits supporters. It's no different from the "immediate return" one would gain from leaving their office and visiting the homes and offices of folks that support and love their non-profit. C-Level executives should understand that qualitative business value of these activities.

The real ROI in social media is manifested when your current supporters start talking to their friends about how much you rock. And as they rave about you, hundreds or thousands of other potential supporters see these conversations.

Imagine if your fans got even more fired up because the c-levels took the time out of their busy schedules to connect with them? Wouldn't that be remarkable? Wouldn't this make them want to tell their friends?

In short, the real value of social media is that it exponentially leverages word-of-mouth. But no-one will talk about you if there's nothing to talk about.

Two additional sources on this question:

1 - Corporate executives talking about Twitter's ROI: http://tv.afr.com/video/Technology/40/3840

2 - Great examples of non-profits using Twitter can be found here: http://blog.ogilvypr.com/?p=482

Question from : Jerrika- Latina Association in Tennessee :
    How to get the most out of Facebook page for novice like me. What are the ten tasks I must do to get the highest visibility? jerrika@asociacionlatina.org

John Haydon:
    

A: First of all, I'm encouraged to see that your website is a WordPress blog - this is a great starting point (http://asociacionlatina.org/)!

Now, Facebook: For your individual profile and your group profile:

1. Find 2-3 other non-profits and help them get high visibility
2. Don't worry about your visibility, for now - that will come in time
3. Remind yourself that facebook is an outpost that leads people to your blog.
Put yourself in your supporter's shoes for a moment and ask yourself: "Why would make me click though their facebook page and get more involved?"
4. Create an RSS feed in facebook from your non-profit's blog
5. Upload a bunch of photos of your supporters and staff having a blast (people are attracted to non-profits that are having a great time)
6. Don't be boring - have a Bio that engages people
7. Don't be verbose - keep the Bio short - let them know that more can be found on the blog.
8. Connect with other like organizations - don't compete, partner instead.
9. Don't get buried in widgets - Facebook has too many options for applications. Pick just a few that are fun and that resonate with your brand. 10. Go to "Start a Cause" on facebook and link it to your page. Look at the "Support The O Campaign for Cancer Prevention" group and Eric L Ding's profile for an excellent example of how to do this.

Question from : Melody, small nonprofit :
    Aside from facebook, what are some of the ways in which an org. can begin to capitalize on social media without seeming disingenuous or frivolous?

John Haydon:
    

The best way to avoid appearing disingenuous or frivolous is to be genuine and committed. Beth Kanter, in her "Cute Dog Theory" says that non-profits should spend 1-5 hours participating in social media and 5-10 hours a week creating content.

Note, see: http://cutedogtheory.wikispaces.com/

Question from Inee Slaughter, Indigenous Language Institute :
    Social network tools have a global audience. What is the safest and easiest way for anyone from any country (and which specific services, one e.g. PayPal) to donate to a US non-profit organization?

John Haydon:
    

Inee -- While application security is not my domain, I will say that paypal.com, firstgiving.org and networkforgood.com are proven solutions used by thousands of non-profits.

Question from Emily, Oklahoma Humane Society :
    I use Twitter for our humane society. I try to be "myself" while still relaying the values/beliefs of my organization, but my executive director is all about "keeping it totally professional." I think it SHOULD be more casual and personal, what do you think?

John Haydon:
    

I think you can be professional AND be yourself. Being authentic and open will go a long way in your social media impact. People "connect" with people, not organizations. That being said, try and keep any personal opinions about others to yourself - especially if they might seem negative.

Read more about this at http://www.personalitynotincluded.com

Question from Rebekah, Save The Bay :
    What is the most effective way to recruit new members to join your "group?" Is tasking existing members with "spreading the word" helpful?

John Haydon:
    

Rebekah - you've hit the nail on the head! Getting your best fans to spread the word is the key. The challenge is how to get these folks to WANT to spread the word! You can't make them. You have to give them reasons. Seth Godin, during a "non-profit 911" teleconferences insisted that non-profits must become remarkable so that people make remarks about them - or they will fade away!

Download the audio of this call here: http://info.networkforgood.org/np911091608/

Create a event or campaign as a reason to enlist these folks. The campaign should center around specific actions that are easy to do:

1 - Specific actions: Asking folks to "support us in the month of December" is too vague - only your biggest fans will act. Here's specific: Asks folks to create small 5-person fundraising teams who will compete to see who can get the highest number of $5 donations via Kintera before December 31st. Your fans will know exactly what to do and will be more likely to take action.

2 - Easy to do: Donating $5, using tools like mGive.com is easy - they can just use their cell phone (and then tweet "I just gave $5 to save the bay".

Question from Christina DePaolo, Seattle Art Museum :
    There is a lot of interest at our museum to use podcasts as an outreach tool. I don't see it as a social networking tool that could help us fundraise. However, do you think podcasts can be a part of a plan for outreach? Or do you think it would be better to use media content on sites such as YouTube?

John Haydon:
    

Christina -- Podcasts can be a very effective way to help you fundraise. If you give valuable content to your listeners, they will want to support the Seattle Art Museum.

Here's an idea: Find sponsors for the podcasts! Try inserting a 15-second "ad" in the podcast: "This Podcast is sponsored by Starbucks, makers of the most expensive cup of coffee on earth." Put the iTunes link to the podcast right on the homepage.

Question from Kris King, Stafford Animal Shelter:
    Do you think people like regular updates (photos, events, stories) or find them a nuisance?

John Haydon:
    

That depends on the social media application, whether the updates are during a major campaign event or not, and the personality of your supporters. With Twitter for example, frequent updates are fine, whereas a Facebook page might do better with weekly updates. Email newsletters should be scheduled with respect for your supporter's email inbox foremost in mind.

Question from : Amy/Susanne NJOP/JewishTweets :
    As a religious organization, with a fairly targeted audience, how do we best seek out our specific demographic using social media?

John Haydon:
    

Susanne! Hi, my Tweeps!

Assuming that your audience is involved with social media, start with setting up Google and Twitter alerts on your organization's title, causes and sect (google.com/alerts , tweetbeeps.com). You could also search most social media sites directly. Also, chek out the 500 group results for "Yeshiva" on Facebook...

You could also survey your audience with paper and pen ;-)

Question from Joanne, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology :
    Can you highlight any good examples of an organization using social networking tools not for fundraising but to increase involvement and event attendance among younger supporters/members?

John Haydon:
    

Facebook is full of these events. A 5-second search of "Ophthalmology" returns 28 events

Question from Kristine Welter, CFSA:
    What's the best way to drive people to your blog?

John Haydon:
    

Get them a very good reason, an irresistible reason to visit. Make your blog about them, not your non-profit. Useful blogs always win.

Question from Alex, Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga :
    Right now, our organization uses Paypal for processing donations. Have you found in your research a more relevant site? In other words, should I push giving through Facebook ?

John Haydon:
    

Alex -- processing donations is outside my domain. That being said, try and limit donation options to two choices - not five (less choice = higher chance of action). Try this for three months -- experiment -- see what happens.

Question from Larry Brooks, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper :
    Is there a way, without conducting our own survey, of finding out what demographics are reached/participate in each network, if we have several options? How do we know which ones to best spend our time on?

John Haydon:
    

I found this through a google search, but don't think stats exist that are specific to your cause or organization: http://business.rapleaf.com/company_press_2007_11_12.html

Question from Sandy, The J9 Foundation:
    How often should I contact the fans of the foundation's Facebook page? Don't want to slam them to the point of causing them to leave, but want to be intentional about connecting. We have monthly newsletters and of course the occasional pictures added or notes posted that they learn about in their newsfeeds.

John Haydon:
    

Give them a reason to stay in contact. You just started using Twitter - search, find and connect with your fans - build community. The J9 Foundation is an extremely worthy cause!

Question from Graham Richards, Freelance Fundraiser (UK):
    How easy is it for people without any technical web development background to create websites using WordPress and is this a good way forward for small charities to create websites cost effectively?

John Haydon:
    

Graham - you are speaking my language! Let me assure the readers, though, that your question has in no way planted. ;-)

Blogs require almost no programming background. My website is a Wordpress blog platform with a Thesis them - I've done almost no coding and when I have needed help, I've gotten it from the forum.

In my video series, "Blog vs. Website", I've been highlighting the business value of blogs - "ease of use" should be published in a few weeks.

Question from DeAnna, again, Center for Wise Democracy :
    How do I connect all these social media outlets to my blog... We have a blog, but I have no clue how to connect it with Facebook or LinkedIn or...?

John Haydon:
    

Enter your blog URL in the URL field within each socmed site.

Question from Sonia, Singh, Arizona Women's Education and Employment :
    First of all, thank you for this discussion! I've heard a lot of conversation about using Facebook and Twitter, for example, for fundraising. How could a nonprofit use something like LinkedIn, that doesn't have the same applications as Facebook? Many of our board members are on LinkedIn, and it seems like a natural fit to reach out to people who have an indirect connection already

John Haydon:
    

Sonia -- Yes, LinkedIn has great potential for non-profits. Make sure your board members put "http://www.awee.org/" in their "websites" section and that they read Guy Kawasaki's article, "LinkedIn Profile Extreme Makover": http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2007/01/linkedin_profil.html! I also have a post on my blog called "LinkedIn Strategies That Actually Work": http://www.corporatedollar.org/2008/08/how-to-leverage-
linkedin-for-your-small-non-profit/

Question from RJones, Red Cross :
    Can you give a few examples of who is currently a best practice in using these tools?

John Haydon:
    

See http://www.wearemedia.org/ for several case studies and best practices.

Question from Hsien Hong Lin, Taiwanese, Kent State University :
    As technology develops so fast, our communication and interaction also quickly change. But non-profit organizations usually do not have a budget to update their technological equipments in time. My question is how to keep the equilibrium point between communications upgrade and costs control for NGO and NPO?

John Haydon:
    

Use the free stuff ;-) That's my best answer. Technological equipment consulting is way outside of my domain.

Question from Patrick, Clean Air Council :
     What are the least labor intensive methods of using the internet? We have a small office of dedicated project coordinators who have very little time to be updating and tinkering with social networking sites because it takes them away from their actual jobs. It seems that organizations could make this type of activity a full time job because of how time consuming it can be. For those of us without dedicated staff that can oversee this method of communication, what is the best option?

John Haydon:
    

Your project coordinators most likely have Twitter, Facebook, Myspace or LinkedIn profiles (or some combination of these). Let these folks develop their own strategy using their innate passion and creativity. All the leadership needs to do is get out of the way.

Question from : Kristine Welter, Community Foundation for Southern Arizona :
    : Is there a reference that lists the general audience/average user of each of the social networking sites (twitter, facebook, myspace, etc) so we can make wise decisions about which to use and spend most time on?

John Haydon:
    

Demographics can be found at wearemedia.org or through a google search. Also, search slideshare.com - you'll find many surprises there as well!

Question from:Emily, Oklahoma Humane Society
    I can't get our director to agree to a blog! She says it's too informal, not professional enough...I argue, that is GOOD! How can I convince her?

John Haydon:
    

1 - Develop an appreciation for her position and her views. When she feels heard, then you can slowly sell her on the trends of social media, that future donors will expect to connect more and more.

2 - Avoid gushing over how great a blog is. Instead, focus on the business value of creating tighter relationships with your supporters.

Question from: Aliza Sherman, @alizasherman on Twitter
    What about podcasting? Or video for the Web? How effective can these be for nonprofit fundraising? And to enhance social networking profiles? How can they keep costs down?

John Haydon:
    

Video is the best medium to use on the web for storytelling. Look at how "Operation Smile" uses cheap handhelds to get their point across:

http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Xrh5XhldBMc&eurl=http://www.corporatedollar.org/2008/08/
great-example-of-non-profit-video/

Within 60 seconds OS creates urgency, a call to action, and demonstrates how funds are utilized.

Question from: Eric, university fundraising
    Are there examples you can point to where college deans or university presidents are successfully adopting these technologies? I am thinking primarily of Twitter but would welcome best practices even if in other technologies, too. I've enjoyed following @MichaelHyatt (CEO & President, Thomas Nelson Publishing) to get a sense of how a business CEO is making use of Twitter. I'm not aware of equivalent examples in higher education and would welcome any you would care to highlight.

John Haydon:
    

University of California at San Diego (La Jolla), University of California at San Francisco and Oregon State University (Corvallis) increased their online fundraising by over 300% between 2006 and 2007. See "Facts and Figures" on http://philanthropy.com.

Question from: Michele, Rawhide
    One problem we currently face is lack of buy-in from upper management to begin using social media. I think this is due to unfamiliarity with these applications. Do you have any case studies or statistics available to help make the case for using social media?

John Haydon:
    

Michelle: Case studies can be found at www.wearemedia.org. However, if you do use case studies, back them up with stats that apply to your non-profit. Open Twitter during your meeting and do a search. Ask them if they'd want to engage or learn more about the folks that turn up in searches.

Selling social media up the food chain is a battle that will not be won overnight. Take your time - stick will it. The battle will be won!